Gertrude Lawrence's films never remotely approached the stature of her work on the West End stage, and when you see 'Mimi' (which rather recalls 'Bitter Sweet') you can understand why.

Supposedly an adaptation of 'La Vie de Boheme', it's set in Paris in the 1850s but the ambience feels more Viennese, while the characters seem like modern slackers dreaming their dreams of success while beset by a landlord constantly demanding money.

As befits a piece of thirties escapism the sets are certainly lavish, although more money seems to have been spent on the amazing hats both the men and the women wear.

Not really sure what drew me to watch this. Attractive poster perhaps and to see Gertrude Lawrence and Douglas Fairbanks JR as they were in 1935. Well, they were fine, she more impressive than he but both fine and everyone else was also fine. Fine as anyone could be on an Elstree stage telling the Parisian tale of La Boheme. I stayed awake, the ballroom sequence is impressive and to be fair it may have been the wondrous and sparkling Bu-ray picture that showed up the inadequacies of the stagey sets and at least the acting wasn't too stagey as well.