Downstairs (film)

Downstairs is a 1932 American PreCode dramatic film. It stars John Gilbert as a charming but selfserving chauffeur who wreaks havoc on his new employers household, romancing and fleecing the women on the staff, and blackmailing the employers wife. Gilbert had written the story in 1928 for a proposed silent film that was never made.

The film opens with Baron Von Burgens Reginald Owen head butler Albert Paul Lukas marrying the young maid, Anna Virginia Bruce, on the Barons Austrian estate. During the ceremony, chauffeur Karl Schneider John Gilbert arrives, and soon finds an old acquaintance a former lover Countess De Marnac Hedda Hopper, who appears displeased with Karl mixing with her elite friends. That night, when Franoise Lucien Littlefield, one of the butlers, gets too drunk too work, Albert is summoned to take over his shift. Anna, now unaccompanied, is visited by Karl, who wins over her sympathy by telling her about his unfortunate childhood.One day, Karl drives the baroness Eloise Olga Baclanova to Vienna for shopping purposes. She has him drop her off at her town apartment which she keeps for her visits from her boyfriend. When they return home, Eloise claims that they were in an accident, but Albert does not believe her. He asks Karl about it, and brushes off Karls attempt to tell the truth but instead reminding him to remain loyal to their employers. He reminds him of his social position, and warns him to never interfere with the upperclass people. Even though Karl agrees with Alberts advice, he jumps his chances to seduce Anna, who he soon concludes is very naive and easy manipulable. He tries to kiss her, but she slaps him and warns him never to try again. As Albert returns to the room, Karl decides to leave to avoid a remorseful situation, and goes to his room to find the cook Sophie Bodil Rosing, waiting for him. After a brief flirtation, she spends the night. ........

Source: Wikipedia