Director: JOHN M. STAHL. Screenplay: Dwight Taylor. Based on the novel Modern Cinderella by James M. Cain. Photography: John Mescall. Film editor: Milton Carruth. Art directors: Martin Obzina, Jack Otterson. Set decorator: Russell A. Gausman. Costumes: Orry-Kelly. Music: Charles Previn, Frank Skinner. Assistant director: Joseph A. McDonough. Uncredited script contributors: Herbert J. Biberman, Aben Kandel, Charles Kaufman, John Larkin. Irene Dunne's gowns: Howard Greer. Gowns: Vera West. Music director: Charles Previn. Sound supervisor: Bernard B. Brown. Sound engineer: Joe Lapis. Producer: John M. Stahl.
Copyright 16 August 1939 by Universal Pictures Co., Inc. New York opening at the Rivoli, 16 August 1939. U.S. release: 11 August 1939. Australian release: 28 September 1939. 10 reels. 92 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: What Irene Dunne doesn't know is that concert pianist Boyer is married.
NOTES: Academy Award, Sound Recording (beating Balalaika, GWTW, Goodbye Mr Chips, The Great Victor Herbert, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Man of Conquest, Mr Smith Goes To Washington, Of Mice and Men, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex and The Rains Came).
Re-made as Interlude in 1957, and again as Interlude in 1968.
COMMENT: Lavishly produced romantic melodrama with some marvelous special effects and fascinating backgrounds that will keep male interest alive while the womenfolks weep into their lace-edged handkerchiefs.
The film's main drawback is Irene Dunne. Wearing ghastly costumes and unbecomingly groomed, Miss Dunne looks about as glamorous as an old dish-mop.
Fortunately, the rest of the cast is fine: Boyer charmingly elegant, and a fine study in madness from Barbara O'Neil.
A lesser defect is that the script starts us off with a militant union and strike background ("Solidarity forever/For the union makes us strong!") and then darts off at a tangent for the hurricane episodes and the mad wife. These occupy most of the film and when we finally get back to the strike, it is called off in a most perfunctory and dramatically unsatisfactory fashion!
John M. Stahl's direction has flair and other production credits are equally polished.
Copyright 16 August 1939 by Universal Pictures Co., Inc. New York opening at the Rivoli, 16 August 1939. U.S. release: 11 August 1939. Australian release: 28 September 1939. 10 reels. 92 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: What Irene Dunne doesn't know is that concert pianist Boyer is married.
NOTES: Academy Award, Sound Recording (beating Balalaika, GWTW, Goodbye Mr Chips, The Great Victor Herbert, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Man of Conquest, Mr Smith Goes To Washington, Of Mice and Men, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex and The Rains Came).
Re-made as Interlude in 1957, and again as Interlude in 1968.
COMMENT: Lavishly produced romantic melodrama with some marvelous special effects and fascinating backgrounds that will keep male interest alive while the womenfolks weep into their lace-edged handkerchiefs.
The film's main drawback is Irene Dunne. Wearing ghastly costumes and unbecomingly groomed, Miss Dunne looks about as glamorous as an old dish-mop.
Fortunately, the rest of the cast is fine: Boyer charmingly elegant, and a fine study in madness from Barbara O'Neil.
A lesser defect is that the script starts us off with a militant union and strike background ("Solidarity forever/For the union makes us strong!") and then darts off at a tangent for the hurricane episodes and the mad wife. These occupy most of the film and when we finally get back to the strike, it is called off in a most perfunctory and dramatically unsatisfactory fashion!
John M. Stahl's direction has flair and other production credits are equally polished.