The Constant Nymph (1943 film)
- Charles Boyer: Lewis Dodd
- Alexis Smith: Florence Creighton
- Charles Coburn Charles Creighton
- Dame May Whitty: Lady Longborough
- Peter Lorre: Fritz Bercovy
Love's Sorrow (OT: The Constant Nymph ) is an American feature film from 1943 about the ultimately tragic love of a young girl to the man of her cousin. The film stars Charles Boyer and Joan Fontaine, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal. Directs this adaptation of the novel and stage play by Margaret Kennedy led Edmund Goulding.
Action
The composer Lewis Dodd has the flop of his last symphony cope and flees to his old friend Albert Sanger, who owns a chalet in the Swiss Alps. The daughters of the house Men are given the arrival of Lewis excited, especially Tessa. It has long been in love with Lewis and hopes to help him out of his creative crisis. Finally, however, Lewis fell in love with Florence, a cousin of Tessa and both get married in Florence. However, the marriage does not run happy and runs away as Tessa from boarding school, decides Lewis, to take care of the girl. Together they are working on the latest composition, as Lewis suddenly realizes how much he loves Tessa. This rejects his proposal to enter into a relationship with him. The evening of the first performance is an artistic triumph for Lewis, but for personal disaster when Tessa, who has a weak heart, died after a fight in Florence.
Background
The composition of the two main roles of the film was problematic. For the role of Tessa were getest among others Merle Oberon, Margaret Sullavan and Olivia de Havilland, before the studio sets on Joan Leslie. The director Edmund Goulding was not particularly fond of the election, when he met by chance, Joan Fontaine, who was sitting with her then-husband Brian Aherne in a restaurant. Goulding complained that the role of Tessa for a real star demand, but should this " consumptive, flat-chested, anemic and fourteen " ( " consumptive, flat-chested, anemic, and fourteen! " ) Be.
Fontaine replied
The actress called heartache later their favorite movie. She played a similar role in 1948 in Letter from an Unknown, directed by Max Ophuls. While Joan Fontaine worked very well with the director, Charles Boyer was a regular reason to complain. Boyer was not the first choice. The studio wanted his biggest male star Errol Flynn who, while Goulding fluctuated between Robert Donat and Leslie Howard. In the end the choice fell on Boyer, who received in addition to a salary of $ 150,000 also conceded top billing, his name was thus called in all publications before by Joan Fontaine. With his role, the actor was still not satisfied. The dialogues he found too shallow, the character too one-dimensional. At the end of Boyer still got good reviews for his performance.
Criticism
The New York Times particularly praised Joan Fontaine and named her portrayal of an outstanding performance ("a superb achievement" ). Edmund Goulding deserve special mention for his ability to have received the strengths of the book ("[ He] deserves mention for telling [ the story with ] a deep sympathy and understanding, [ ... ] a fine tribute to the virtues thathave made the book endure. ").
Awards
At the Academy Awards in 1944, the film received a nomination in the category:
- Best Actress - Joan Fontaine