The Misleading Lady

The Misleading Lady is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Stuart Walker, and starring Claudette Colbert and Edmund Lowe. The film is based on the 1913 Broadway play by Charles W. Goddard and Paul Dickey. It is also a remake of the 1920 Metro silent film original which starred Bert Lytell and Lucy Cotton, also based on the play. On March 1, 1932, upon completion of this film, Paramount Pictures closed its Astoria Studios in Astoria, Queens, New York City. The original play and its film depictions have been regarded as one of the origins of Napoleon delusions in the media. Plot Helen Steele (Claudette Colbert) is bored to death of her empty lifestyle as a socialite. She decides to become an actress, but cannot get to see producer Sydney Parker (Robert Strange). She learns that Parker will be at a party at the home of her friend Alice Connell. She wants the lead in Parker's play The Siren. He feels that she is too nice a girl to convincingly play the part, so she bets him that, in exchange for an audition, she will be able to make Parker's friend, mining engineer Jack Craigen (Edmund Lowe), fall in love with her within three days.