''Seventh Heaven'' is an American romantic drama film released in 1937 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 Dis ...

, directed by Henry King and starring

Simone Simon Simone Thérèse Fernande Simon (23 April 1910 or 1911 – 22 February 2005) was a French film actress who began her film career in 1931. Early life Born in Marseille, France, she was the daughter of Henri Louis Firmin Clair Simon, a French J ...

and James Stewart. The supporting cast features

Jean Hersholt Jean Pierre Carl Buron (12 July 1886 – 2 June 1956), known professionally as Jean Hersholt, was a Danish-American actor. He is best known for starring on the radio series '' Dr. Christian'' (1937–1954) and in the film '' Heidi'' (1937).Obitu ...

, Gregory Ratoff, Gale Sondergaard, and

John Qualen John Qualen (born Johan Mandt Kvalen, December 8, 1899 – September 12, 1987) was an American character actor of Norwegian heritage who specialized in Scandinavian roles. Early years Qualen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, the son ...

. The film is a remake of the classic 1927 silent film of the same name directed by Frank Borzage and starring Janet Gaynor and

Charles Farrell Charles David Farrell (August 9, 1900 – May 6, 1990) was an American film actor of the 1920s silent era and into the 1930s, and later a television actor. Farrell is probably best recalled for his onscreen romances with actress Janet Gaynor ...

. Both versions were based on the play '' Seventh Heaven'' by Austin Strong.

Plot

In a rough neighborhood of Paris in 1914,

atheistic Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no d ...

sewer worker Chico ( James Stewart) rescues a young woman named Diane (

) being beaten by her sister Nana ( Gale Sondergaard) for not being nice to an older man, a patron in the sister's disreputable dance hall. Father Chevillon (

) is determined to convert Chico. Chevillon learns from Boul, Chico's taxi driver friend, that Chico gave God a chance, but nothing came of it. The priest grants Chico's first prayer, getting him a promotion to street washer. He then gives Chico two religious medals for protection. Chico is amazed to discover that they are made of real silver; a price tag reveals they are worth twelve francs - exactly the cost of two candles he purchased in church for his prayers. Chevillon also gives him responsibility for Diane. Chico scoffs and goes off with his friends to celebrate his promotion, but returns just in time to stop Diane from committing suicide. When a policeman tries to take Diane into custody, Chico claims that she is his wife. Unconvinced, the policeman says he will check up on them, so Chico takes Diane home to his

garret A garret is a habitable attic, a living space at the top of a house or larger residential building, traditionally, small, dismal, and cramped, with sloping ceilings. In the days before elevators this was the least prestigious position in a bui ...

, up seven flights of stairs. The first time she sees the place, she says, "it is heaven." Chico gives her his bed and goes to sleep with his neighbor Aristide ( J. Edward Bromberg), an astrologer. The next morning, Chico finds his place has been tidied up and Diane has prepared him a good breakfast. After Chico leaves, the policeman checks up on Diane; convinced she is indeed Chico's wife, he states he will not trouble her again. Diane starts to leave, but just then Chico and his neighbor and coworker Gobin (

Victor Kilian Victor Arthur Kilian (March 6, 1891 – March 11, 1979) was an American actor who was blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses in the 1950s. Early life, career, and homicide Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Victor Kilian began his ca ...

) arrive; Chico has passed his probationary test with flying colors, so Chico invites Gobin and his wife to dinner. When Chico asks Diane if anybody came by, she tells him no. After Chico leaves to get more food and drink, Aristide chastises Diane for lying to Chico and says that she may "drag him down, rob him forever of the greatness he might have known." Upset, Diane goes to a bar, where she lets a man buy her a drink. Chico finds out all about the confrontation from Aristide. He finds her and takes her out of the bar, pushing the other man back over a table when he objects. When she begs him to let her go, that she is as wicked as Aristide said she was, he tells her, "Chico said you were a fine, good girl, and therefore you must be one." When war breaks out, many of Chico's friends and neighbors are drafted, including Gobin and Chico's "Sewer Rat" friend, but not him. Chico gives Diane a present: a wedding dress. She asks him if he wants to marry her for love or out of pity. After an unsuccessful try or two, he finally says, "Chico ... Diane ... Heaven", making her very happy. Before they can marry, however, Chico receives his draft notice. With no time, they marry themselves before Chico leaves. Diane's sister comes to take Diane back by force, but Diane drives her away. For four years, Chico fights at the front, and Diane works as a nurse. Every morning at 11 o'clock, they each recite "Chico ... Diane ... Heaven." Diane feels her husband's presence then; he had promised to be with her somehow. However, one day, she abruptly cannot sense him anymore. He falls victim to a poison gas attack. Just before he is evacuated, Chico encounters Father Chevillon. He gives the priest his religious medal (Diane has the other one) to give to Diane. With the war almost over, a young officer Diane tended tells her that Chico has been listed killed in action, but she refuses to believe him, sensing his presence every day at 11. She goes to Father Chevillon, who gives her the medal Chico gave him. Heartbroken, she renounces her belief in God, but then she feels her lover's presence, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month: the end of World War I. She rushes home, through the wild celebrations, and finds a blind but alive Chico. The couple embrace and Chico affirms his faith in God.

Cast

as Diane * James Stewart as Chico *

as Father Chevillon * Gregory Ratoff as Boul * Gale Sondergaard as Nana * J. Edward Bromberg as Aristide *

as Sewer Rat *

as Gobin * Thomas Beck as Brissac *

Sig Ruman Siegfried Carl Alban Rumann (October 11, 1884 – February 14, 1967), billed as Sig Ruman and Sig Rumann, was a German-American character actor known for his portrayals of pompous and often stereotypically Teutonic officials or villains i ...

as Durand (as Sig Rumann) *

Mady Christians Marguerita Maria "Mady" Christians (January 19, 1892 – October 28, 1951) was an Austrian actress who had a successful acting career in theatre and film in the United States until she was blacklisted during the McCarthy period. Biography She ...

as Marie * Rollo Lloyd as Mateot (Matoot in credits) * Rafaela Ottiano as Mme Frisson *

Georges Renavent Georges Renavent (born Georges DeChaux, April 23, 1892 – January 2, 1969) was a French-American actor in film, Broadway plays and operator of American Grand Guignol. He was born in Paris, France. In 1914, he immigrated to the United Stat ...

as Sergeant Gendarme * Edward Keane as Gendarme * John Hamilton as Gendarme *

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 Gendarme * Leonid Snegoff as Officer * Adrienne D'Ambricourt as Nurse

Production

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'', ' ...

was originally assigned to portray Chico, but he was cast in ''Love Is News'' instead, and had to be replaced due to scheduling conflicts. Don Ameche withdrew from the role of Father Chevillon for the same reason.

John Carradine John Carradine ( ; born Richmond Reed Carradine; February 5, 1906 – November 27, 1988) was an American actor, considered one of the greatest character actors in American cinema. He was a member of Cecil B. DeMille's stock company and later ...

shortly replaced him, until eventually

was cast.

References

External links

* * * {{Darryl F. Zanuck 1937 films 1937 romantic drama films American black-and-white films Remakes of American films American romantic drama films American films based on plays Films directed by Henry King Films set in Paris Films set in the 1910s Films set in 1914 Films set in 1918 Films produced by Darryl F. Zanuck Films with atheism-related themes Sound film remakes of silent films 20th Century Fox films Western Front (World War I) films Films set on the French home front during World War I 1930s American films