The star-crossed, genre-crossed lovers of the story.
History Is Made at Night is a 1937 American romantic melodrama film directed by Frank Borzage, starring Jean Arthur and Charles Boyer.
Irene Vail (Arthur) wants to divorce her horribly jealous husband, Bruce (Colin Clive). He, however, will stop at anything to stop her divorce proceedings, so he conjures a plan to have someone forcibly enter her hotel room then conveniently have his detective find them in a compromising situation. On a chance overhearing of this nefarious plan, Paul Dumond (Boyer), decides to save Irene by posing as a thief and kidnapper. He and Irene escape, and she learns that he’s no robber at all, but her saviour. They spend a romantic evening in the restaurant where Paul is headwaiter and fall in love. But their love is endangered once Bruce catches whiff of their plan to be together.
History Is Made at Night shows the following tropes:
- Blackmail: Bruce uses blackmail (Michael's death, which, unbeknownst to Irene and Paul, Bruce caused) to threaten Irene with seeing Paul imprisoned or executed. This forces Irene to drop her suit and go to America (where she ends up seeing Paul, so joke's on him).
- Call-Back: In their first romantic meeting, Paul charms Irene by drawing a face on his hand and making a silly hand puppet called "Coco." Much later, when they are reunited, Irene draws "Coco" on her hand to tell Paul what went wrong.
- Crazy Jealous Guy: Bruce Vail. He’s emotionally and physically abusive to poor Irene.
- Dance of Romance: During their romantic evening in the restaurant, Irene and Paul dance to some famous tangoes while they wait for Cesare (Paul’s friend) to cook them a meal.
- Disaster Movie: An interesting parallel to the actual Titanic disaster since the film goes into Titanic-mode near the end, with sinking ship and all, but ends happier and brighter than the historical disaster.
- Driven to Suicide: At the end, Bruce kills himself because he’s behind the crash of Princess Irene, the ocean liner he owns and forces to go full speed ahead in poor weather conditions because he’s furious that Irene and Paul are heading to Paris.
- Frame-Up: Bruce kills Michael in order to frame Paul and get Irene back with him.
- Genre Roulette: A drama, romantic comedy, buddy comedy, startup tale, disaster movie, and back again.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Bruce's monomaniacal jealousy. Irene wasn't cheating on him but he thought she was, and his obsession leads her to divorce him.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: A nice little speech from Irene gives the whole picture:You're right, Bruce. This time you're right. This time there is another man. You set a trap to catch me with one... and another came instead, to tell me that he loves me, and for me to tell him I love him too. And you did it! You did it all by yourself! Isn't that funny? Don't you think that's funny? Before he came, I never even looked at another man. But you wouldn't believe me! So you created one, and you sent him right into my arms...
- If I Can't Have You…: After Irene leaves him for good, Bruce orders the crew of the Princess Irene to go full speed ahead in dangerous conditions, with the intent of killing her and Paul (and everyone else aboard the ship).
- Love at First Sight: Paul and Irene fall instantly in love.
- Love Triangle: Between the sweet Irene and Paul and the evil Bruce.
- Meet Cute: The convoluted nature of Irene and Paul's first meeting. Bruce has sent Michael, one of his minions, into Irene's room to make it look like Irene was having an affair. Paul, who overhears, barges in, pretends to be a jewel thief, and pretends to kidnap Irene.
- Platonic Life-Partners: Wherever Paul goes, the Great Cesare, brilliant Italian chef, follows. Cesare follows to America when Paul goes in search of Irene, and he follows Paul on the ship back to Europe, the one that sinks.
- Pretty in Mink: Irene wears many pretty furs.
- Ripped from the Headlines: The ending is inspired by the RMS Titanic—or rather, since-disproven myths about the RMS Titantic. But anyway, the ending has a reckless shipping magnate pressuring his captain to go full-speed ahead into an ice field in order to break the record for fastest crossing, only for tragedy to ensue. (Of course, even Bruce Ismay's worst enemies didn't accuse him of trying to deliberately plow the ship into an iceberg, like Bruce does here.)
- Second-Act Breakup: Between Paul and Irene due to Bruce’s interference. But Paul doesn’t know the reason why he’s been abandoned.
- Sexy Backless Outfit: Irene gets a job as a model in a fashion store, and models a backless dress.