''Casanova Brown'' is a 1944 American

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

romantic film Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their journey ...

directed by

Sam Wood Samuel Grosvenor Wood (July 10, 1883 – September 22, 1949) was an American film director and producer who is best known for having directed such Hollywood hits as ''A Night at the Opera (film), A Night at the Opera'', ''A Day at the Races (fi ...

, written by

Nunnally Johnson Nunnally Hunter Johnson (December 5, 1897 – March 25, 1977) was an American screenwriter, film director, producer, and playwright. As a filmmaker, he wrote the screenplays to more than fifty films in a career that spanned from 1927 to 1967. He ...

, and starring

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, a ...

Teresa Wright Muriel Teresa Wright (October 27, 1918 – March 6, 2005) was an American actress. She was nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress: in 1941 for her debut work in ''The Little Foxes'', and in 1942 for ''Mrs. Miniver'', ...

, and

Frank Morgan Francis Phillip Wuppermann (June 1, 1890 – September 18, 1949), known professionally as Frank Morgan, was an American character actor. He was best known for his appearances in films starting in the silent era in 1916, and then numerous soun ...

. The film had its world premiere in western France after the

Allies An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

had liberated those territories following the

D-Day Invasion The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...

. The film is based on the 1927 novel ''An Unmarried Father'' by

Floyd Dell Floyd James Dell (June 28, 1887 – July 23, 1969) was an American newspaper and magazine editor, literary critic, novelist, playwright, and poet. Dell has been called "one of the most flamboyant, versatile and influential American Men of Letters ...

and the 1928 play ''

Little Accident ''Little Accident'' was a 1928 Broadway three-act comedy written by Floyd Dell and Thomas Mitchell (who also played Norman Overbeck in the play). It was based on Dell's 1927 novel ''An Unmarried Father''. It was produced by Crosby Gaige and direc ...

'' by Dell and Thomas Mitchell, which had been previously filmed by

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

in 1930 as ''

The Little Accident ''The Little Accident'' is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy film directed by William James Craft and written by Gladys Lehman and Gene Towne, based on the 1927 novel ''An Unmarried Father'' by Floyd Dell and the 1928 play ''Little Accident'' by ...

'' and in 1939 as ''Little Accident''.

Plot

Arriving in a small town Rossmore,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

by train, college professor Casanova Brown is met by his socialite girlfriend Madge Ferris and tells her not to bring up his trip to

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, where he was trying, unsuccessful, to publish a book about the notorious 18th-century womanizer,

Casanova Giacomo Girolamo Casanova (, ; 2 April 1725 – 4 June 1798) was an Italian adventurer and author from the Republic of Venice. His autobiography, (''Story of My Life''), is regarded as one of the most authentic sources of information about the c ...

. Cas decides to ask Madge to marry him, even though her father J.J. warns him against it, saying Madge is nothing but trouble. Just before the wedding, Cas leaves town because of a letter from a Dr. Martha Zernecke summoning him to a

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

maternity hospital, but promises to be back in time for the wedding. About the letter and what he believes is behind it, Cas tells J.J. of his New York experience with Isabel Drury, of how they fell in love and decided to wed, only to have Cas repeatedly upset Isabel's mother by insulting her belief in

astrology Astrology is a range of Divination, divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that claim to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the apparent positions of Celestial o ...

, ignoring her warnings that their union would be cursed, then inadvertently burning down the Drurys' house with a smouldering cigarette, he having hid the cigarette in discovering Mrs. Drury's anti-smoking stance. The Drurys had the marriage annulled, but Cas suspects Isabel may have now had his baby. At the hospital, Cas goes through a battery of tests unaware of what they are for. After he is told by a nurse that the tests confirm he is a specimen of good health, he meets Dr. Zernecke who tells him about Isabel having had a baby girl, his baby girl, and that the tests were for their records in Isabel putting the baby up for adoption. In Cas reuniting with Isabel who is still at the hospital, she confirms the baby is biologically his and that she is putting it up for adoption. Cas disguises himself as a doctor and kidnaps the baby in not wanting Isabel to give their baby away. He hides out at a local hotel, in the process missing his wedding to Madge, and employs two of the hotel staff, Monica Case, a chambermaid, and Frank, the bell captain, to help him take care of the baby, they collectively who employ extreme care for the baby. Figuring he can keep the baby if he is married, he proposes to "plain Jane" Monica, who accepts. With the baby in tow, Cas and Monica head to City Hall. Isabel confesses to Dr. Zernecke that the adoption was just a ploy to bring Cas to the hospital and discover how he really felt about her and the baby in wanting him back in her life. With Cas, Monica and Frank using whatever means to learn about proper baby care which included Frank unwittingly contacting the hospital, Dr. Zernecke and Isabel have been aware of Cas' location all along and knew the baby was safe. Isabel, Mr. Drury, J.J. and Madge descend upon the hotel concurrently to find Cas. Ultimately, Cas, Isabel and the baby are able to be alone with each other, and upon the fact that Cas and Monica are not married coming to light in they having to wait three days as is law in Chicago, Cas and Isabel decide to reconcile now as a family with their baby.

Cast

as Casanova Brown *

as Isabel Drury *

as J.J. Ferris *

Anita Louise Anita Louise (born Anita Louise Fremault; January 9, 1915 – April 25, 1970) was an American film and television actress best known for her performances in ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' (1935), ''The Story of Louis Pasteur'' (1935), ''Anthony ...

as Madge Ferris *

Edmund Breon Edmund Breon (born Iver Edmund de Breon MacLaverty; 12 December 1882 – 24 June 1953) was a Scottish film and stage actor. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1907 and 1952. Life and career Born in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Br ...

as Mr. Drury (as Edmond Breon) *

Patricia Collinge Eileen Cecilia "Patricia" Collinge (September 20, 1892 – April 10, 1974) was an Irish-American actress and writer. She was best known for her stage appearances, as well as her roles in the films '' The Little Foxes'' (1941) and '' Shadow of a ...

as Mrs. Drury *

Jill Esmond Jill Esmond (born Jill Esmond Moore; 26 January 1908 – 28 July 1990) was an English stage and screen actress. She was the first wife of Laurence Olivier. Early life Esmond was born in London, the daughter of stage actors Henry V. Esmond and ...

as Dr. Zernecke *

Mary Treen Mary Treen (born Mary Louise Summers, March 27, 1907 – July 20, 1989) was an American film and television actress. A minor actress for much of her career, she managed to secure a plain, unassuming niche for herself in the Hollywood of the ...

as Monica Case, the Maid *

Emory Parnell Emory Parnell (December 29, 1892 – June 22, 1979) was an American vaudeville performer and actor who appeared in over 250 films in his 36-year career. Early years Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Parnell trained as a musician at Morningside ...

as Frank, the Bell Captain *

Isobel Elsom Isobel Elsom (born Isabelle Reed; 16 March 1893 – 12 January 1981) was an English film, theatre, and television actress. She was often cast as aristocrats or upper-class women. Early years Born in Chesterton, Cambridge, Chesterton, C ...

as Mrs. Ferris *

Halliwell Hobbes Herbert Halliwell Hobbes (16 November 187720 February 1962) was an English actor. Early years The future actor was the son of William Albert Hobbes (1841-1909), a Warwickshire solicitor, and his wife, Marion Hobbes, née Dennis, (1838-1925). ...

as Charles, the Butler * Charles Cane as Hicks * Larry Olsen as Junior (as Larry Joe Olsen) *

Irving Bacon Irving Bacon (born Irving Von Peters; September 6, 1893 – February 5, 1965) was an American character actor who appeared in almost 500 films. Early years Bacon was the son of entertainers Millar Bacon and Myrtle Vane. He was born in St. Jose ...

as Hotel manager *

Dorothy Tree Dorothy Tree (born Dorothy Estelle Triebitz, May 21, 1906 – February 13, 1992) was an American actress, voice teacher and writer. She appeared in a wide range of character roles in at least 49 films between 1927 and 1951. Her roles includ ...

as Nurse Clark *

Ann Evers Ann Evers (September 6, 1915 – June 4, 1987) was an American film actress. She played the female lead in several B westerns, but largely appeared in supporting roles. She was married to the screenwriter Seton I. Miller.Langman & Finn p.110 ...

as Nurse Petherbridge *

Grace Cunard Grace Cunard (born Harriet Mildred Jeffries; April 8, 1893 – January 19, 1967) was an American actress, screenwriter and film director. During the silent era, she starred in over 100 films, wrote or co-wrote at least 44 of those production ...

as Relative at baby window

Awards

The film was nominated for three

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

: for Best Score (

Arthur Lange Arthur Lange (April 16, 1889 – December 7, 1956) was a United States bandleader and Tin Pan Alley composer of popular music. He composed music for over 120 films, including ''Grand Canary'' and '' Woman on the Run''. Lange shared an Oscar nomi ...

Best Sound, Recording The Academy Award for Best Sound is an Academy Award that recognizes the finest or most euphonic sound mixing, recording, sound design, and sound editing. The award used to go to the studio sound departments until a rule change in 1969 said it ...

(

Thomas T. Moulton Thomas T. Moulton (January 1, 1896 – March 29, 1967) was an American sound engineer. He won five Academy Awards in the category Sound Recording and was nominated for eleven more in the same category. He was also nominated four times in the ...

), and Best Art Direction (

Perry Ferguson Perry Ferguson (November 13, 1901 – December 27, 1963) was an American art director. He was nominated for five Academy Awards in the category Academy Award for Best Production Design, Best Art Direction. He was born in Texas and died in Lo ...

Julia Heron Julia Heron (November 21, 1897 – April 9, 1977) was an American set decorator. She won an Academy Awards, Academy Award and was nominated for four more in the category Academy Award for Best Production Design, Best Art Direction. She worke ...

).1945 Academy Award nominations and winners
for films released in 1944 at Oscar.org

References

External links

* * {{Casanova 1944 films 1944 romantic comedy films American black-and-white films American romantic comedy films Films directed by Sam Wood Films set in Illinois RKO Pictures films Films with screenplays by Nunnally Johnson Films based on adaptations Films based on American novels American films based on plays Remakes of American films Films scored by Arthur Lange 1940s English-language films 1940s American films

Plot

Cast

Awards

See also

References

External links