Bluebeard's Eighth Wife

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Bluebeard's Eighth Wife

Released Mar 23, 1938

1h 25m

Comedy

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45%

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11 Reviews

63%

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500+ Ratings

Millionaire Michael Brandon (Gary Cooper) becomes smitten with French mademoiselle Nicole de Loiselle (Claudette Colbert) while vacationing on the Riviera. Michael asks her father, the titled but destitute Marquis de Loiselle (Edward Everett Horton), for his daughter's hand, but Nicole balks when she learns that the mercurial millionaire has already been married and divorced seven times. With the help of her platonic friend, Albert (David Niven), Nicole endeavors to change Michael's ways.

Otis Ferguson

The New Republic

The whole idea is so (1) absurdly fake, or (2) inherently morbid, or (3) both, that laughter at antics becomes more uneasy, strained and flat as the thing runs on. In the end it is hard to remember laughing even when the comedy was most bright and clever.

May 8, 2024

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Time Out

A sporadically funny, somewhat contrived comedy.

Jun 24, 2006

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Frank S. Nugent

New York Times

Although it's not a bad comedy by our current depressed standards, it has the dickens of a time trying to pass off Gary Cooper as a multi-marrying millionaire.

Rated: 2.5/5

Mar 25, 2006

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Serge Daney

Cahiers du Cinéma

Lubitsch has rarely come so close to zaniness... Made by a man who is confident about himself and his merchandise, the film is no longer about focusing on a flame that consumes itself, but of gathering up, here and there, left and right, the sparks.

Oct 3, 2023

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Ángel Fernández-Santos

El Pais (Spain)

An enduring jewel in the history of film comedies. [Full Review in Spanish]

Apr 1, 2020

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Ann Ross

Maclean's Magazine

Only Gary Cooper and Claudette Colbert could have given it its peculiar sparkle, romance and deftly timed comedy.

Oct 9, 2019

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Steve D

Oddball but quite fun.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/18/23

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Audience Member

The best comedy movie ever made!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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Audience Member

A strangely vicious film that's difficult to like, which is quite disappointing given the pedigree of the names surrounding it (Lubitsch, Wilder/Brackett, Colbert, Cooper). It's sporadically funny, but a bit uncomfortable and tonally confused.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

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Audience Member

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

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Audience Member

Bluebeard's Eighth Wife is an enjoyable film and a great example of what was called 'the Lubitsch touch' back in the day... Shaving A Bluebeard--It's all about getting what you want when you want it. And the message of Bluebeard's Eighth WIfe is to be careful what you wish for, until what you wish for wishes for you...'Bluebeard's Eighth Wife' is a GEM!!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

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Audience Member

Mostly delightful and always charming romantic comedy with a great cast and a generally good script that occasionally falls short.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

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Ernst Lubitsch

Director

Claudette Colbert

Nicole de Loiselle

Gary Cooper

Michael Brandon

Edward Everett Horton

Marquis de Loiselle

David Niven

Albert De Regnier

Elizabeth Patterson

Aunt Hedwige

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Synopsis

Millionaire Michael Brandon (Gary Cooper) becomes smitten with French mademoiselle Nicole de Loiselle (Claudette Colbert) while vacationing on the Riviera. Michael asks her father, the titled but destitute Marquis de Loiselle (Edward Everett Horton), for his daughter's hand, but Nicole balks when she learns that the mercurial millionaire has already been married and divorced seven times. With the help of her platonic friend, Albert (David Niven), Nicole endeavors to change Michael's ways.

Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Producer: Ernst Lubitsch
Screenwriter: Charlton Andrews, Charles Brackett, Alfred Savoir, Billy Wilder
Distributor: Paramount Pictures, MCA/Universal Pictures [us]
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 23, 1938, Original
Release Date (DVD): Nov 3, 2009
Runtime: 1h 25m
Sound Mix: Stereo, Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Flat (1.37:1)