''Her Highness and the Bellboy'' is a 1945 American romantic comedy film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring

Hedy Lamarr Hedy Lamarr (; born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler; November 9, 1914 January 19, 2000) was an Austrian-born American film actress and inventor. A film star during Hollywood's golden age, Lamarr has been described as one of the greatest movie actress ...

, Robert Walker, and June Allyson. Written by

Richard Connell Richard Edward Connell Jr. (October 17, 1893 – November 22, 1949) was an American author and journalist. He is best remembered for his short story "The Most Dangerous Game" (1924). Connell was one of the most popular American short story wr ...

and Gladys Lehman, the film is about a beautiful European princess who travels to New York City to find the newspaper columnist she fell in love with six years earlier. At her posh New York hotel, she is mistaken for a maid by a kind-hearted bellboy. Charmed by his confusion, the princess insists that he become her personal attendant, unaware that he has fallen in love with her. ''Her Highness and the Bellboy'' was released by

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 ...

in the United States on July 11, 1945.

Plot

The beautiful Princess Veronica (

) travels to New York City to find the American newspaper columnist she fell in love with six years earlier. After checking into the elegant Eaton Hotel, she is mistaken for a new maid by

bellboy A bellhop (North America), or hotel porter (international), is a hotel employee who helps patrons with their luggage while checking in or out. Bellhops often wear a uniform (see bell-boy hat), like certain other page boys or doormen. This o ...

Jimmy Dobson ( Robert Walker), who offers to accompany her on an afternoon stroll through Central Park. When they return, the hotel manager is shocked to see his bellboy with the princess and fires him for consorting with an important guest. Veronica saves Jimmy's job by insisting that the manager assign him to be her personal attendant while she is in New York. When he is not working, Jimmy spends time with his slow-witted friend and co-worker, Albert Weever (

Rags Ragland Rags Ragland (born John Lee Morgan Beauregard Ragland, August 23, 1905 – August 20, 1946) was an American comedian and character actor. Personal life Ragland was born on August 23, 1905, in Louisville, Kentucky, to parents Adam Joseph Ragland ...

), and their good friend and neighbor Leslie Odell ( June Allyson), a former dancer who is now bedridden and crippled. Leslie and Albert enjoy listening to Jimmy read fairy tale stories to them on their roof. Jimmy is unaware that Leslie is secretly in love with him. Meanwhile, Veronica's traveling companion Countess Zoe (

Agnes Moorehead Agnes Robertson Moorehead (December 6, 1900April 30, 1974) was an American actress. In a career spanning four decades, her credits included work in radio, stage, film, and television.Obituary ''Variety'', May 8, 1974, page 286. Moorehead was th ...

) is concerned about Veronica wanting to rekindle an old romance with newspaper columnist Paul MacMillan (

Warner Anderson Warner Anderson (March 10, 1911 – August 26, 1976) was an American actor. Early years Anderson was born to "a theatrical family" in Brooklyn, New York, March 10, 1911.Aaker, Everett (2006). ''Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters''. ...

)—hardly an appropriate match for a princess. She tries to persuade Veronica to forget her former American lover and marry the annoying Baron Zoltan Faludi, who followed her to New York, but the princess ignores her. When Veronica learns that Jimmy knows Paul, she asks him to deliver an invitation to Paul for a formal ball being held at the hotel that evening. At the ball, Veronica and Paul are finally reunited after six years. Paul is still upset with her for abandoning him to marry another royal, who has since died. When she offers to renew their relationship, he turns her down, saying they are from two different worlds. After he leaves, Jimmy discovers her crying and tries to comfort her. Not knowing that the bellhop has fallen for her, she asks him to take her to a bar called Jake's Joint, where Paul likes to hang out. Knowing the bar is not appropriate for an elegant princess, Jimmy tries to change her mind, but she insists. Believing that Veronica is in love with him, Jimmy rents a tuxedo for his big date. Just before he leaves, Albert reminds him that he's been neglecting their invalid neighbor Leslie. He goes to her room and gives her the corsage he had bought for the princess. After he leaves, the young woman breaks down in tears, believing her secret love for him will never be returned, now that he is dating a princess. She is left with her fantasies of dancing in the arms of the man she loves. That night at Jake's Joint, while the princess is looking for Paul, Jimmy sees Albert in the company of gangsters. Thinking that Jimmy had abandoned him, Albert tells him he's now joined up with the gang. When the gang leader orders Albert to punch Jimmy, Albert punches the leader instead, and a brawl ensues. Veronica gets involved in the fight and is arrested in a police raid. While Veronica is in jail, news arrives at the hotel that her uncle has died from a fall and that she has succeeded to the throne. The next morning, Jimmy wakes up in the bar after being knocked out during the fight, and makes his way to the hotel, where he is joined by Albert. The princess' entourage are upset over news that she was arrested the night before. Meanwhile, Paul arrives at the jail, bails out the princess, and accompanies her back to the hotel, where they learn that Veronica is now the queen of her country. When he sees her distracted by the pressures of being a queen, Paul leaves in frustration. Later, when Veronica invites Jimmy to accompany her back to Hungary, Jimmy misinterprets her intentions and believes she wants him to share the throne with her. After accepting her offer, Jimmy packs his bags and stops by Leslie's room to say goodbye. Wanting to show him that she is recovering from her disability, Leslie attempts to walk across the room to him, and just as she falls, he catches her in his arms. Finally realizing how much Leslie loves him, and how much he loves her, Jimmy decides to remain in New York with her. Returning to the hotel, Jimmy tells Veronica that he cannot go with her and be "king" because he loves another woman. Realizing that Jimmy has given up what he believed to be his crown in order to be with the woman he loves, Veronica is inspired to abdicate her throne and return to Paul, the man ''she'' loves. Sometime later, Jimmy is dancing at a nightclub with Leslie, who has made a full recovery, and they are joined by another happy couple, Veronica and Paul.

Cast

as Princess Veronica * Robert Walker as Jimmy Dobson * June Allyson as Leslie Odell * Carl Esmond as Baron Zoltan Faludi *

as Countess Zoe *

as Albert Weever *

Ludwig Stössel Ludwig Stössel (12 February 1883 – 29 January 1973) was an actor born in Lockenhaus, now Austria, then Hungary. He was one of many Jewish actors and actresses who were forced to flee Germany when the Nazis came to power in 1933. Biography S ...

as Mr. Puft *

George Cleveland George Alan Cleveland (September 17, 1885 – July 15, 1957) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1930 and 1954. Career Cleveland was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. His first appearance on the stage ...

as Dr. Elfson *

as Paul MacMillan * Konstantin Shayne as Yanos Van Lankovitz * Tom Trout as Hack *

Ben Lessy Ben Lessy (April 29, 1902 – October 30, 1992) was an American nightclub comedian and television and film actor. Early life He was born in New York City, New York. Career Lessy was known for a nightclub act done with Patti Moore, the long-ti ...

as Himself * Patty Moore as Fae *

Edward Gargan Edward Gargan (July 17, 1902 – February 19, 1964) was an American film and television actor. Career He was born of Irish parents in Brooklyn, New York. He was the elder brother of actor William Gargan. As soon as he had left college, he wen ...

as 1st Cop

Production notes

* Production Dates: 11 Dec 1944 to late Jan 1945 and 7 Feb to mid-Feb 1945 * MGM rushed production due to Hedy Lamarr's "impending motherhood". * Hedy Lamarr completed her MGM contract when she finished filming ''Her Highness and the Bellboy''.

Reception

The film received mixed reviews. According to MGM records the film made $2,280,000 in the US and Canada and $889,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $915,000.

References

External links

* * * * {{Richard Thorpe 1945 films 1945 romantic comedy films American romantic comedy films American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films Films directed by Richard Thorpe Films produced by Joe Pasternak Films set in hotels Films set in New York City Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films 1940s American films