Artists and Models Abroad

Buck Boswell and his all-girl troupe are stranded in Paris, but Buck manages to con the manager of the 'Hotel de Navarre' in furnishing accommodations for his group, but the proprietor's wife locks them out. In his search for funds, Buck meets Patricia Harper, the fourth-richest girl in the world, but he isn't aware of that and thinks she is penniless. Patricia joins his troupe as a lark, and her father, James Harper, also pretends he is broke. Through some chicanery, Buck gets jobs for the girls as models at the Palace of Feminine Arts at the Paris International Exposition. James Harper borrows the priceless Napoleaon necklace to have a copy made for his daughter, but Buck thinks he stole it.

Directed by Mitchell Leisen, Artists and Models Abroad leans on a strong ensemble — Jack Benny, Joan Bennett, Mary Boland — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1938.