Ernst Lubitsch's Cluny Brown, from 1946, is a fitting capstone to the career of one of cinema's greatest directors. The plot is utter tosh, merely an excuse for free spirits Charles Boyer and Jennifer Jones to shake the dust off English aristocrats. Boyer's performance was only bettered by his one in History is Made at Night. Here he is again the essence of continental charm and raffish romance. Jones shines in her only comic role outside of Beat the Devil. She portrays a ditzy plumber with aplomb. It is a pity her comic talent was sacrificed to David O. Selznick's ambition. A host of British character actors all contribute to the merriment with Richard Haydn a particular standout as a stuffy pharmacist.
Lubitsch's touch is so seamless as to be invisible to the casual viewer. A brief example will suffice here. Jones converses with Boyer before her date with the pharmacist. Lubitsch highlights her romantic excitement by using a tracking shot, a rarity for him, of Jones running to her tryst. Once inside the pharmacy, two graceful pans alert the viewer that Jones' romantic plans will eventually lead to a dead end. The economy and grace of Lubitsch's camera is classical cinema at its zenith.
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