The Oyster Princess
Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Year Released: 1919
Rating: 3.5
Charming early Lubitsch is a slapstick bedroom farce: desperate to marry, the daughter (Ossi Oswalda) of a tycoon demands (by smashing things) her papa set her up to be married, so he does: with a down-and-out prince (Harry Liedtke). Lunacy ensues when the prince sends a friend to her home (instead of him), and she marries the friend; later, the two lovers come together after a frantic girl-on-girl boxing bout. It's harried and fun and contains numerous digs at notions of privilege and "desire" (will the title nut be happy with her husband after their honeymoon?).
