Man Of The World (1931)

An American (William Powell) who fled the country to avoid the law now lives in Paris where along with his two cohorts (Wynne Gibson, George Chandler), they bilk rich American tourists. When he meets a wealthy American heiress (Carole Lombard), his plans to extort her give him second thoughts when he falls in love with her. Directed by Richard Wallace (FALLEN SPARROW), this pre-code movie romance is unusual in that instead of a conventionally happy ending, it gives us a somber downbeat finale. Powell is very good in a role light years away from the light hearted witty Nick Charles of THE THIN MAN movies. We're as conflicted about him as he is about himself. Lombard is charming, not yet the Queen of screwball comedy. It's bittersweet ending adds some weight that the film might not otherwise have. With Guy Kibbee and Lawrence Gray.