''Forever Amber'' is a 1947 American

adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme ...

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

romance 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), passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typica ...

starring

Linda Darnell Linda Darnell (born Monetta Eloyse Darnell; October 16, 1923 – April 10, 1965) was an American actress. Darnell progressed from modeling as a child to acting in theater and film. At the encouragement of her mother, she made her first film in ...

and

Cornel Wilde Cornel Wilde (born Kornél Lajos Weisz; October 13, 1912 – October 16, 1989) was a Hungarian-American actor and filmmaker. Wilde's acting career began in 1935, when he made his debut on Broadway. In 1936 he began making small, uncredited app ...

. It was based on the book of the same title by

Kathleen Winsor Kathleen Winsor (October 16, 1919 – May 26, 2003) was an American author. She is best known for her first work, the 1944 historical novel '' Forever Amber''. The novel, racy for its time, became a runaway bestseller even as it drew criticism f ...

. It also starred

Richard Greene Richard Marius Joseph Greene (25 August 1918 – 1 June 1985) was a noted English film and television actor. A matinée idol who appeared in more than 40 films, he was perhaps best known for the lead role in the long-running British TV series ' ...

George Sanders George Henry Sanders (3 July 1906 – 25 April 1972) was a British actor and singer whose career spanned over 40 years. His heavy, upper-class English accent and smooth, bass voice often led him to be cast as sophisticated but villainous chara ...

Glenn Langan Glenn Langan (July 8, 1917 – January 26, 1991) was an American character actor on stage and films. Early years Born in Denver, Colorado, Langan was the son of Thomas Langan and Kate Quinn Langan. He attended schools there. His early training ...

Richard Haydn Richard Haydn (born George Richard Haydon, 10 March 1905 – 25 April 1985) was a British-American comedy actor. Some of his better known performances include his roles as Professor Oddley in '' Ball of Fire'' (1941), Roger in '' No Time for Lo ...

, and

Jessica Tandy Jessie Alice Tandy (7 June 1909 – 11 September 1994) was a British-American actress. Tandy appeared in over 100 stage productions and had more than 60 roles in film and TV, receiving an Academy Award, four Tony Awards, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe ...

. The film was adapted by

Jerome Cady Jerome Cady (August 15, 1903 – November 7, 1948) was a Hollywood screenwriter. What promised to be a lucrative and successful career as a film writer - graduating up from Charlie Chan movies in the late 1930s to such well respected war films as ...

, Philip Dunne and Ring Lardner Jr., and directed by

Otto Preminger Otto Ludwig Preminger ( , ; 5 December 1905 – 23 April 1986) was an Austrian-American theatre and film director, film producer, and actor. He directed more than 35 feature films in a five-decade career after leaving the theatre. He first gai ...

, who replaced original director

John M. Stahl John Malcolm Stahl (January 21, 1886 – January 12, 1950) was an American film director and producer. Life and work He was born Jacob Morris Strelitsky in Baku (Azerbaijan) to a Russian Jewish family. When he was a child, his family left ...

after 39 days of filming and $300,000 of production. The movie was originally budgeted at $4.5 million. The

Hays Office The Motion Picture Production Code was a set of industry guidelines for the self-censorship of content that was applied to most motion pictures released by major studios in the United States from 1934 to 1968. It is also popularly known as the ...

had condemned the novel, but within a month of its publication the film rights had been purchased by

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...

. The film on its release was initially condemned by the

National Legion of Decency The National Legion of Decency, also known as the Catholic Legion of Decency, was a Catholic group founded in 1934 by Archbishop of Cincinnati, John T. McNicholas, as an organization dedicated to identifying objectionable content in motion pictur ...

. In 1947, Darnell won the starring role in the highly anticipated film adaptation when the original star, newcomer

Peggy Cummins Peggy Cummins (born Augusta Margaret Diane Fuller; 18 December 1925 – 29 December 2017) was an Irish actress, born in Wales, who is best known for her performance in Joseph H. Lewis's ''Gun Crazy'' (1950), playing a trigger-happy '' femme f ...

, proved too inexperienced for the role. In the novel, the newborn Amber is so named by her dying mother after the color of her father's eyes. Publicity at the time compared the novel ''Forever Amber'' to ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind may also refer to: Music * ''Gone with the Wind'' ...

''. The search for the actress to portray Amber, a beauty who uses men to make her fortune in 17th-century England, was modeled on the extensive process that led to the casting of

Vivien Leigh Vivien Leigh ( ; 5 November 1913 – 8 July 1967; born Vivian Mary Hartley), styled as Lady Olivier after 1947, was a British actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress twice, for her definitive performances as Scarlett O'Hara in '' Go ...

Scarlett O'Hara Katie Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Kennedy Butler is a fictional character and the protagonist in Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel ''Gone with the Wind'' and in the 1939 film of the same name, where she is portrayed by Vivien Leigh. She also is the ...

. The film's score, by composer

David Raksin David Raksin (August 4, 1912 – August 9, 2004) was an American composer who was noted for his work in film and television. With more than 100 film scores and 300 television scores to his credit, he became known as the "Grandfather of Film Music ...

, was nominated for the

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

for Best Original Music Score.

Plot

In 1644, during the

English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I (" Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of r ...

, a group of

Roundheads Roundheads were the supporters of the Parliament of England during the English Civil War (1642–1651). Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I of England and his supporters, known as the Cavaliers or Royalists, who ...

pursue a

Cavalier The term Cavalier () was first used by Roundheads as a term of abuse for the wealthier royalist supporters of King Charles I and his son Charles II of England during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration (1642 – ). ...

's carriage, which pauses to abandon a baby at a farmer's door. The Roundheads kill everyone aboard. The farmer and his wife adopt the infant, whose blanket is embroidered “Amber”. In 1660, the

Restoration of the Monarchy Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to: * Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage ** Audio restoration ** Film restoration ** Image restoration ** Textile restoration *Restoration ecology ...

begins. Sixteen-year-old Amber is a strong-willed beauty whose puritanical father has contracted her marriage to a farmer. Amber's dreams of an elegant life seem to come true with the arrival of a group of Cavaliers and the handsome Bruce Carlton: she is smitten. She begs Bruce to take her to London, but despite coaxing from his friend Almsbury, he refuses. Before the men leave for town, Bruce and Amber share a kiss. Bruce and Almsbury are denied an audience with King Charles II. Back at their London tavern, Amber is waiting. Amber and Bruce begin an affair. He pampers her with new gowns and takes her to the theater. At one performance, Bruce approaches

Barbara Villiers Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, Countess of Castlemaine (née Barbara Villiers, – 9 October 1709), was an English royal mistress of the Villiers family and perhaps the most notorious of the many mistresses of King Charles II of En ...

, the king's mistress, asking her to persuade Charles to grant him ships for his

privateer A privateer is a private person or ship that engages in maritime warfare under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign or deleg ...

mission. Distraught at the thought of Bruce leaving, Amber stops Almsbury from warning Bruce that the king has arrived. Charles later summons Bruce to court. Not wanting his friend to face the king's wrath alone, Almsbury goes with him. However, Charles grants Bruce's requests (to get rid of him as a potential rival) and sends him to Bristol that very night. At the tavern, Amber is sleeping. The next morning, she wakes to find Almsbury packing to return to Almsbury Hall, his ancestral home. The king has restored his rights. Bruce's room is empty. Almsbury tells Amber to go home, but she refuses. She will rise in station and marry Bruce, no matter what. Almsbury gives her money, from Bruce, but she is soon tricked and lands in

Newgate Newgate was one of the historic seven gates of the London Wall around the City of London and one of the six which date back to Roman times. Newgate lay on the west side of the wall and the road issuing from it headed over the River Fleet to Mid ...

, the debtors' prison, where she discovers that she is carrying Bruce's child. Black Jack Mallet, a

highwayman A highwayman was a robber who stole from travellers. This type of thief usually travelled and robbed by horse as compared to a footpad who travelled and robbed on foot; mounted highwaymen were widely considered to be socially superior to fo ...

, falls in love with her and helps her escape. They go to Mother Redcap's tavern, where Amber gives birth to a son, little Bruce. Amber lures fops into alleyways where Black Jack robs them. When Black Jack is killed by the king's guard, Amber flees and is discovered by Captain Rex Morgan. Captain Morgan takes her as his mistress and introduces her to theater friends. Soon, Amber is working as an actress; the Earl of Radcliffe takes an interest in her. Almsbury, now married, comes to London and tells Amber that Bruce will return soon. Captain Morgan proposes, but she rejects him. She still loves Bruce. She also turns down a chance to dine with the king. Bruce returns, and Amber introduces him to their son, hoping he will want to settle down. This ploy does not work. Morgan finds Bruce and Amber together and challenges Bruce to a duel, saying that Amber is his fiancée. Bruce tries and fails to persuade Morgan to withdraw the challenge. Bruce kills Morgan and, blaming Amber, leaves England. Amber marries the elderly

Earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant " chieftain", particu ...

of Radcliffe, thereby becoming a countess. Bruce's ship returns from the Americas and he has the

Black Plague The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causin ...

. Amber saves his life by killing a murderous, thieving nurse and lancing a boil on his chest. After Bruce discovers that Amber is married, he sails again for Virginia. The Great Fire devastates London. Charles II plans to seduce Amber, but Radcliffe locks her in her room at home. While the fire rages in their house, Amber struggles with Radcliffe. A cruelly treated servant overpowers Radcliffe and throws him into the fire, killing him. Amber becomes Charles' mistress. Bruce visits from Virginia with his wife, Corinna. He wants his son. Amber invites Corinna to dine with her and Charles, hoping that Charles will be attracted to a new face. Charles sees through the plot and allows Corinna to leave unmolested. Realizing that Amber still loves Bruce, Charles ends their relationship. Bruce asks Amber for custody of their son. Thinking he will choose her, Amber asks the boy to decide. He states that he wants to go to Virginia with his father. Bruce invites Amber to come with them, but she stays and watches, heartbroken, as Bruce takes their son away.

Cast

as Amber St. Clair *

as Bruce Carlton *

as Lord Harry Almsbury *

as King Charles II *

as Capt. Rex Morgan *

as Earl of Radcliffe *

as Nan Britton *

Anne Revere Anne Revere (June 25, 1903 – December 18, 1990) was an American actress and a progressive member of the board of the Screen Actors' Guild. She was best known for her work on Broadway and her film portrayals of mothers in a series of critical ...

as Mother Red Cap * John Russell as Black Jack Mallard * Jane Ball as Corinne Carlton *

Robert Coote Robert Coote (4 February 1909 – 26 November 1982) was an English actor. He played aristocrats or British military types in many films, and created the role of Colonel Hugh Pickering in the long-running original Broadway production of ''My Fai ...

as Sir Thomas Dudley *

Leo G. Carroll Leo Gratten Carroll (25 October 1886 – 16 October 1972) was an English actor. In a career of more than forty years, he appeared in six Hitchcock films including ''Spellbound'', '' Strangers on a Train'' and ''North by Northwest'' and in thre ...

as Matt Goodgroome * Natalie Draper *

Margaret Wycherly Margaret De Wolfe Wycherly (born Margaret De Wolfe, 26 October 1881 – 6 June 1956) was an English stage and film actress. She spent many years in the United States and is best remembered for her Broadway roles and Hollywood character parts. On ...

as Mrs. Spong *

Alma Kruger Alma Kruger (September 13, 1871 – April 5, 1960) was an American actress. Career Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1871 (or 1868 according to other sources), Kruger had a long career on stage before appearing in films. From 1907 to 193 ...

as Lady Redmond *

Lillian Molieri Lillian Molieri Bermúdez (18 January 1925 – 13 September 1980) was a Nicaraguan actress and dancer. She was noted for her minor roles in Hollywood films and TV series between 1944 and 1957, though most of them went uncredited. She later became ...

aka Lupe Mayorga as Queen Catherine *

Alan Napier Alan William Napier-Clavering (7 January 1903 – 8 August 1988), better known as Alan Napier, was an English actor. After a decade in West End theatre, he had a long film career in Britain and later, in Hollywood. Napier is best remembered for ...

as Landale *

Ian Keith Ian Keith (born Keith Ross; February 27, 1899 – March 26, 1960) was an American actor. Early years Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Keith grew up in Chicago. He was educated at the Francis Parker School there and played Hamlet in a school p ...

as Tybalt (uncredited)

Production

Original novel

The film was based on the debut novel by Kathleen Winsor published three years earlier. Macmillan, which had published ''

'', were excited about the book's commercial possibilities and launched it with an initial run of 175,000 copies. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' called Winsor a "born storyteller". The same paper called the book "one of the most expertly packaged bundles of literature in years". It became a best seller. The book was banned in a number of countries including Australia.

Development

There was film interest in the book from the moment it reached the publisher. Winsor's agent suggested she not enter a competition MGM were running for novels because the agent felt they could get more than the prize money offered of $125,000. In November 1944,

bought the screen rights for $200,000, one of the largest amounts paid for a novel. This money was contingent on Hays Office approval of a screen treatment of the book. (By way of comparison,

Edna Ferber Edna Ferber (August 15, 1885 – April 16, 1968) was an American novelist, short story writer and playwright. Her novels include the Pulitzer Prize-winning '' So Big'' (1924), '' Show Boat'' (1926; made into the celebrated 1927 musical), '' C ...

received $175,000 for ''

Saratoga Trunk ''Saratoga Trunk'' is a 1945 American Western film (or historical romance film, per the American Film Institute) directed by Sam Wood and starring Gary Cooper, Ingrid Bergman, and Flora Robson. Written by Casey Robinson, based on the novel '' ...

''; MGM paid $125,000 for '' Green Dolphin Street'' and $200,000 to

A. J. Cronin Archibald Joseph Cronin (19 July 1896 – 6 January 1981), known as A. J. Cronin, was a Scottish physician and novelist. His best-known novel is ''The Citadel'' (1937), about a Scottish doctor who serves in a Welsh mining village before achievi ...

for '' The Green Years'';

Ernest Hemingway Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century f ...

was paid $150,000 for ''

For Whom the Bell Tolls ''For Whom the Bell Tolls'' is a novel by Ernest Hemingway published in 1940. It tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American volunteer attached to a Republican guerrilla unit during the Spanish Civil War. As a dynamiter, he is assigne ...

'')."

Script

The following month, Winsor announced she had signed a contract with Fox to work on the script for the film, provide technical advice, and do a screen test.

was going to write the script and

William Perlberg William Perlberg (October 22, 1900 in Łódź, Poland – October 31, 1968 in Los Angeles, California) was an American film producer. William Perlberg was born Wolf Perelberg, son of Israel Jakob Perelberg (later: Perlberg), a fur manufacturer ...

would produce. Cady finished the script by March. Eventually Philip Dunne did the script and John Stahl was assigned to direct. Dunne was one of the studio's top screenwriters and Stahl had just made the hugely popular ''

Leave Her to Heaven ''Leave Her to Heaven'' is a 1945 American psychological thriller film noir melodrama directed by John M. Stahl and starring Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain, and Vincent Price. It follows a socialite who marries a prominent novelist, ...

'' for Fox. Dunne later called the novel "worthless" and believed in any adaptation "it would be foolish to try to recover the intent of the author which is to please that part of the public that likes to lick its lips while reading." The script had to make a number of changes to get past the censor. "We had to be more straitlaced with ''Amber'' than we would with another picture", said Perlberg. ""Everyone is waiting for a chance to jump on us." Amber's lovers were reduced from over 30 in the novel to five in the film. Winsor had little involvement in the script and the film in the end.

Casting

There was an extensive, well publicised talent search for the performer who would play the lead role along the lines of David O. Selznick's challenge to find an actress to cast as

. In November 1944, Gene Tierney was reported as being the front runner.

Maureen O'Hara Maureen O'Hara (; 17 August 1920 – 24 October 2015) was a native Irish and naturalized American actress and singer, who became successful in Hollywood from the 1940s through to the 1960s. She was a natural redhead who was known for pl ...

who was a redhead and under contract to Fox, lobbied hard for the role, even wearing a period dress in the studio commissary.

Paulette Goddard Paulette Goddard (born Marion Levy; June 3, 1910 – April 23, 1990) was an American actress notable for her film career in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Born in Manhattan and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Goddard initially began her career ...

also wanted to do the part. Numerous actresses were tested. Perlberg said he was looking for "a young

" or "an English

Lana Turner Lana Turner ( ; born Julia Jean Turner; February 8, 1921June 29, 1995) was an American actress. Over the course of her nearly 50-year career, she achieved fame as both a pin-up model and a film actress, as well as for her highly publicized pe ...

, an Irish actress who had been on stage in '' Junior Miss'', was (reportedly) the 37th tested and soon established herself as a favourite in October 1945. Annette Simmonds was also a front runner. Richard Green, a Fox contract player who had not worked in Hollywood since 1940 due to war service, was an early favourite for the role of Bruce Carlton.

James Mason James Neville Mason (; 15 May 190927 July 1984) was an English actor. He achieved considerable success in British cinema before becoming a star in Hollywood. He was the top box-office attraction in the UK in 1944 and 1945; his British films inc ...

, then starring in the hugely popular ''

The Seventh Veil ''The Seventh Veil'' is a 1945 British melodrama film directed by Compton Bennett and starring James Mason and Ann Todd. It was made by Ortus Films (a company established by producer Sydney Box) and released through General Film Distributors in ...

'', was offered the role but turned it down because he thought it was "a silly book" and the "script didn't improve it". The first actors announced for the film were

Reginald Gardiner William Reginald Gardiner (27 February 1903 – 7 July 1980) was an English actor on the stage, in films and on television. Early years Gardiner was born in Wimbledon, England, and he was a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.Katz, ...

who was cast as Charles II by December 1945 and

who was cast by January 1946. In February 1946, Daryl Zanuck of Fox said the lead would be played by

, with

(a studio contract star) to play her main love interest. Wilde was, after

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include ''Jesse James (193 ...

, the leading "swashbuckling" style star under contract to Fox at the time.

was the other leading contender for the part, and Wilde was under suspension at Fox to a dispute over roles, but Zanuck decided on Wilde, and the suspension was lifted.

Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor, art historian, art collector and gourmet cook. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price has two stars on the Hollywood Wal ...

was cast in a support role as Lord Almsbury, friend of Bruce Carleton.

Original filming

Filming started in March 1946. The budget was $3 million, making it the most expensive film in the history of Fox. (The previous had been ''

Wilson Wilson may refer to: People *Wilson (name) ** List of people with given name Wilson ** List of people with surname Wilson * Wilson (footballer, 1927–1998), Brazilian manager and defender * Wilson (footballer, born 1984), full name Wilson R ...

''.) The film was expected to take 103 days of filming and Cummins had to appear in every scene but one. Winsor was paid $85,000 when filming started. Cummins collapsed on set on March 30 due to illness. Filming was halted two times, reportedly due to illness on Cummins' part. Then on April 30, after 39 days of filming and $1 million had been spent, Fox announced that the shoot would be halted for three months and that Cummins and Stahl would be assigned to other projects. Zanuck, head of Fox, said the film "has failed to measure up to the standards planned." The reason given later was that it was felt Cummins was very good as the young Amber – she had been extensively tested for these scenes – but looked too young to play Amber as she grew up. In the words of ''The New York Times'' "they found that Miss Cummins as grown up seductress looked more like Fluffy wearing her mother's old clothes and smearing on mom's lipstick when she wasn't looking." Fox did not give up on Cummins and put her into ''

The Late George Apley ''The Late George Apley'' is a 1937 novel by John Phillips Marquand. It is a satire of Boston's upper class in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The title character is a Harvard-educated WASP living on Beacon Hill in downtown Boston. T ...

'', ''

Moss Rose Moss Rose, known as The Leasing.com Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is a football stadium in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England, which is the home ground of Macclesfield F.C., and the former home of Macclesfield Town, a club wound up in September ...

'' and ''Escape''. However, she would leave the studio after three years.

Otto Preminger and Linda Darnell

In June 1946, Fox announced that

would take over from Stahl as director, and that the film would resume production in September. Preminger said he would use the same script as Stahl (which the censor had approved). It was estimated that if none of the Stahl-Cummins footage could be used, it would cost the studio $300,000. Preminger said the film had been stopped because "somehow all the elements didn't jell". He later said in his memoirs that he did not want to make the film because he disliked the novel but Zanuck forced him under his contract. He supervised a rewrite of the script by Dunne and Ring Lardner Jr. Dunne later recalled he and Lardner "both had great distaste for the material... We divided it up because the steam was on... They wanted to get it restarted as soon as possible." In July,

was announced as Cummins' replacement. "I'm pinching myself", said Darnell. Preminger later said that he did not want Darnell, and would have preferred someone like Lana Turner who he felt could have been borrowed from MGM. However he says Zanuck wanted Darnell. Darnell's casting meant she had to miss out on a role in ''

Captain from Castile ''Captain from Castile'' is a historical adventure film released by 20th Century-Fox in 1947. Directed by Henry King, the Technicolor film stars Tyrone Power, Jean Peters, and Cesar Romero. Shot on location in Michoacán, Mexico, the film include ...

''; she was replaced by Jean Peters. By now the budget was up to $4.5 million. Two million went on physical production. Because mostly contract actors were used, the cast only cost $350,000 (sets cost $380,000). There were other cast changes.

(making his first Hollywood film in seven years) replaced Vincent Price. George Sanders replaced Reginald Gardiner as Charles II. John Russell, who the studio was grooming for stardom, was cast as Black Jack Russell. Wilde was reluctant to return to the film. Fox considered replacing him with

Stewart Granger Stewart Granger (born James Lablache Stewart; 6 May 1913 – 16 August 1993) was a British film actor, mainly associated with heroic and romantic leading roles. He was a popular leading man from the 1940s to the early 1960s, rising to fame thr ...

, though this would have been difficult due to Granger's other commitments. In October, right before filming was to resume, Wilde announced he would not return to the role unless he was given an increase in salary. He was being paid $3,000 a week for forty weeks a year but wanted an arrangement comparable to

Betty Grable Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million; for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she reign ...

, who made two films a year at $150,000 a film. Wilde said "My agent said that since I am leading the whole Fox lot in fan mail I should be getting money comparable to that received by the top people at the studio. I am worth much more to the company than I was a year ago hen his contract was renegotiatedand an actor must insure himself against the time when he is no longer wanted." The dispute was ended when the studio increased his salary to $5,000 a week.

Second filming

Filming resumed in October 1946 and ended in March 1947. The budget by the end was $6.5 million. George Sanders was filming a part in ''The Ghost and Mrs Muir'' at the same time.

Release

The film was completed and released in New York in October 1947.

Opening week record

The film played 451 dates in its first week and Fox claimed that it had achieved the biggest box-office opening figures in the entire industry. ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' reported the opening receipts were by far the largest raised by one picture first week since they had been tabulating grosses across the country in 1946. In the 17 theatres they received reports from, they claimed it had grossed slightly better than $700,000. The film played with increased admission prices compared to most films ($1.20). It set a house record at the Roxy in New York ($180,589). In the following week, ''Variety''s reporting had 27 theatres playing the movie which in total grossed close to $800,000 taking its gross to $1.5 million in two weeks.

Catholic condemnation

The film was condemned by Cardinal

Francis Spellman Francis Joseph Spellman (May 4, 1889 – December 2, 1967) was an American bishop and cardinal of the Catholic Church. From 1939 until his death in 1967, he served as the sixth Archbishop of New York; he had previously served as an auxiliary ...

and the Legion of Decency who threatened a boycott of Catholic theatregoers. Fox originally decided to fight the ban claiming the ruling was "harsh" and "unfair" considering all the effort they put in to get the movie past the censors. The studio changed its mind. A number of changes were made to the film, including adding a prologue which criticised Amber, saying, "the wages of sin is death" and adding an epilogue where Cornel Wilde says "may God have mercy on both of us for our sins." The film was re-released in December 1947.

Accolades

The film is recognized by the

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Lead ...

in these lists: * 2005:

AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores Part of the AFI 100 Years... series, AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores is a list of the top 25 film scores in American cinema. The list was unveiled by the American Film Institute in 2005. John Williams has the most scores in the top 25, with three ...

– Nominated

Proposed remake

In 1986, there was speculation

Raquel Welch Jo Raquel Welch ( Tejada; September 5, 1940) is an American actress. She first won attention for her role in '' Fantastic Voyage'' (1966), after which she won a contract with 20th Century Fox. They lent her contract to the British studio Hamm ...

was due to appear in a television

miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format ...

version of the novel. However, the miniseries was never made.

Notes

References

External links

* * * *
Review of film
at ''Variety''
Original novel
at

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forever Amber 1947 films 1947 romantic drama films American romantic drama films Romantic period films Films based on American novels Films based on romance novels Films directed by Otto Preminger Films scored by David Raksin Films with screenplays by Philip Dunne Films set in the 1640s Films set in the 1660s Films set in England 20th Century Fox films Films with screenplays by Ring Lardner Jr. English Civil War films Cultural depictions of Charles II of England Films produced by William Perlberg Cultural depictions of Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland Cultural depictions of Catherine of Braganza 1940s English-language films 1940s American films