High Comedy in American Movies explores the 'comedy of manners' film throughout the twentieth century, from the advent of movie sound to recent films, and shows how class comedy's inside view of the aristocratic lifestyle has been influenced by the culture and times in which the movies are produced. Easily accessible, this book makes an engaging supplement to courses in American film, film genre, and film studies.

Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 1 Europe in Hollywood Chapter 3 2 High Comedy, American Style Chapter 4 3 High Comedy and Social Satire Chapter 5 4 The Poison in the Champagne: What It's Really Like to Be Rich and Famous Chapter 6 5 The Aristocracy of the Hip Chapter 7 6 The Eighties and Beyond Chapter 8 Filmography Chapter 9 Bibliography