''Sangaree'' is a 1953 American 3-D color period costume drama film by director

Edward Ludwig Edward Irving Ludwig (October 7, 1899 – August 20, 1982) was a Russian-born American film director and writer. He directed nearly 100 films between 1921 and 1963 (some under the names Edward I. Luddy and Charles Fuhr). Ludwig was also one ...

. It was adapted from the 1948 novel of the same name by

Frank G. Slaughter Frank Gill Slaughter (February 25, 1908 – May 17, 2001), pen-name Frank G. Slaughter, pseudonym C.V. Terry, was an American novelist and physician whose books sold more than 60 million copies. His novels drew on his own experience as a doctor a ...

. The film stars

Fernando Lamas Fernando Álvaro Lamas y de Santos (January 9, 1915 – October 8, 1982) was an Argentine-American actor and director, and the father of actor Lorenzo Lamas. Biography Argentina Fernando Álvaro Lamas y de Santos was born in Buenos Aires, Arg ...

and

Arlene Dahl Arlene Carol Dahl (August 11, 1925 – November 29, 2021) was an American actress active in films from the late 1940s. She was one of the last surviving stars from the Classical Hollywood cinema era. She was also an author and entrepreneur. Sh ...

. The film is set during the American Revolution and focuses on an indentured servant, Dr. Carlos Morales, who rises to power in the state of Georgia. It was Paramount's first 3-Dimensional film release.

Plot

On his death bed, old Revolutionary War general Darby bequeaths his Georgia estate, Sangaree, to a man he trusts, Dr. Carlos Morales, requesting that he seek freedom for servants and slaves. The general's son Roy has no objection, but knows his sister Nancy is determined to keep Sangaree in the family. She and her fiancé, attorney Harvey Bristol, make it clear to Morales that he will have a fight on his hands. Roy's wife, Martha, is secretly still in love with Morales, an old beau. Martha spreads word that Nancy is in league with Felix Pagnol, a French pirate who is making raids off the Savannah coast. A plague outbreak also concerns Morales, who is running a free clinic. Morales learns that Bristol has a business partnership with Pagnol the pirate and that Martha, not Nancy, is involved. Bristol's warehouse, where the stolen goods are being kept, is the source of the plague so Morales burns it to the ground. Martha contracts the plague and dies after shooting Bristol. Nancy joins forces with Morales to live together at Sangaree.

Cast

as Dr. Carlos Morales *

as Nancy Darby *

Patricia Medina Patricia Paz Maria Medina (19 July 1919 – 28 April 2012) was a British actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles in the films ''Phantom of the Rue Morgue'' (1954) and ''Mr. Arkadin'' (1955). Early life Medina was the daughter of Laure ...

as Martha Darby *

Francis L. Sullivan Francis Loftus Sullivan (6 January 1903 – 19 November 1956) was an English film and stage actor. Early life Francis Loftus Sullivan attended Stonyhurst, the Jesuit public school in Lancashire, England, whose alumni include Charles Laughton ...

as Dr. Bristol *

Charles Korvin Charles Korvin (born Géza Kárpáthi, November 21, 1907 – June 18, 1998) was a Hungarian-American film, television and stage actor. He was also a professional still and motion picture photographer and a master chef. Korvin was born in P� ...

as Felix Pagnol *

Tom Drake Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in '' Beavis and Butt-Head'' * Tom Beck, a character ...

as Dr. Roy Darby *

Willard Parker Willard Parker (born Worster Van Eps; February 5, 1912 – December 4, 1996) was an American film and television actor. He was a leading man under contract to Columbia Pictures in the 1940s and starred in the TV series '' Tales of the Texas Ran ...

as Gabriel Thatch *

Lewis Russell Lewis Lord Russell (born George Lewis Lord, September 10, 1889 – November 12, 1961) was an American actor of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s who starred in a number of vaudeville shows, Broadway dramas and Hollywood films, including the Academy ...

as Capt. Bronson * John Sutton as Harvey Bristol *

Lester Matthews Arthur Lester Matthews (6 June 1900 – 5 June 1975) was an English actor. In his career, the handsome Englishman made more than 180 appearances in film and on television. He was erroneously credited in later years as Les Matthews. Matthews pla ...

as Gen. Victor Darby * Roy Gordon as Dr. Tyrus *Lewis L. Russell as Capt. Bronson

Production

The film was based on the novel by

, which was published in 1948. Slaughter was a doctor turned novelist who specialised in historical fiction.

Pine-Thomas Productions Pine-Thomas Productions was a prolific B-picture unit of Paramount Pictures from 1940–1957, producing 81 films. Co-producers William H. Pine (February 15, 1896 – April 29, 1955) and William C. Thomas (August 11, 1903 – April 2, 1984) were kno ...

purchased the film rights in March 1952. In June they hired Edward Ludwig to direct this and ''The Rebel''. (The latter would not be made.) By November

was set as the female lead and Pine and Thomas were trying to get

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'', ...

for the male star. Eventually

was borrowed from MGM. Filming started 17 January 1953. Filming took place for ten days when Paramount chairman

Adolph Zukor Adolph Zukor (; hu, Zukor Adolf; January 7, 1873 – June 10, 1976) was a Hungarian-American film producer best known as one of the three founders of Paramount Pictures.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'' (June 16, 1976), p. 76. He produ ...

decided to halt, and start again in 3-D. The new technique involved a deal of adjustment.BEHIND THE 3-D SCREEN SCENES OF 'SANGAREE' By WILLIAM H. PINE and WILLIAM C. THOMAS. New York Times 31 May 1953: X3 "It was rather like doing a stage play," said Patricia Medina. Paramount later decided to make '' Red Garters'' in 3-D. It was the first of two films which Arlene Dahl and Fernando Lamas starred together. They also appeared in '' The Diamond Queen'' released the same year. They were married from 1954-1960. David Duncan, who worked on the script, recalls visiting the set during filming. He noticed a sign which said "George Washington for President" and asked producer Bill Thomas to take it down as Washington did not become president until years after the film was set. Thomas halted production to do this but was upset when he discovered the sign would have been out of shot and was only put up as a joke.

Reception

In February 1953 Paramount estimated the film would earn $1.5 million as a 3-D film and $500,000 as a 2-D film. ''Variety'' estimated the film earned $1.8 million at the North American box office during its first year of release. The film earned between $150,000 to $300,000 in France.

References

External links

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Sangaree
at 3-D Film Archive {{Pine-Thomas 1953 3D films 1950s historical films 1953 films Films set in the United States American war films American historical films American Revolutionary War films Films about revolutions Films set in the 1770s Films set in Georgia (U.S. state) Films set in the Thirteen Colonies Paramount Pictures films Films with screenplays by David Duncan (writer) 1950s war films American 3D films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films