''Virginia'' is a 1941 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

Edward H. Griffith Edward H. Griffith (August 23, 1888 – March 3, 1975)F ...

and starring

Madeleine Carroll Edith Madeleine Carroll (26 February 1906 – 2 October 1987) was an English actress, popular both in Britain and America in the 1930s and 1940s. At the peak of her success in 1938, she was the world's highest-paid actress. Carroll is rememb ...

Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series, in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...

, Sterling Hayden (onscreen debut), Helen Broderick and Marie Wilson.

Plot

The film opens at the train station of the fictional Fairville, Virginia, as an African-American man named "Carburetor" is playing the guitar and singing. Jackson "Stoney" Elliott and his daughter, "Pretty", watch the arrival of a train that has brought Charlotte "Charlie" Dunterry to town. Charlie was born in Dunterry but has lived in

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 she worked in show business. She has returned to Fairville to sell the Dunterry estate where she was born and which she has inherited. Stoney and Charlie realize that they were childhood friends as he drives her out to the property. Stoney is married but estranged from his wife who lives in Europe. He lives with his daughter and his cousin, "Miss Theo", in a modest home near the Dunterry property. Charlie discovers that the 150-year-old family home, a large Colonial house designed by

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...

, is in poor condition. Aunt Ophelia, an African-American servant who was present when Charlie was born, welcomes her back to the family home and takes her on a tour of the estate. Norman Williams is a wealthy carpet bagger who has purchased the adjacent Elliott estate that was formerly owned by Stoney's family. Williams begins to court Charlie. Electing to remain in Virginia and restore the Dunterry estate to its former stature, Charlie develops feelings for Stoney, but his marital situation causes him to resist. A frustrated Charlie accepts a marriage proposal from Norman, who then hides from her the knowledge that Stoney's wife is dead. Only on their wedding day does Norman's conscience persuade him to tell Charlie the truth, allowing her to follow her heart.

Cast

as Charlotte "Charlie" Dunterry *

as Stonewall "Stoney" Elliott * Sterling Hayden as Norman Williams * Helen Broderick as Theo Clairmont * Carolyn Lee as Pretty Elliott * Marie Wilson as Connie Potter *

Paul Hurst Paul Michael Hurst (born 25 September 1974) is an English football manager and former player who is the manager of club Grimsby Town. As a player, he was a defender from 1993 to 2008, notably playing his entire career at Rotherham United, ba ...

as Thomas * Tom Rutherford as Carter Francis *

Leigh Whipper Leigh Rollin Whipper (October 29, 1876 – July 26, 1975) was an American actor on the stage and in motion pictures. He was the first African American to join the Actors' Equity Association, and one of the founders of the Negro Actors Guild of ...

as Ezechial * Louise Beavers as Ophelia * Darby Jones as Joseph

Production

''Virginia'' was a

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

production.

Edward H. Griffith Edward H. Griffith (August 23, 1888 – March 3, 1975)F ...

directed and produced the film and is also co-credited with the story.

Virginia Van Upp Virginia Van Upp (January 13, 1902 – March 25, 1970) was an American film producer and screenwriter. Early life Virginia Van Upp was born in Chicago, the daughter of Harry and Helen Van Upp. Mrs Van Upp had been an editor and title writer for ...

wrote the screenplay and is also co-credited with the story. Bert Glennon and

William V. Skall William V. Skall (October 5, 1897 in Chicago – March 22, 1976 in Los Angeles) was an American cinematographer who specialized in Technicolor. Life He began his film career straight after leaving school and worked for two years in camera cr ...

were the directors of photography.

Hans Dreier Hans Dreier (August 21, 1885 – October 24, 1966) was a German motion picture art director. He was Paramount Pictures' supervising art director from 1927 until his retirement in 1950, when he was succeeded by Hal Pereira. Hans Dreier was born i ...

and

Ernst Fegté Ernst Fegté (28 September 1900 – 15 December 1976) was a German art director. He was active in the American cinema from the 1920s to the 1970s, he was the art director or production designer on more than 75 feature films. He worked at Pa ...

provided the production design, and

Eda Warren Eda Warren (October 17, 1903 – July 15, 1980) was an American film editor. She began her Hollywood career as a secretary and started editing films in the late 1920s. Her editing career continued through 1968. Biography Eda was born in Denver ...

was the film's editor.

reportedly played a part in designing the four historic homes used in the picture. This led the director to suggest that, if the art directors guild would permit, Jefferson's name should be added to the art direction credits along with Dreier and Fegté.

Reception

At the time of its release, the film was described by the ''Richmond Times-Disptach'' as "a good picture, with a full load of laughter, action, romance and the touch of pathos that all good pictures should have."

References

External links