''Arise, My Love'' is a 1940 American

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...

film directed by

Mitchell Leisen James Mitchell Leisen (October 6, 1898 – October 28, 1972) was an American film director, director, art director, and costume designer. Film career He entered the film industry in the 1920s, beginning in the art and costume departments. He d ...

and starring

Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert (koʊlˈbɛər/ kohl-BAIR, born Émilie "Lily" Claudette Chauchoin (ʃoʃwɛ̃/ show-shwan); September 13, 1903 – July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway theater, Broadway productions dur ...

, Ray Milland and

Dennis O'Keefe Dennis O'Keefe (born Edward Vance Flanagan; March 29, 1908 – August 31, 1968) was an American actor. Early years O'Keefe was born in Fort Madison, Iowa, as Edward Vance Flanagan, the son of Edward J. Flanagan and Charlotte Flanagan ( ...

. It was made by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

and written by

Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an American filmmaker and screenwriter. His career in Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and ver ...

, Charles Brackett and Jacques Théry. Containing an interventionist message, it tells the love story of a pilot and a journalist who meet in the latter days of the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

and follows them through the early days of World War II. Colbert once said that ''Arise, My Love'' was her personal favorite motion picture of all the films she had made. ''Arise, My Love'' is based on the true story of Harold Edward Dahl. During the

Dahl, who was fighting as a pilot for the Spanish Republican Air Force, was shot down and taken as prisoner of war. Initially sentenced to death, there were some diplomatic movements to free Dahl. His first wife, Edith Rogers, a known singer of impressive beauty, was said to have visited Francisco Franco herself to plead for his life. He remained in prison until 1940 and then returned to the United States.

Plot

American pilot Tom Martin (Ray Milland) is a soldier of fortune who went to Spain to fight in the Spanish Civil War. During the summer of 1939, he is languishing in a prison cell while awaiting execution. Unexpectedly granted a pardon on the morning that he is to face a firing squad, Tom's release has been managed by reporter Augusta "Gusto" Nash (Claudette Colbert), who posed as his wife. When the prison governor learns of the deception, the pair has to run for their lives. Ending up in Paris, Tom tries, without success, to woo Gusto. When she is sent to Berlin as a correspondent, Tom pursues her with both of them again on the run as Hitler invades Poland. Booking passage on the ill-fated , the ship is torpedoed by a German submarine. After their rescue, Tom joins the RAF while Gusto remains in France as a war correspondent. At the fall of Paris, Tom is reunited with Gusto, and both decide to return home to convince Americans that a real danger awaits.

Cast

as Augusta (Gusto) Nash * Ray Milland as Tom Martin *

as Joe "Shep" Shepard * Walter Abel as Mr. Phillips * Dick Purcell as Pinky O'Connor * George Zucco as Prison Governor * Frank Puglia as Father Jacinto * Esther Dale as Secretary * Paul Leyssac as Bresson * Ann Codee as Mme. Bresson * Stanley Logan as Col. Tubbs Brown * Lionel Pape as Lord Kettlebrook * Aubrey Mather as Achille * Cliff Nazarro as Botzelberg

Production

Filming for ''Arise, My Love'' began on June 24, 1940, on the Paramount lot and lasted until mid-August 1940, with the script continuously updated to incorporate actual events, such as the sinking of the SS ''Athenia'' and the signing of the armistice between France and Germany in the Forest of Compiègne.LoBianco, Lorraine
"Articles: Arise, My Love (1940)."
''Turner CLassic Movies''. Retrieved: October 31, 2014. The character of Augusta Nash was reputedly based on that of Martha Gellhorn. A double tribute is paid to Billy Wilder’s mentor

Ernst Lubitsch Ernst Lubitsch (; ; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; a ...

with songs: Ray Milland starts singing " Lookie, Lookie, Lookie, Here Comes Cookie" (lyrics and music by Mack Gordon, sung by

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, silent screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, ...

in '' Bluebeard's Eighth Wife''], and later on Claudette Colbert hums and sings "Dream Lover", (composed by

Victor Schertzinger Victor L. Schertzinger (April 8, 1888 – October 26, 1941) was an American composer, film director, film producer, and screenwriter. His films include ''Paramount on Parade'' (co-director, 1930 in film, 1930), ''Something to Sing About (1937 fi ...

, lyrics by Clifford Grey, originally introduced in ''

The Love Parade ''The Love Parade'' is a 1929 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code musical comedy film, directed by Ernst Lubitsch and starring Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald, involving the marital difficulties of Queen Louise of Sylvania (MacDonal ...

''). A Stinson A trimotor was featured in the film as a Spanish aircraft. Aerial coordinator

Paul Mantz Albert Paul Mantz (August 2, 1903 – July 8, 1965) was an American air racing and movie stunt pilot and consultant from the late 1930s until his death in the mid-1960s. He gained fame on two stages: Hollywood and in air races. Early years Ma ...

flew the aircraft.Farmer 1984, p. 294.

Reception

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though some ...

, film reviewer for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' considered ''Arise, My Love'' a cynical way to exploit the war in Europe: "it is simply a synthetic picture which attempts to give consequence to a pleasant April-in-Paris romance by involving it in the realities of war—but a war which is patently conceived by some one who has been reading headlines in California. Miss Colbert and Mr. Milland are very charming when tête-a-tête. But, with Europe going up in flames around them, they are, paradoxically, not so hot. Same goes for the film."Crowther, Bosley
"Arise My Love (1940); The screen:'Arise My Love' at the Paramount."
''The New York Times'', October 17, 1940.

Adaptations

''Arise, My Love'' was adapted as a radio play on the June 8, 1942, episode of '' Lux Radio Theater'' with Milland joined by

Loretta Young Loretta Young (born Gretchen Michaela Young; January 6, 1913 – August 12, 2000) was an American actress. Starting as a child, she had a long and varied career in film from 1917 to 1989. She received numerous honors including an Academy Awards ...

. It was also presented on the June 1, 1946, episode of '' Academy Award Theater'', with Milland reprising his role.

Awards and nominations

''Arise, My Love'' won the

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...

for Best Story ( Benjamin Glazer and Hans Székely), and was nominated for Best Music ( Victor Young), Best Cinematography ( Charles Lang) and Best Art Direction ( Hans Dreier and Robert Usher)."Details: 'Arise My Love' (1940)."
''The New York Times'', 2010. Retrieved: October 31, 2014.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* Dick, Bernard F. ''Claudette Colbert: She Walked in Beauty''. Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi, 2008, . * Farmer, James H. ''Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation''. Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania: Tab Books Inc., 1984. . * Paris, Michael. ''From the Wright Brothers to Top Gun: Aviation, Nationalism, and Popular Cinema.'' Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 1995. .

External links

* *
''Arise, My Love''
on Academy Award Theater: June 1, 1946 * by

Jeanette MacDonald Jeanette Anna MacDonald (June 18, 1903 – January 14, 1965) was an American soprano and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier (''The Love Parade'', ''Love Me Tonight'', ''The Merry Widow (1934 film) ...

{{Mitchell Leisen 1940 films 1940 romantic comedy films American aviation films American black-and-white films Films scored by Victor Young Films directed by Mitchell Leisen Films set in France Paramount Pictures films Spanish Civil War films World War II films made in wartime Films that won the Academy Award for Best Story Films with screenplays by Billy Wilder Films with screenplays by Charles Brackett American romantic comedy films American World War II films Films based on actual events 1940s English-language films English-language romantic comedy films