Revisiting the Classics: Trouble in Paradise

A witty and sophisticated classic of pre-Code Hollywood cinema, Ernst Lubitsch’s Trouble in Paradise follows gentleman thief Gaston Monescu (Herbert Marshall) and pickpocket paramour Lily (Miriam Hopkins) as they embark on a series of luxurious heists and cons across Europe. Their romantic relationship becomes complicated when they target the wealthy perfume heiress Madame Colet (Kay Francis) for an elaborate scam. As their criminal schemes unfold, Gaston finds himself romantically entangled with Colet, delightfully blurring the lines between love and deception. Set against the glamorous backdrop of 1930s European high society, Trouble in Paradise is a breezy romantic comedy filled with sly innuendo, clever plot twists, and the witty banter and irresistible charm expected of an Ernst Lubitsch film.

Charles Wolfe (Film and Media Studies, UCSB) will join Patrice Petro (Dick Wolf Director of the Carsey-Wolf Center) for a pre-screening discussion of the enduring legacy of Trouble in Paradise.