Plot
The movie stars Maurice Chevalier, Claudette Colbert, Miriam Hopkins, Charles Ruggles and George Barbier. It is a romantic comedy concerning the love of a Princess for a soldier, and the love of the soldier for another woman. The Lieutenant (Chevalier) while standing in formation before a parade honoring the visiting royal family of Flausenthurm takes an opportunity to smile at his girlfriend in the crowd.
Unfortunately the smile is intercepted by the Princess of Flausenthurm, and an international incident is narrowly avoided by having them marry. The Lieutenant sneaks away from his bride to wander the streets of Flausenthurm and discovers his girlfriend Franzi (Colbert). The princess receives notice of this and decides to confront Franzi. After the initial confrontation, Franzi sees that the princess is in fact deeply in love with the lieutenant, and decides to save the marriage by giving the princess a makeover ("Jazz up your lingerie!") The results are a complete success as the Lieutenant follows his satin-clad, cigarette-puffing bride into the bedroom and closes the door — only to open it and give the audience a last song and a suggestive wink.
Read more about this topic: The Smiling Lieutenant
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