''The Bride Wore Red'' is a 1937 American
comedy film
A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
directed by
Dorothy Arzner
Dorothy Emma Arzner (January 3, 1897 – October 1, 1979) was an American film director whose career in Hollywood spanned from the silent era of the 1920s into the early 1940s. With the exception of longtime silent film director Lois Weber (who d ...
, and starring
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway theatre, Broadway. Crawford was si ...
,
Franchot Tone
Stanislaus Pascal Franchot Tone (February 27, 1905 – September 18, 1968) was an American actor, producer, and director of stage, film and television. He was a leading man in the 1930s and early 1940s, and at the height of his career was known ...
,
Robert Young and
Billie Burke
Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke (August 7, 1884 – May 14, 1970) was an American actress who was famous on Broadway and radio, and in silent and sound films. She is best known to modern audiences as Glinda the Good Witch of the North ...
. It was based on the unproduced play ''The Bride from Trieste'' by
Ferenc Molnár
Ferenc Molnár ( , ; born Ferenc Neumann; 12 January 18781 April 1952), often anglicized as Franz Molnar, was a Hungarian-born author, stage-director, dramatist, and poet, widely regarded as Hungary’s most celebrated and controversial play ...
.
''The Bride Wore Red''
Joan Crawford: The Best of Everything In this "rags to riches
Rags to riches refers to any situation in which a person rises from poverty to wealth, and in some cases from absolute obscurity to heights of fame, fortune and celebrity—sometimes instantly. This is a common archetype in literature and popul ...
" tale, Crawford plays a cabaret
Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining o ...
singer who poses as an aristocrat. This film is the last of the seven films that Crawford and co-star Franchot Tone, then her husband, made together.
Plot
In a Trieste
Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into prov ...
casino, the cynical Count Armalia ( George Zucco) tells his friend Rudi Pal ( Robert Young) that life is “a great roulette wheel”. Luck is the only thing separating aristocrats and waiters.. Later, in “the lowest dive in Trieste” he tells Rudi that if he had one of the girls “washed, dressed and coiffured” Rudi could not tell the difference between one of the “poor things” (prostitution is implied) and his fiancée. Rudi leaves, and the Count decides to prove his point. He offers the singer, Anni Pavlovitch (Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway theatre, Broadway. Crawford was si ...
), money, a wardrobe and a two-week stay at Terrano, an elegant resort in the Tyrol
Tyrol (; historically the Tyrole; de-AT, Tirol ; it, Tirolo) is a historical region in the Alps - in Northern Italy and western Austria. The area was historically the core of the County of Tyrol, part of the Holy Roman Empire, Austrian Emp ...
. She will be Anne Vivaldi, the fictional daughter of a fictional naval officer. Anni's one condition: a red evening dress.
When Anni arrives at the Terrano train station, she gets a ride to the hotel from Giulio (Franchot Tone
Stanislaus Pascal Franchot Tone (February 27, 1905 – September 18, 1968) was an American actor, producer, and director of stage, film and television. He was a leading man in the 1930s and early 1940s, and at the height of his career was known ...
), a philosophical and poetical postman who has no ambition, no desire for wealth, and is not impressed by her haughty attitude. The hotel manager greets Anni effusively: The Count has arranged everything.
The maid turns out to be Anni's old friend, Maria (Mary Philips
Mary Philips (January 23, 1901April 22, 1975) was an American stage and film actress.
Biography
The only child of Charles and Anna (née Hurley) Philips of New Haven, Connecticut, Philips was born in New London, Connecticut, and she was ed ...
). One day, Maria looked into a mirror and was frightened by the wrinkles and heavy makeup that foretold her “finish.” She has built a new, happy life at the hotel. Maria is suspicious of the Count and warns Anni to be careful and correct. She is horrified by Anni's beloved new evening dress, a mass of red beads. “You might as well wear a sign,” she says, grimly.
That evening, dressed in pale lace, Anni struggles with the menu and table service until a waiter helps her, discreetly. Rudi is dining with his fiancée, Maddalena Monti (Lynne Carver
Lynne Carver (born Virginia Reid Sampson, September 13, 1916 – August 12, 1955) was an American film actress. She appeared in more than 40 films between 1934 and 1953.
Early years
Carver was born in Lexington, Kentucky. Her father, Reid Joh ...
); her father, Admiral Monti (Reginald Owen
John Reginald Owen (5 August 1887 – 5 November 1972) was a British actor. He was known for his many roles in British and American films and television programs.
Career
The son of Joseph and Frances Owen, Reginald Owen studied at Sir Herbert ...
); and the Contessa di Meina (Billie Burke
Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke (August 7, 1884 – May 14, 1970) was an American actress who was famous on Broadway and radio, and in silent and sound films. She is best known to modern audiences as Glinda the Good Witch of the North ...
). Rudi and the Admiral are both attracted to Anni. The Admiral sends her a note. Thinking it is from Rudi, she coolly tears it up. Rudi apologizes, explains, and invites her to join their party. The Admiral pretends to know her, Rudi asks her to dance, and the Contessa warns Maddalena: “Watch out!”
Rudi falls in love with Anni, mystified by the difference between her behavior at the hotel and her wild freedom in the woods. Giulio, clearly in love, is also confused.
Hoping to lure Rudi into a proposal, Anni extends her stay.
The Contessa, who has been suspicious from the beginning, wires Armalia. His reply—he had forgotten all about his experiment with the cabaret girl—comes through Giulio. On the way to deliver it, Giulio meets Anni, and they go to his cottage. She tells him a long lie about her past, and breaks down. She loves him, but marriage to Rudi would bring the life she craves. Later, she falls, and Giulio loses the telegram while helping her.
At the costume party, Anni snubs Giulio when he offers her edelweiss, a symbol of devoted love found only in remote, dangerous mountain heights. “He must have risked his life for those flowers,” the Contessa says. Rudi finally proposes, after she refuses to be his mistress. She confesses to Giulio that she loves him—but she will marry Rudi the next day because she can live without love but will never again live with hunger.
The next day, Rudi tells Maddalena that he loves Anni. She steps aside, suggesting that they dine together that evening, and then bursts into tears. While Maria helps Anni pack, Anni decides to wear the red dress. Maria tells her that she no longer has a heart and that the gaudy red is what she is really like. “You can't remember the waterfront because you are still there.”
During dinner, Giulio brings a copy of the telegram to the hotel; the bellboy delivers it to the Contessa, who shows it to the others. Maddalena is genuinely sympathetic. Anni tells Rudi that he should marry his childhood sweetheart.
Anni runs to Maria for comfort, but soon realizes that she is relieved. She leaves the hotel, taking only her peasant costume and a long cloak. Giulio is happily waiting for her.
Gallery
File:Bride Wore Red 1937.JPG
File:Bride Wore Red lobby card.jpg
Cast
* Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway theatre, Broadway. Crawford was si ...
as Anni Pavlovitch
* Franchot Tone
Stanislaus Pascal Franchot Tone (February 27, 1905 – September 18, 1968) was an American actor, producer, and director of stage, film and television. He was a leading man in the 1930s and early 1940s, and at the height of his career was known ...
as Giulio
* Robert Young as Rudi Pal
* Billie Burke
Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke (August 7, 1884 – May 14, 1970) was an American actress who was famous on Broadway and radio, and in silent and sound films. She is best known to modern audiences as Glinda the Good Witch of the North ...
as Contessa di Meina
* Reginald Owen
John Reginald Owen (5 August 1887 – 5 November 1972) was a British actor. He was known for his many roles in British and American films and television programs.
Career
The son of Joseph and Frances Owen, Reginald Owen studied at Sir Herbert ...
as Admiral Monti
* Lynne Carver
Lynne Carver (born Virginia Reid Sampson, September 13, 1916 – August 12, 1955) was an American film actress. She appeared in more than 40 films between 1934 and 1953.
Early years
Carver was born in Lexington, Kentucky. Her father, Reid Joh ...
as Maddelena Monti
* George Zucco as Count Armalia
* Mary Philips
Mary Philips (January 23, 1901April 22, 1975) was an American stage and film actress.
Biography
The only child of Charles and Anna (née Hurley) Philips of New Haven, Connecticut, Philips was born in New London, Connecticut, and she was ed ...
as Maria
* Paul Porcasi
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
* Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
as Signor Nobili
* Dickie Moore as Pietro
* Frank Puglia
Francesco Giuseppe "Frank" Puglia (9 March 1892 – 25 October 1975) was an Italian-American film actor. He had small, but memorable roles in films including ''Casablanca'' (a Moroccan rug merchant), ''Now, Voyager'' and ''The Jungle Book''.
...
as Alberto
* Adriana Caselotti
Adriana Elena Loreta Caselotti (May 6, 1916 – January 18, 1997) was an American actress and singer. Caselotti was the voice of the title character of the first Walt Disney animated feature, ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'', for which she w ...
as First Peasant Girl
* Jean Lewis as Second Peasant Girl
* Ann Rutherford
Therese Ann Rutherford (November 2, 1917 – June 11, 2012) was a Canadian-born American actress in film, radio, and television. She had a long career starring and co-starring in films, playing Polly Benedict during the 1930s and 1940s in the And ...
as Third Peasant Girl
Reception
Howard Barnes of the '' New York Herald Tribune'' wrote,
"Joan Crawford has a glamorous field day in ''The Bride Wore Red''.... With a new hair-do and more wide-eyed than ever, she plays at being a slattern, a fine lady, and a peasant with all of the well-known Crawford sorcery. It is not entirely her fault that she always remains herself. he film
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (pronoun), an English pronoun
* He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ
* He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets
* He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
has no dramatic conviction and little of the comic flavor that might have made it amusing though slight. Your enjoyment of it will depend on how much of Miss Crawford you can take at one stretch.... The direction of Dorothy Arzner is always interesting and sometimes...is extraordinarily imaginative, but here she has not been able to give a vapid Cinderella pipe dream more than a handsome pictorial front."
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bride Wore Red, The
1937 films
1930s English-language films
American black-and-white films
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
Films scored by Franz Waxman
Films based on works by Ferenc Molnár
Films directed by Dorothy Arzner
1930s romantic comedy-drama films
Films produced by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Films with screenplays by Waldo Salt
Films set in Trieste
Films set in Italy
American romantic comedy-drama films
1937 comedy films
1937 drama films
1930s American films