Arrowsmith (1931)

Based on Sinclair Lewis's novel "Arrowsmith". A medical researcher is sent to a plague outbreak, where he has to decide priorities for the use of a vaccine.

Director:

John Ford

Writers:

Sinclair Lewis (based upon the novel by), Sidney Howard (adapted for the screen by)

Stars:

Ronald Colman, Helen Hayes, Richard Bennett

Nominated for 4 Oscars.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ronald Colman	...	Dr. Martin Arrowsmith
Helen Hayes	...	Leora Arrowsmith
Richard Bennett	...	Gustav Sondelius
A.E. Anson	...	Professor Max Gottlieb
Clarence Brooks	...	Oliver Marchand
Alec B. Francis	...	Twyford (as Alec Francis)
Claude King	...	Dr. Tubbs
Bert Roach	...	Bert Tozer
Myrna Loy	...	Mrs. Joyce Lanyon
Russell Hopton	...	Terry Wickett
David Landau	...	State Veterinarian
Lumsden Hare	...	Sir Robert Fairland - Governor

Storyline

Based on a Sinclair Lewis novel "Martin Arrowsmith". A medical researcher is sent to a plague outbreak, where he has to decide priorities for the use of a vaccine.

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Plot Keywords:

plague | serum | west indies | scientist | vaccine | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian Swedish

Release Date:

26 December 1931 (USA)

Also Known As:

El Dr. Arrowsmith

Filming Locations:

Samuel Goldwyn Studios - 7200 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Howard Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min 99 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first American sound film to feature a black character ("Dr. Oliver Marchand" played by Clarence Brooks) with a university degree who speaks perfect English, does not shuffle, and does not act in the usual stereotypical manner in which blacks were depicted in Hollywood films at the time.

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Goofs

In the night scene outside the research building when Dr. Arrowsmith's wife catches up to him, the snow becomes very scant and then a whole clump of snow falls, which looks like a stage hand got behind on their snowfall duties then panicked.

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Quotes

Dr. Martin Arrowsmith: Be informed, the first duty of a nurse is to stand when she speaks to a doctor.

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Connections

Referenced in That's Black Entertainment (1990)

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Soundtracks

"William Tell Overture"
(1829) (uncredited)
Written by Gioachino Rossini
Played on piano from a recording

User Reviews

Nice to know they had "Deal" movies then, too.

Goldwyn put together a lot of fine talent here, but none of it jells.

Ronald Colman, Laurence Olivier's idol and one of the screen's most likable actors, is just plain miscast. Helen Hayes projects annoyingly to the audience, stage fashion, rather than letting the camera discover her emotions, as even the young Myrna Loy knows how to do. Richard Bennett is enjoyably over-the-top as Sondelius but A. E. Anson's accent is a deal-breaker as Gottlieb (as if there weren't enough real Middle European actors in Hollywood at the time).

Sydney Howard's script is condensed to the point of silliness - the other reviewers here who contrast "Gone With the Wind" as a model of condensation are praising an uncredited Ben Hecht, not Sydney Howard. Ray June's fluid cinematography is beautiful throughout, with more than one shot that would wind up re-used in Ford's "The Searchers" many years later.

The story is that Goldwyn hired a bibulous Ford on condition that the director couldn't take one drink during production. Helen Hayes noticed that as the shoot progressed, Ford started discarding pages and then whole scenes, in a race to finish the film and get back to his booze. That may be one more reason that the film is barely coherent.

Hey, nobody's perfect all the time.