Dodsworth (1936)

Copyright 28 September 1936 by Samuel Goldwyn. Released through United Artists. New York opening at the Rivoli, 23 September 1936. U.S. release: 18 September 1937 (sic). U.K. release: November 1936. Sydney opening at the Embassy: 1 January 1937. 9,138 feet. 11 reels. 101 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Disillusioned American industrialist "finds himself" in Europe.NOTES: Academy Award, Richard Day, Art Direction (defeating Anthony Adverse, The Great Ziegfeld, Lloyds of London, The Magnificent Brute, Romeo and Juliet and Winterset).Also nominated for Best Picture (won by The Great Ziegfeld); Best Actor, Walter Huston (won by Paul Muni for The Story of Louis Pasteur); Supporting Actress, Maria Ouspenskaya (won by Gale Sondergaard for Anthony Adverse); Directing (won by Frank Capra for Mr Deeds Goes To Town); Screenplay (won by The Story of Louis Pasteur); and Sound Recording (won by San Francisco).Best Male Performance of 1936: Walter Huston — New York Film Critics. Number 5 on The Film Daily annual poll of U.S. film critics.COMMENT: Opening on Broadway at the Shubert on 24 February 1934, the stage play was a great success, running 317 performances. Walter Huston played Samuel Dodsworth, his frivolous wife was Fay Bainter, whilst his lady-love was enacted by his real-life wife, Nan Sunderland. Others in the stage cast included Maria Ouspenskaya, John Williams, Frederic Worlock, Kent Smith, Hal K. Dawson, Harlan Briggs and Ethel Jackson. Robert Sinclair directed for producer Max Gordon.The acting may be a bit stagy, maybe just a trifle old-fashioned and self-conscious, but there's no denying the abilities of Huston (repeating his stage role), Chatterton and Astor. The story holds up particularly well — in fact I doubt if any producer would dare such a realistic domestic drama even today (in these so loudly trumpeted "liberated" times) — and comes across with considerable force and power.The movie is superbly paced, masterfully directed and brilliantly photographed (notice the most effective use of deep focus — and this is Maté not Toland — years before Citizen Kane). Newman's music is beautifully atmospheric. All told, Dodsworth provides ample evidence of big-budget technical expertise in all departments.

...when movies were not that realistic - 1936. Sam Dodsworth (Walter Huston) for the sake of his wife's happiness, has sold the car company that he created and built up with his own two hands and made plans for an extended trip to Europe. You can see the sadness on his face as he leaves his old world behind. On the steamship to Europe the trouble begins. Dodworth's wife, Fran (Ruth Chatterton), begins a flirtation. Dodworth begins a friendship with a divorcée, Edith Cortright (Mary Astor), a divorcée living in Italy, on her way back home. Sam tries to make the best of this upending of his world and sees this as an opportunity to learn new things. However, Fran's vanity, and the flirtations of the European men she meets, begin to have her pulling away from her husband. She eventually dumps Sam so she can pursue her life and a new love - a much younger one - in Europe. I love the irony with Fran and her attitude towards Europe. She tells Sam that "they're my people, they understand me, or something to that effect.Later she finds out different in the form of the redoubtable Maria Ouspenskaya, who asks her all sorts of nagging questions, for instance, how old are you? It is made clear to her that she is unacceptable as the old wife to a young husband who is expected to produce heirs. There is a difference between spending a summer at an Italian villa and trying to marry the son of a traditional European family. The hurt look on her face as she realizes she has been abandoned when her beloved refuses to go against his mother's wishes will probably always linger when I think of this movie. So much for Europe's understanding. Chatterton is so good. I may not warm up to Fran that much, but Ruth makes her interesting. Fran is a human being, not just a bad person, thanks to Ruth. Meanwhile Sam, while nursing his wounds, meets up with Edith again, and her love and support has him making business plans again. The words told to him by an old friend at the beginning were true - a man like him will always need to be building something. Edith Cortright in the form of Mary Astor remains for me one of the most appealing characters ever.. That long, deft scene between her and Sam is my favorite. She says to him, "We? ... we?" in her you're-going-to-take-me-with-you realization and later says to him, "I think I must love you," to which he replies, "And I'm glad of it..." which on the surface doesn't seem all that romantic but it somehow works perfectly with these two.But then that dreaded phone call from Vienna from the abandoned Fran, the way poor Edith tries to shield Sam from that call, and later making her I-won't-let-you-go speech. She doesn't come across demanding or petulant, she actually makes sense. So what happens? Watch and find out. Remember Sam is a conventional guy, and conventional guys in 1936 "stick". I'll just say that never has a to-do over the placement of luggage produced such an epiphany in a film. I'll also say that for this to come only two years after the production code it is a very real treatment of marriages and how people grow apart, and maybe they were very different from the beginning, but only after the children are grown and they are alone again do they figure that out.

"Dodsworth" is an adaptation of a novel by Sinclair Lewis. I have not read the novel, but every film should stand on its own anyway.The film follows the marriage of a couple who decide to retire and travel abroad. The husband, Sam Dodsworth (Walter Huston), is dedicated to his wife and her wishes. His primary character trait is duty. The wife, Fran Dodsworth (Ruth Chatterton), wishes to get away from her routine life. Her primary character trait is vanity.While on their excursion, they quickly drift apart. To quell her fear of aging, Fran seeks the attentions of other men. Sam--a man of action and industry--finds himself lost in the inaction of leisure.The acting in this film is wonderful. The photography is beautiful. All of the production values--from sets to music--are first class.In my opinion, the story challenges the conception that marriage is about self-sacrifice. It shows the damage that is wrought when one person dedicates his existence to the happiness of another with no regard for his own. It's an important message that gives "Dodsworth" consequence.

I have limited experience with the works of Walter Huston and Mary Astor, both of whom sell this one for me. Notwithstanding its 8.3 rating, this is certainly not among my favorite William Wyler films. I like it about as much as The Little Foxes (a low 7/10).Ruth Chatterton's Fran is her husband's inferior mentally and morally. For me, the low points are when this pretentious woman is rather oddly gallivanting around with other guys in order to stave off old age. Her husband Samuel, who happens to 'adore' her, is no curmudgeon. It annoys me when a character I like is so committed to one I don't like for reasons that don't cut it for me. Fortunately, Mr. Dodsworth exhausted his tolerance by the very satisfying ending.I would have much preferred more on the relationship between Huston's Samuel and Astor's Edith, two very endearing characters. I'll be sure to prioritize my films to see list with them in mind.