''Life Begins at Eight-Thirty'' is a 1942

comedy-drama Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...

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

Monty Woolley Edgar Montilion "Monty" Woolley (August 17, 1888May 6, 1963) was an American film and theater actor.Obituary '' Variety'', May 8, 1963, page 223. At the age of 50, he achieved a measure of stardom for his role in the 1939 stage play '' The Man ...

as a washed-up, alcoholic actor, Ida Lupino as his daughter, 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 ...

as her boyfriend. It is based on the West End play ''

The Light of Heart ''The Light of Heart'' is a 1940 play by the British writer Emlyn Williams. It ran for 127 performances at the Apollo Theatre in London's West End between 21 February and 8 June 1940. The cast included Godfrey Tearle, Megs Jenkins, Gladys Henso ...

'' by

Emlyn Williams George Emlyn Williams, CBE (26 November 1905 – 25 September 1987) was a Welsh writer, dramatist and actor. Early life Williams was born into a Welsh-speaking, working class family at 1 Jones Terrace, Pen-y-ffordd, Ffynnongroyw, Flints ...

Plot

New York actor Madden Thomas has fallen from grace due to alcoholism and manages to get fired from his job as Santa Claus in a department store on Christmas Eve. This puts both him and his sweet young daughter Kathi on the spot. Kathi is physically challenged with a paralyzed foot. Because of the state he is in, Thomas is helped home to his daughter by a young composer named Robert Carter, who is their new neighbor. Robert takes a liking to Kathi and they become friends. Robert also manages to get Thomas a paid acting job, playing a part in a minor play he has made the music to. Robert's aunt Alma Lothian is a huge admirer of Thomas' previous work, and is overjoyed with the news of him getting the part. Kathi hopes that her father will take the chance and become as good as he once was. She is especially pleased with him slowing down on drinking. One day when Kathi tries to buy new furniture for their apartment, she finds out that Thomas has large debts because of his drinking. She finds herself courted by Robert, who has fallen in love with her. She tells him she has hopes of a family but that she is scared of passing on her handicap to her children. Thomas is offered a main part in a production of King Lear, but gets cold feet because of all the hard work he will have to put in. Kathi is overjoyed with the offer and tries to encourage him the best she can. Robert puts off a job in Hollywood to help arrange the music for the play. Robert visits the doctor who delivered Kathi many years ago, and learns that her foot was damaged when Thomas dropped her when she was only a few months old. The doctor lied about the cause of the lameness to spare Thomas the guilt. This information enables Kathi to accept Robert's proposal. Thomas improves greatly during rehearsals, and the engaged couple decide to wait until after opening night to tell him about their plans to move to Hollywood. He finds out by chance when the city clerk calls to fix the time of the marriage for the next day. He goes on a bender, thinking that Kathi is deserting him. He arrives drunk to the theater on the opening night and on top of everything else, Kathi is mad at him and reveals that he caused her lameness. After their argument, Kathi feels guilty and regrets the decision to move to Hollywood. She talks to Robert and convinces him to stay in New York. Thomas overhears the conversation and realizes it is time she started a life of her own. He writes her a letter, urging her to move ahead as planned, then goes directly to Alma's home and accepts her proposal of marriage.

Cast

as Madden Thomas * Ida Lupino as Kathy Thomas *

as Robert Carter *

Sara Allgood Sarah Ellen Allgood (30 October 1880 – 13 September 1950), known as Sara Allgood, was an Irish-American actress. She first studied drama with the Irish nationalist Daughters of Ireland and was at the opening of the Irish National Theatre Soc ...

as Alma Lothian *

Melville Cooper George Melville Cooper (15 October 1896 – 13 March 1973) was an English actor. His many notable screen roles include the High Sheriff of Nottingham in ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1938), Mr. Collins in ''Pride and Prejudice'' (1940) and ...

as Barty *

J. Edward Bromberg Joseph Edward Bromberg (born Josef Bromberger, December 25, 1903 – December 6, 1951) was a Hungarian-born American character actor in motion picture and stage productions dating mostly from the 1930s and 1940s. Knowledge of his past as a membe ...

as Sid Gordon *

William Demarest Carl William Demarest (February 27, 1892 – December 27, 1983) was an American character actor, known especially for his roles in screwball comedies by Preston Sturges and for playing Uncle Charley in the sitcom '' My Three Sons'' Demarest, ...

as Police Officer *

Alec Craig Alexander Younger Craig (30 March 1884 – 25 June 1945) was a Scottish-born American character actor, particularly known for his roles in ''Mutiny on the Bounty'' (1935) and ''National Velvet'' (1944). He was particularly known for portraying ...

as Santa Claus *

Lee Phelps Lee Phelps (born Napoleon Bonaparte Kukuck; May 15, 1893 – March 19, 1953) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 600 films between 1917 and 1953, mainly in uncredited roles. He also appeared in three films that won the Acade ...

as Bartender

Production notes

The working title of this film was ''The Light of Heart''. F. Scott Fitzgerald worked on the picture's screenplay. The extent of his contribution to the completed film has not been determined, however. ''Life Begins at Eight-Thirty'' was the last motion picture writing assignment for Fitzgerald, who died in December 1940. The production ran from late July through late August 1942. Added scenes and retakes began 4 September 1942. Williams' play was also the basis of a 1962 West German film entitled ''

Life Begins at Eight ''Life Begins at Eight'' (German: ''Das Leben beginnt um acht'') is a 1962 West German drama film directed by Michael Kehlmann and starring O.E. Hasse, Johanna Matz and Helmut Wildt. It is an adaptation of the 1940 play ''The Light of Heart'' by E ...

'', which was directed by

Michael Kehlmann Michael Kehlmann (21 September 1927 – 1 December 2005) was an Austrian television film director and theatre director, screenwriter and actor. During 1951–1953, Kehlmann was the manager of the "Kleines Theater im Konzerthaus", Vienna. He was awa ...

and starred

O. E. Hasse Otto Eduard Hasse (11 July 1903 – 12 September 1978) was a German film actor and director. Biography Hasse was born to Wilhelm Gustav Eduard Hasse, a blacksmith, and Valeria Hasse in the village of Obersitzko, Province of Posen, German ...

and

Johanna Matz Johanna Matz (born 5 October 1932, in Vienna) is an Austrian film actress. She began as a dancer and later acted at the Burgtheater. Selected filmography * '' Maria Theresa'' (1951) * '' Season in Salzburg'' (1952) * '' The White Horse Inn'' ( ...

External links

* * *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Life Begins At Eight-Thirty 1942 films 1942 romantic drama films 20th Century Fox films American black-and-white films American films based on plays American romantic drama films Films about actors Films about alcoholism Films directed by Irving Pichel Films scored by Alfred Newman Films set in New York City 1940s English-language films 1940s American films