Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife 1938

On the stunning French Riviera, Michael Brandon, played by Gary Cooper, is a wealthy and somewhat eccentric businessman with a particular obsession—he wants to buy only the pajama tops. During a visit to a local store, he attempts to purchase his desired item, but the shop refuses to sell just the tops without the matching pants. It is then that an alluring woman named Nicole, portrayed by Claudette Colbert, steps in with a clever solution: she offers to buy the pajama bottoms for herself. Their first interaction is playful and flirtatious, centered around Michael’s admitted insomnia and curiosity about whether the pants are for his family member or lover.

Later, at his hotel, Michael struggles with sleep again, prompting the hotel managers to offer him a more secluded suite on a higher floor, away from the gentle sounds of the sea. Upon moving in, Michael discovers that the suite is still occupied by the Marquis de Loiselle, a wealthy nobleman whose hotel account is overdue by two months. The Marquis attempts to make a business proposition to Michael, who initially refuses. But the situation takes an interesting turn when Michael recognizes the Marquis’ pajama bottoms—a discovery that leads him to the shocking realization that Nicole is actually his daughter.

This discovery fundamentally alters Michael’s perception of the Marquis. Another unexpected purchase follows—this time, a bathtub once owned by the legendary King Louis XIV—marking his first steps into a new, more personal chapter. Soon, Michael looks to pursue Nicole, proposing marriage to her on the same day. She initially turns him down, wary of his many previous marriages, but after considering her feelings, she eventually accepts.

Nicole’s reservations stem from her discovery that Michael has been married seven times before, a fact that deeply disturbs her. Nonetheless, she begins a tentative relationship with him. She calls off the wedding out of concern, much to the dismay of her father, the Marquis. Michael openly discusses his prenup agreements, which promise each of his wives $50,000 a year if they divorce, but he is willing to double that amount after Nicole’s insistence, demonstrating his commitment.

The couple’s honeymoon takes place in Czechoslovakia, and later at their elegant home in Paris. Despite their time together, Nicole keeps her dissatisfaction closely guarded, and Michael, perceiving her as hoping for a divorce, becomes more determined to hold onto her. He is shown to be tenacious and stubborn, inspired by his admiration for characters like Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. His attempts to “tame” Nicole mimic this, leading to humorous and sometimes challenging encounters—she, being strong-willed, pushes back when he slaps her, even biting him when he spanks her, yet their chemistry remains undeniable.

In her effort to keep him interested, Nicole writes anonymous letters claiming she has a lover, but the private detective Monsieur Pepinard, whom Michael hires, assures him these claims are false. Desperate, Nicole then blackmails Pepinard into finding her a fake lover, a boxer named Kid Mulligan. Her plan is for Michael to catch her alone with him and then get knocked out, serving as a sort of breakup stunt.

Complications arise when a friend, Count Albert De Regnier, returns a purse she left behind and is mistaken for her lover by Kid Mulligan, who inadvertently knocks him out. Seeing this chaos, Michael mistakenly believes that Albert is her lover and, in a fit of frustration, finally grants her a divorce.

Six months into their separation, Michael suffers a nervous breakdown. Nicole, deeply regretful, tries to visit him in the sanitarium, but is barred from entry. It is revealed that Michael has been fitted with a straitjacket after seeing her father—who had bought the sanitarium with their new wealth—making the situation tense and emotional. Nicole confesses that she loved him at first sight but felt compelled to break him from his pattern of marrying often. Now, financially independent, she assures him she has no interest in marrying him for his money.

In a dramatic climax, Michael frees himself from the straitjacket and, in a menacing move, approaches Nicole. Instead of anger, he shows tenderness and finally embraces her, symbolizing his realization of true love beyond the chaos of their initial flirtation and misunderstandings. The story closes with the implication that their connection, however tumultuous, is genuine and enduring, overcoming all obstacles.