Watch The Big Pond For Free

Tied for the best movie I have ever seen

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

I can't think of a film that visibly shows an advertisement for ex-lax, that is, not until now. You won't need any to enjoy this delightful pre-code comedy with songs, an elegant romance featuring Maurice Chevalier and Claudette Colbert, two native French legends, in the first of two films they made together. Chevalier, then at the top of his romantic height, scored an Oscar nomination for this, and his easy going persona makes him truly likable. Back in the early 1980's, I saw a screening of 1934's "The Merry Widow" where 75 plus year old ladies cooed like school girls just by his very presence. Colbert, a French transplant at the age of 3, is ultra American chic as the daughter of an imperious wealthy industrialist (the equally portly George Barbier). She is first seen being serenaded by Chevalier to the lyrics of one of his biggest hits, "A New Kind of Love" (later spoofed by ALL of the Marx Brothers in "Monkey Business"), and you can see in those big eyes of hers everything she's thinking. As Colbert indicated in later years, there was more heat in the insinuations of sex than the actual deeds shown in movies from the 1960's on.Thanks to Colbert, the talented but broke Chevalier gets a job working at her father's factory, getting a room in a local boarding house. The unbilled actress playing the down to earth landlady ogles him just like the old ladies did at that screening I attended all those years ago. Nat Pendleton is very funny as the tough guy who is won over by Chevalier's down to earth manner. The plot line basically surrounds the differences in their class, other romantic obstacles that create unwarranted jealousies, and of course, their own egos. Chevalier finally impresses Barbier by inventing an alcohol flavored gum, adding more amusing complications. It's a simple story, played with charm, sophistication and humanity, with two beautiful stars who are equally as talented.

"The Big Pond" is a rather archaic sort of movie...even compared to many other films from 1930. The sound is the major problem. Although it has a few musical numbers, the sound quality is pretty shabby on the copy I saw on YouTube. Could there be a better copy? Sure...but the film's problems aren't all because of the sound. The film itself seems as if the filmmakers weren't sure how to use the sound they had...and compared to the other musicals of the time it just seems flat and unappealing...which is amazing because Maurice Chevalier's films he made just after this were terrific.The film begins with the Billings family in Europe on vacation. There, Barbara (Cluadette Colbert) falls in love with Pierre (Maurice Chevalier). The problem is that she comes from a rich family and Pierre is without a job. Her father agrees to bring Pierre to America and gives him a job in his chewing gum factory. While it might seem that the guy likes Pierre, he plans on giving Pierre a hard time--to work him so hard that he'll quit and the wedding plans will fall apart. However, Pierre manages to make good and become an important part of the family...and practically loses Barbara as a result.Apart from having a chance to hear the same song made famous in the Marx Brothers film "Monkey Business" (where Groucho, Chico and Harpo try to use Chevalier's passport to disembark from the ship...and by singing "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me" (from "The Big Pond"), there isn't a lot to distinguish the film. Chevalier is good in spite of everything and Colbert is, essentially, there but not particularly distinguished.FYI--In the film, someone tells Pierre that a decent salary to obtain to enable you to get married is $20,000 a year. Back in 1930, the average salary was only about $1900 a year!

Originally planned to highlight the talents of another up and coming Paramount player, Charlie Ruggles, it was quickly adapted to Maurice Chevalier's larger than life talent when "The Love Parade" proved such a big hit!! Chevalier proved he was completely at home in both light operetta and contemporary comedy with songs and "The Big Pond" gave him one of his standards - "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me" which in 1930 instantly joined "Louise" in his repertoire, the fact that it was played endlessly throughout the film didn't worry anyone.Chevalier played Pierre Mirande, an immigrant determined to make good and trying to cope with a snooty American family - and who did Paramount get to play Barbara, a typical American girl, why Claudette Colbert of course, who was almost as French as Maurice!! Newly hired dialogue director Preston Sturges not only rewrote the dialogue (it was taken from a 1928 Broadway play that lasted 47 performances), he altered the plot and characterizations so it resembled his own Broadway hit "Strictly Dishonourable".Within minutes Pierre has confessed to Barbara Billings that "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me". She is an American heiress caught up in the heady atmosphere of Venice but of course her father and Ronnie, her would be suitor, believe Pierre is a fortune hunter. They hatch a scheme to bring Pierre to America and completely discourage him by working him to a frazzle in the Billings Chewing Gum Factory. Back in New York Barbara assumes that Pierre is being treated with kingly respect but sneaky Ronnie has directed him to a seedy boarding house but is dismayed to see his French charm and good humour make him a real favourite with all the tenants - especially the land lady. His breezy spirits and hard work in the factory gradually thaw the hard hearted father and when Pierre hits upon the idea of creating an alcohol flavoured chewing gum (after a factory accident) the sky's the limit. Barbara is less than impressed as she sees her light hearted lover turn into a workaholic businessman but Pierre hasn't really changed - he is just trying his best to earn the $20,000 a year that Ronnie hinted he needed to win his girl!!This satire on big business was a bit of a come down from the scintillating "The Love Parade". Funniest scenes were those that kidded Chevalier's confusion with American slang, especially at the boarding house dinner which ends with him being considered a regular guy by his fellow workers. At a presentation he launches into a typical "sing to the audience" song with the bubbling "Living in the Sunlight, Loving in the Moonlight" and just before the end he can hardly contain himself as he sings "Lucky Day" (he sings it to Jenny. She is a little girl at the boarding house and there is a really sweet interplay between them). For me, they are the only scenes that the Chevalier exuberance really shines through and I think they are the high point of the movie.Claudette Colbert does nicely as the love interest, she even sings a bit, but she is not over taxed and seems to disappear during the last half of the movie.Recommended.

I apparently liked this one more than most people, and I thought it was a thoroughly charming romantic comedy. I see that Preston Sturges was a writer on this one and his touch shows. Chevalier plays Pierre, a guide of rather noble background whose family lost their money in the first World War. Barbara (Claudette Colbert), the rather spoiled daughter of the wealthy Billings family, falls for Pierre during the family's European vacation. When her father first finds out that Barbara wants to marry this man, he explodes. But then he reconsiders. He figures his best option is to take Barbara's side, take Pierre back to America with them, put him to work in the family business - they make chewing gum , and show Barbara that he could never fit in.So this boils down to your basic fish out of water story, but Pierre is a very sincere and charming Gallic guppy. In America he wins over everyone from his rooming house landlady who also happens to be French to his gruff coworker (Nat Pendleton) who was instructed to "give Pierre the business" by Mr. Billings but lightens up after he just can't help liking the guy.However, Pierre's blessings - his quick wit and likability - are also a curse. His reluctant father-in-law to be soon finds Pierre quite the idea man and pretty soon Pierre has worked himself up from hard physical labor to a nice job and a nice office to match. This has him spending much time at work, neglecting Barbara, and even turning his love song to Barbara into a chewing gum jingle much to Barbara's dislike. Will things work out for Pierre and Barbara? Watch and find out.Chevalier is pretty much the whole show in this one since it really is Pierre's story - Claudette Colbert is not given that much to do. Maybe that's a good thing since she is playing a very spoiled girl that must think the money with which she parties is heaven sent since she is so opposed to the men in her life working long hours and upsetting her social calendar. But this is a comedy, so her excesses and shortcomings are not explored here. The song "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me" gets reprised to the point of excess, but still it manages to not wear out its welcome.