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Downstairs (1932)
Director: Monta Bell
Cast: John Gilbert, Paul Lukas, Virginia Bruce, Hedda Hopper
Runtime77 min
RatingNR
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In the Austrian manor of Baron and Baroness von Burgen, the relationship between the upstairs aristocracy and the downstairs staff is quite positive. The servants seem to enjoy their time together, and some even fall in love, as head butler Albert and maid Anna have done. But when lecherous new chauffeur Karl Schneider enters the house, affairs and blackmail follow, and the harmony of the home is slowly destroyed.
Critical Reception & Ratings
Downstairs (1932), directed by Monta Bell, is a largely forgotten drama that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the relationships between aristocracy and their servants in an Austrian manor. While the film has received limited critical attention, it provides an intriguing glimpse into class dynamics of the era and the consequences that can arise when those boundaries are breached.
Why you might like this:
Fans of classic Hollywood drama will appreciate the gripping tale of upstairs-downstairs intrigue directed by Monta Bell in the 1932 film Downstairs. The performances of stars like John Gilbert and Virginia Bruce bring to life the complex web of affairs and betrayals that unfold within an Austrian manor, offering a compelling glimpse into the dynamics between aristocracy and servants.
About
Downstairs is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film. It stars John Gilbert as a charming but self-serving chauffeur who wreaks havoc on his new employer's household, romancing and fleecing the women on the staff, and blackmailing the employer's wife. Gilbert had written the story in 1928 for a proposed silent film that was never produced.
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