In a light, sophisticated no-man’s-land (yes, largely inhabited by women) between romantic comedy, screwball, and pure Paramount aestheticism, the cinema of Mitchell Leisen comes to life. A former silent-era costume and set designer, Leisen became renowned for classics such as Easy Living, Hold Back the Dawn, and Midnight, and was the only Hollywood director to sign his name in his films’ credits. No auteur theory was needed to recognize his unmistakable qualities: an effortless narrative flow, impeccable design, and sparkling, innuendo-laced dialogue – sometimes written by Preston Sturges, Billy Wilder, or Charles Brackett – alongside heroines as charming as they were uncompromising. In his films, Carole Lombard, Claudette Colbert, Barbara Stanwyck, and Jean Arthur radiated wit, grace, and razor-sharp comic timing. They twisted conventions as their encounters with men – often played by Ray Milland or Fred MacMurray – spiralled from mishap to romantic resolution. This tribute presents a selection of Leisen’s classics in restored versions (courtesy of Universal), alongside rarely screened archival prints.

Curated by Ehsan Khoshbakht

Cradle Song (Il canto della culla, 1933) • Death Takes a Holiday (La morte in vacanza, 1934) • Murder at the Vanities (Il mistero del varietà, 1934) • Swing High, Swing Low (1934) • Hands Across the Table (I milioni della manicure, 1935) • Easy Living (Un colpo di fortuna, 1937) • Midnight (La signora di mezzanotte, 1939) • Hold Back the Dawn (La porta d’oro, 1941) • No Time for Love (Non c’è tempo per l’amore, 1943) • Lady in the Dark (Le schiave della città, 1944) • Practically Yours (Sinceramente tua, 1944) • No Man of Her Own (Non voglio perderti, 1950) • Darling, How Could You! (La mia donna è un angelo, 1951) • Young Man with Ideas (Avvocato di me stesso, 1952)