Kiss and Make-Up
A glamorous romantic comedy that finds Cary Grant growing into the sophisticated leading man Hollywood had been waiting for.
Editorial ratings
- Cary Grant
- Story
- Direction
- Cinematography
- Entertainment
- Historical importance
Introduction
Released in 1934, the film combines European glamour, romance, satire, and musical revue while documenting Cary Grant's rapid artistic evolution.
The Story
Celebrated cosmetic surgeon Dr. Maurice Lamar discovers that fame and beauty create unexpected complications in both his practice and his marriage. Adapted from Docteur Ox by Pierre Veber and Henri de Gorsse.
Production & Behind the Scenes
Produced by Paramount during the transition from the Pre-Code era to Production Code enforcement, the film reflects the studio's signature sophistication.
Cary Grant's Performance
Grant delivers one of his most confident early leading-man performances, relying on understated charm, timing, and intelligence.
Direction & Themes
Harlan Thompson emphasizes elegance over farce while exploring appearance versus reality, celebrity, trust, and emotional authenticity.
Historical Context
A transitional Production Code film reflecting Hollywood's fascination with glamour, modern medicine, and cosmopolitan romance.
Legacy & Influence
An overlooked but important bridge between Grant's early work and the masterpieces that soon followed.
Gallery
Production & release
Early 1934
Development
Paramount develops the adaptation of Docteur Ox.
Summer 1934
Principal photography
Production takes place at Paramount's Hollywood studios.
October 1934
Release
The film opens to positive notices.
Late 1934
Critical reception
Reviewers single out Grant's poise and charm.
Modern day
Historical appreciation
Increasingly recognized as a key transitional performance.
Cast.
Cary Grant as Dr. Maurice Lamar
Genevieve Tobin as Eve Caron
Helen Mack as Anne
Edward Everett Horton as Marcel Caron
Lucien Littlefield as Max Pascal
Mona Maris as Countess Rita
Helen Cohan as Radio announcer
Other studies.
Cary Grant delivers one of the most compassionate performances of his career as Dr. Noah Praetorius, an unconventional physician whose humanity is tested by prejudice, rumor, and institutional politics.
Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn create one of cinema's most elegant romantic mysteries—a thrilling game of deception, danger, and unexpected love.