Two years before a shipboard romance with Irene Dunne in "Love Affair", suave Frenchman Charles Boyer did the same with Jean Arthur in this lavish and sometimes comic tearjerker. Arthur is a run-away bride who spends one glorious evening with Boyer after he rescues her from a plot by her evil husband (Colin Clive). Later separated from Boyer, Arthur ends up in New York where fate brings them together and onto a return voyage to France that will change the course of their destiny.

This might not be the classic love story of Leo McCarey's 1939 masterpiece and its 1957 remake "An Affair to Remember", but it is worthy of inclusion with the greatest love stories ever made. Any film with Boyer and Arthur will include dollops of humor here and there, and it helps the film avoid being mawkish and melodramatic. Colin Clive is a predictable villain, much like Billy Zane years later in "Titanic". References to that ship and the Hindenburgh are mentioned. Some good special effects are involved in the film's chilling conclusion.

The film has many implausibilities, but that has really no consequence because of the ultimate satisfaction it gives. Leo Carrillo shines as Boyer's pal, a cook who can do the most wonderful thing with lobster. That would be a great dinner to serve while watching this movie, with pink champagne of course!

The obsessive and jealous shipowner Bruce Vail (Colin Clive) does not accept the divorce his wife Irene Vail (Jean Arthur) achieved in London, and he hires his driver Michael Browsky (Ivan Lebedeff) to forge adultery with Irene in Paris to make the decree null. However, she is rescued by the headwaiter Paul Dumond (Charles Boyer),who punches Michael and locks Bruce and his private eyes in a locker, and they spend a wonderful night together in the restaurant Château Bleu, where Paul and his best friend Chef Cesare (Leo Carrillo) work, and they fall in love for each other. Meanwhile, Bruce kills Michael and blackmails Irene, blaming Paul and forcing her to return with him to New York. But Paul does not give up on Irene, and moves to New York with Cesare trying to find her love. They meet each other, but things get complicated when an innocent is arrested accused of murdering the driver.

"History is Made at Night" is a dated melodrama, but extremely romantic. Jean Arthur and Charles Boyer show an amazing chemistry in this delightful romance. The friendship of Cesare and Paul is quite unbelievable in the present days, but gives the funniest moments in this film. Colin Clive performs an obsessive and totally insane villain, with his sick jealousy. But in the end, love wins for the pleasure of the romantic viewers. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "A História Começou A Noite" ("The History Has Begun at Night")

Note: On 05 March 2012 I saw this film again.

Jean Arthur plays a woman married to an insanely jealous rich man (Colin Clive). He is very controlling and dangerous--and, not surprisingly, she leaves him and obtains a divorce. But Clive is not about to let her go and has her stalked by private detectives and plots to get her back. During this time, Arthur meets a very suave man (Charles Boyer) and they fall almost instantly in love. But, Clive isn't about to let her remarry and he murders a man and makes it appear as if his ex-wife's new love is responsible! To keep Boyer from going to jail, she agrees to return to Clive--even though she's miserable and he is just plain nuts...and rather evil. Is there any hope for the lovers? Will the truth ever come out? Now all this sounds like a murder mystery, and this is PART of the film but mostly it's a very stylish romance. The romantic portions of the film are its best--and despite the odd casting of the two as lovers, it does work very well. What doesn't work quite as well is the ending--which is almost like a replication of the Titanic disaster. But, despite the shortcomings, the overall picture is quite charming and well worth your time. Boyer was great in films like this and "Love Affair" and it didn't hurt that Clive played a wonderful slime-ball and Leo Carillo provided some good support. Well worth seeing.