CinemaSerf
2/8/2026
When “The Baroness” (Kay Francis) is caught up in a daring robbery in a Viennese jewellers, she finds herself strangely drawn to the thief. Now like so many of the wealthy aristocracy, she is trapped in a fairly loveless marriage and has had taken many a lover over the years, but this time it’s William Powell who has well and truly got under her skin. Now on the face of it, this is just a predicable precursor to a rom-com, only here everyone is dressed for the opera and glides about as if they were Fred Astaire, but what this also has is a cleverly crafted script and two stars who really do seem to get on with each other as the mischief plays out. It could be called a romance, perhaps, but I have to say that part of the fun here is borne out of their allure, their desire and attraction but it is hard to imagine that either of this borderline disparate pair would ever find, or even want to find, "true love”. What's more, both actors know how to present that delicately to those of us watching and I found it really quite entertaining for just over the hour. It’s not raucous or bawdy, it’s sophisticated but not afraid to poke fun at that sophistication, neither.
