Roberta

Synopsis: Football player John Kent tags along as Huck Haines and the Wabash Indianians travel to an engagement in Paris, only to lose it immediately. John and company visit his aunt, owner of a posh fashion house run by her assistant, Stephanie. There they meet the singer Scharwenka (alias Huck's old friend Lizzie), who gets the band a job. Meanwhile, Madame Roberta passes away and leaves the business to John and he goes into partnership with Stephanie.
Director(s): William A. Seiter
Production: Warner Bros.
  Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
7.1
Rotten Tomatoes:
83%
NOT RATED
Year:
1935
106 min
336 Views


- Did you bring my band of Indians?

- Indians?

Yes, American Indians,

musicians to play in my caf.

- Oh, you mean Indians with feathers?

- Yes, with noses.

- Like on the American five cents?

- Yes, yes.

- Have you got them on board, yes?

- No.

Thank you, monsieur.

Indians? Indians?

Are you the Wabash Indians Band?

Are you Voyda?

I am Alexander Petrovitch

Moskovich Voyda.

Let's pick it up from there.

We're the boys you hired

to play at your caf.

- The Wabash Indianians.

- Indianians?

Is this the same as Indians?

Well, yes, in a sense.

You see, we don't wear our feathers

in warm weather, do we, boys?

- No.

- No, never, never.

- Well, when do we start, Mr. Voyda?

- You don't start.

I cable for Indians and I want Indians!

No pale American face

is going to make me a fool of myself.

Did you ever heard of Alexander

Petrovitch Moskovich Voyda?

- Sure.

- Yes, and how, and how.

As a matter of fact, we hear you're one

of the cleverest fellows in Paris.

In Paris and all Europe.

The whole world.

Well, I was coming to that.

I just wanted to prepare you, that's all.

You got a great bet

in these boys, Mr. Voyda.

- They'll be a knockout in your caf.

- They shall never see my caf.

I ordered Indians, and what do I get?

Wait, Mr. Voyda.

Huck, do the organ number, quick.

Come on, boys, give us the organ number.

Get the gloves out.

- Oh, Mr. Voyda.

- What?

Aren't you going to

give these boys a chance?

No, why should I?

Sorry, Mr. Voyda,

but I'm afraid you've got to listen.

Just submit quietly

and we'll both keep out of jail.

Well, how did you like that, Mr. Voyda?

You see, you almost made a mistake.

I made a mistake? You made a mistake.

You are not Indians!

The cable mentioned a short engagement.

Well, it was a nice trip over.

It'll be a nicer trip going back,

stoking coals.

Come on, boys, the train for Paris.

A grand total of $13.78.

And a button.

Well, boys, at the rate we live,

that'll last us about two months.

Mother told me

there would be days like this.

Say, listen,

they dance in Paris, don't they?

All we have to do

is find out who pays the fiddler.

Does anyone know anyone in Paris?

That top sergeant brother of mine

gave me some addresses.

Quiet.

Wait! I know somebody, a little girl

who used to live next door to me.

Gee, I was crazy about her, too.

She's a sensation in Paris,

she's a star of some show or something.

- She'll help us.

- Well, what's her name?

What was her name?

Gee, I could find her like that

if I could only remember her name.

Anybody else you know

you can't remember?

Yeah, but I can't think who they are.

I know, it's Lizzie, Lizzie...

Elizabeth Gatz.

That's it. Elizabeth Gatz.

What a beautiful name.

Whether you find your Lizzie or not,

I've got an aunt in Paris. Aunt Minnie.

Can Aunt Minnie use a band?

Probably not. She's a dressmaker.

Well, I've knitted and tatted

all my life, but I've never sewed.

- She's very rich and famous. She might...

- Why didn't you say so before?

She's Roberta.

Roberta?

- This Roberta?

- Yeah.

They tell me in Paris if you

don't buy your gowns from Roberta,

you're not dressed at all.

I see, nude if you don't, and nude if you do.

Grab my bag, will you?

Listen, ask your aunt Minnie if she knows

where we can find Lizzie Gatz, will you?

- Okay. I won't be long.

- All right.

You fellows pick yourselves

some comfortable easy chairs.

Hey!

Hey!

What am I supposed to do here

besides pray? Or can't you speak English?

Well, the old trap won't go.

Oh, what's the use? Just a dumb foreigner.

Oh, here, here, here.

You mustn't do that. You might be killed.

Oh, you speak English.

Ladislaw.

Oh, don't go away. I want to thank you.

Gee, you saved my life.

I'm ever so much obliged to you.

Oh, it's nothing at all.

Oh, I mean you're welcome, of course.

Do you know

where I can find Madam Roberta?

Yes. Come with me.

I didn't really mean that

about a dumb foreigner.

I forgive you.

Gee, that's swell.

You speak English beautifully.

Long ago I went to school in England.

Did you like it?

Oh, yes, I like the English.

And the Americans, too.

Gee, that's swell.

- I'm an American.

- Gee, that's...

I mean, I thought so.

Will you sit here, please?

Thank you.

But Minnie, you've made a mistake

in the year. You don't look a day over...

- Stephanie!

- How do you do, Lord Henry?

My dear.

I saw your cousin,

Prince Peter, last week in Rome.

He asked after you most solicitously.

I hope you told him I had gone to work

and he should do the same.

When all you titled aristocrats get jobs,

maybe Europe can settle down

to a few years' peace.

What is it, Stephanie?

There's a young gentleman outside

from America, waiting to see you.

Young gentleman from America?

John.

John!

Bring him in, Stephanie. Bring him in!

No, wait. Don't let him come

until I've powdered my nose.

Give me that compact, Henry.

Quick, quick, the compact!

How does he look?

He must look all right.

- Send him in, Stephanie.

- Yes, madame.

- This "John from America", who is he?

- My nephew.

I met him when I was there a few years

ago and took a great fancy to him.

He's quite famous in his way.

"All-American halfback" or

"three quarters back" or something.

- Really?

- Yes, you know, it's queer,

but when you

happen to like your relatives,

you like them better than other people.

- And if you hate them?

- Don't be obvious, Henry.

He was the only one of the whole tribe

who was polite to me

during my entire visit.

I like him, Henry.

He's like a big, affectionate,

blundering Newfoundland dog.

I'd like to see him grow up.

- How big is he now?

- Oh, about 6'2".

John, my dear, I'm so glad to see you.

It's swell to see you, Aunt Minnie.

- Here he is, Henry, here is my...

- Newfoundland dog?

I was telling him about you, John.

This is Lord Henry Delves,

a really grand person.

And this is Stephanie, my able assistant

whom I couldn't do without.

Well, young man, I think your aunt

should be very much complimented.

When I was in Paris at your age,

I didn't spend my time visiting my aunts.

Maybe you didn't

have any aunts like Aunt Minnie.

Very prettily said, John.

There aren't any like your aunt Minnie.

Well, goodbye, young man,

I'm off to catch a train,

but in a fortnight I'll be back.

And then, as I understand is the custom

in your country,

we'll go places and do something.

Goodbye, Minnie,

miss me just a little, won't you?

A very great deal, my dear.

Nice old duck, isn't he?

Oh, he isn't so terribly old.

Oh, I didn't mean in years, Aunt Minnie.

I meant I like him.

Do you?

Then you're a good judge of men.

Now, tell me about this young lady

you wrote me about. What was her name?

Sophie. She's given me the air.

What?

We had a row.

Oh, I thought she'd given you an heir.

She must be very stupid.

Oh, no, she's brilliant, really.

She speaks German and French

and everything.

Here's her picture.

It isn't very good of her, though.

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Jerome Kern

Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over 100 stage works, including such classics as "Ol' Man River", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man", "A Fine Romance", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", "The Song Is You", "All the Things You Are", "The Way You Look Tonight", "Long Ago (and Far Away)" and "Who?". He collaborated with many of the leading librettists and lyricists of his era, including George Grossmith Jr., Guy Bolton, P. G. Wodehouse, Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammerstein II, Dorothy Fields, Johnny Mercer, Ira Gershwin and E. Y. Harburg. A native New Yorker, Kern created dozens of Broadway musicals and Hollywood films in a career that lasted for more than four decades. His musical innovations, such as 4/4 dance rhythms and the employment of syncopation and jazz progressions, built on, rather than rejected, earlier musical theatre tradition. He and his collaborators also employed his melodies to further the action or develop characterization to a greater extent than in the other musicals of his day, creating the model for later musicals. Although dozens of Kern's musicals and musical films were hits, only Show Boat is now regularly revived. Songs from his other shows, however, are still frequently performed and adapted. Many of Kern's songs have been adapted by jazz musicians to become standard tunes. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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    "Roberta" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/roberta_17039>.

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