The Bride Wore Red

The Bride Wore Red ( OT: The Bride Wore Red ) is an American feature film starring Joan Crawford, directed by Dorothy Arzner from 1937 he is based in part on the play The Girl from Trieste by Ferenc Molnar.

Action

The film begins in a casino in Trieste, where the cynical Baron Armalia sets up the claim that the sole happiness of the correct birth the aristocracy would differ from the ordinary people. Some time later decides Baron Armalia to prove his point by transforming the poor and illiterate nightclub singer Anni Pavlovitch by lots of money and a new wardrobe in a high-born lady. Anni, which is now called Anne Vivaldi, accompanied the Baron for two weeks in a luxury hotel in Tyrol. Immediately upon their arrival learns Anni, also known as Anne Vivaldi, the local postman Giulio know who leads a life in great harmony, but paid his inner peace with material poverty. Hardly in the door, Annie meets her old friend Maria, who works as a maid in the hotel happy. Mary Annie warns strongly against relying on Armalia and to want to rise above their innate status in society.

Later in the evening makes Anni the acquaintance of the wealthy playboy Rudi, who has also taken his fiancee Maddalena Monti accommodation in the hotel. Rudi falls in love with the supposedly well- born Anne Vivaldi, who feels, however, in turn, attracted to Giulio. Blinded by the wealth around them, Anni tries to move the love Rudi to a marriage proposal. Therefore, arbitrarily extended beyond the stay in the hotel over the two weeks. Just when Anni seems to be the goal of their desires and she is wearing the eponymous dress, the truth comes out: it is laid bare before all guests of Maddalena Monti as an impostor. Externally humiliated, but matured inwardly Anni comes to knowing their place in society and it returns to the arms of Giulio.

Background

The career of Joan Crawford stagnated since the middle of the decade, approaching now a serious crisis. Under the influence of her second husband, the actor Franchot Tone, Crawford tried to establish itself as a serious actress roles in challenging films. The fans who preferred the actress shallow romances and opulently produced triangle stories like in golden chains or Love on the Run, but these trips avoided the dramatic subject. In particular, the financial failure of The Bride Wore Red was responsible for ensuring that Crawford was referred to as box-office poison the beginning of 1938 because their films no longer ensured full cinema. The failure of the film became apparent even before filming began. Originally Luise Rainer was the lead role of Annie in the film adaptation of The Girl from Trieste play the author Ferenc Molnar. However, the actress was in the studio in charge of favor, not least because she married Clifford Odets, an avowed Communist. The role then went to Joan Crawford and the entire script was completely rewritten. From the desperate prostitutes alive now was a bit disillusioned cabaret singer. The original objective of the piece, to show social upheavals in society and merely noted the sometimes dubious morality of the so-called upper class, was completely out deleted. In the end, a typical Crawford story of the rise of a woman from a poor family in the high society, complete with spectacular costumes and two worshipers. The net financial case it went back to Crawford, in contrast to almost all previous films at the end of their social position can not permanently improve, but it remains at the status quo ante. The female fans expected but from a Crawford film depicting the rise of a woman from partially poorest in the social hierarchy, coupled with material security. Similarly, refused only Laughing Sinners of 1931 viewers the usual expectations and this film also remained at the box office behind expectations.

The government was taken over by Dorothy Arzner, one of the few female directors in Hollywood. The first friendly atmosphere between Arzner and Crawford, who had already met on the set of The Last of Mrs. Cheyney, where Arzner in some scenes directed, but became cloudy during the filming. At the end of the two women did not speak a word to each other. Arzners contract with MGM was disbanded immediately after the end of the film and Arzner should lead again until 1940 Director. The chief designer Gilbert Adrian designed the eponymous dress that was made ​​of hundreds of thousands of metal sequins actress practically tailored to the body for Crawford. The dress weighed 25 kg and cost about $ 10,000 to produce. Maria Riva says in her biography of her mother Marlene Dietrich in detail about how much Dietrich have admired this creation. The middle of 1939 it was, fashioned just something worn by Jeanette MacDonald in Broadway Serenade.

Theatrical Release

A budget of $ 960,000 U.S. dollars made ​​from The Bride Wore Red an exceptionally expensive MGM production. The film played at the end with 1.2 million U.S. dollars worldwide a below average amount compared to the previous films of Joan Crawford one. The end result was a significant loss for the studio.

Reviews

Most critics emphasized the contrast between the banality of the script and the luxurious features of the film.

" Joan Crawford has a glamorous Glanztag in " The Bride Wore Red " [ ... ] With a new hairstyle and wide eyes she initially plays a vagabond, a fine lady and a village belle with the well-known Crawford style. It's not entirely her fault that she always remains itself at the end. [ The film ] has no dramatic conviction and little of the comic flair of the film would have been amusing and easy. Your enjoyment of the film depends on how much of Miss Crawford can bear suddenly. [ ... ] The Directed by Dorothy Arzner is consistently interesting and sometimes .. even very innovative, but on the whole it is not capable of this vacuous Cinderella dream to give more than a pretty facade. "

Sources and literature used

  • Roy Newquist (ed.): Conversations with Joan Crawford. Citadel Press, Secaucus, N. J. 1980, ISBN 0-8065-0720-9
  • Lawrence J. Quirk: The Complete Films of Joan Crawford. Citadel Press, Secaucus, N. J. 1988, ISBN 0-8065-1078-1
  • Alexander Walker: Joan Crawford. The Ultimate Star. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London 1983, ISBN 0-297-78216-9
1937 in film Screenplay Joseph L. Mankiewicz Film score George J. Folsey Adrienne Fazan Dickie Moore (actor) Ferenc Molnár Chained (1934 film) The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937 film)
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