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Expensive Husbands

Name: Expensive Husbands
Director: Bobby Connolly
Released: 1937
Duration: 62 min

Representation Score

0.8/10

Minimal

1937

Approved

Director

Bobby Connolly

Runtime

62 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Expensive Husbands is a quintessential 1930s romantic comedy that adheres to the standard Hollywood studio system clichés. The narrative relies on the 'marriage of convenience' framework, using a class-based premise to drive a traditional romantic arc. The film reinforces established social hierarchies rather than challenging them. While it utilizes a European setting, the story remains focused on individual romantic success and conventional gender roles typical of the era. Ultimately, the film functions as a genre piece designed for escapism, lacking the complexity or subversive elements required for a higher diversity rating.

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Category Breakdown

Does Expensive Husbands have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film follows a strictly heterosexual romantic structure, focusing entirely on the relationship between Laurine Lynne and Prince Rupert.

How does Expensive Husbands portray gender?

Limited

The female protagonist's role in the story is tied to her professional life and marital status. Her resolution depends on a romantic union with a male figure.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Expensive Husbands?

Limited

The production reflects the homogeneous casting norms of 1937. Despite the Viennese setting, the characters appear to follow conventional Western casting patterns.

How does Expensive Husbands represent religion and culture?

Limited

Vienna serves as a backdrop for romantic escapism. The story prioritizes individual romantic fulfillment and class mobility through marriage over broader social critiques.

Does Expensive Husbands include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no mention of characters with visible or invisible disabilities within the narrative.

Present on Screen

The film utilizes an interesting class-shift cliché involving an impoverished nobleman working as a waiter.
The Viennese setting provides a classic backdrop for romantic escapism.

Limited or Absent

The narrative relies on traditional gendered trajectories and domestic resolutions.
The casting appears to follow the homogeneous, Western-centric norms of the period.
The story lacks representation for LGBTQ+ identities or characters with disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Unable to get work in her home country, Laurine Lynne (Beverly Roberts) travels to Vienna where her press agent, Joe Craig (Allyn Joslyn), convinces her to marry royalty. The lucky fellow is Prince Rupert (Patric Knowles), an impoverished nobleman now working as a waiter. Do the two of them fall in love despite this marriage of convenience?

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