Dodsworth (film)

• Walter Huston: Sam Dodsworth
• Ruth Chatterton: Fran Dodsworth
• Paul Lukas Arnold Iselin
• Mary Astor: Mrs. Edith Cortright
• David Niven: Captain Clyde Loosens
• Maria Ouspenskaya: Baroness From Oberndorf

Time of love, time to say goodbye ( original title: Dodsworth ) is an American feature film with Walter Huston and Ruth Chatterton and directed by William Wyler from 1936 The film was based on the novel Sam Dodsworth ( Original title: Dodsworth ). Sinclair Lewis.

Action

Sam Dodsworth is the CEO of the U.S. automobile manufacturer Revelation Motor Company. His wife Fran feels old and persuaded her husband to go with her on a long trip to Europe. The pair crossed on the luxury liner Queen Mary to the Atlantic Ocean. Even at the crossing flowers on Fran and begins to be interested in other men, while Sam gets to know on the ship, the young widow Edith Cortright. The Marriage of Dodsworths is about to end. Fran has fallen in love with a European aristocrat and demands a divorce. However, when the bursts awaited marriage to the nobleman, it returns to Sam. Together they want to go back to America again. Already on the ship, however, Sam recognizes that marriage actually has no future. At the last second he leaves the ship and opts for a life together with Edith Cortright.

Background

Sinclair Lewis was already an accomplished writer, as in 1929 he published his novel Dodsworth. The book is in the tradition of Henry James and casts a worried glance at the conditions within the American society. Just three months after the publication were sold over 85,000 copies. In 1930 Sinclair Lewis was the first American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature awarded.

Sidney Howard acquired the film rights to the 1932 Soff, but sold it to the producer Samuel Goldwyn. Both had already successfully launched with a substance Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis on the canvas. The story of an idealistic doctor showed Ronald Colman and Helen Hayes in the lead roles and proved to be very successful in the public and press.

Goldwyn but hesitated because he did not think the story of a couple of mature age for commercial enough. It was not until some years later, after a theatrical production of the substance had proved very successful, Dodsworth finally went before the cameras.

The occupation proved to be partially difficult. Walter Huston, whose career had begun in 1909, was almost 50 and making it the ideal candidate for the title role, which he had already played on stage with success. Maria Ouspenskaya was also seen in the stage adaptation. Was more difficult to cast the role of Fran. First, Fay Bainter should, Huston's stage partner, take the part. Then Goldwyn decided but for Ruth Chatterton, whose film career began in 1928 in the last days of silent film. The sound film made ​​from Chatterton the highest paid star of Paramount Pictures, before bad scripts and a hasty move to Warner Brothers her career already 1932/1933 de facto ended again. Goldwyn had the actress who no longer received offers for several years, still more or less force you to play a woman of about 40. Chatterton had so far in a remarkable parallels to Fran Dodsworth, as they also did not want to admit that their beauty and youth were passé for a long time.

Mary Astor had also seen better days, when she was offered the role of well-educated and cultured Edith. Early 1920s was a sought-after Astor Star, but gradually decreased the importance of their roles, and she made more headlines by their turbulent personal life and changing lovers as by professional successes. Shortly before the end of the shooting Astor was involved in one of the biggest scandals of the 1930s, when her then husband brought her diary in the ongoing divorce process and parts of it were published in the press. It Astor described in detail her affair with the famous playwright George S. Kaufmann.

The government should first Gregory La Cava take over, ere Goldwyn decided for his own contract director William Wyler, who with the adaptation of Lillian Hellman's play The Children's Hour was a major success until shortly before. Wyler and Huston since the filming of A House Divided, a vaguely laminated version of Desire Under the Elms with Helen Chandler knew each other from the year 1931. Both worked closely in writing the screenplay together and made by consensus that the character of the Fran was softer and less drawn materialistic.

Reception and Awards

The film was one of the biggest commercial successes of the year and unanimously praised by critics. The New York Times led Dodsworth in their list of the 10 best films of the year.

At the Oscars Dodsworth received nominations in the categories:

• Best Picture
• Best Actor - Walter Huston
• Best Supporting Actress - Maria Ouspenskaya
• Best Director
• Best Screenplay
• Best Sound Recording
• Best Production Design - Won

Walter Huston won for his portrayal of the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor.

1990 Dodsworth was inducted into the National Film Registry.

Reviews

" The film adaptation of the novel by Sinclair Lewis, the reputation and fame of its director -founded. "