Review of Dinner at the Ritz (1937) by Aj V — 25 Jul 2009

"Dinner at the Ritz" shows up in the dollar bin and is worth the buck to watch something with a little continental flair. David Niven is suave and sexy, Annabella is charming and gorgeous, and the plot is ageless--arrogant financiers bankrupting others then lamming out to a luxury retreat.

Annabella is the chic spy from Hitchcock's classic "39 Steps." She's undercover here as well and beautiful enough to let Niven's character rip off her wig and wash off her makeup without fear of repelling the audience.

"Dinner at the Ritz" could use a remake with some of the erratic plot and character dynamics smoothed out and a touch of color added. But this B&W offering will do nicely in the meantime.