Smilin' Through (1932)

John has lead a solitary life for thirty years since the death of Moonyeen Clare. But now Owens, a close friend, insists that he care for his niece, Kathleen, orphaned when her parents were... See full summary »

Director:

Sidney Franklin

Writers:

Jane Cowl (play), James B. Fagan (dialogue),

Stars:

Norma Shearer, Fredric March, Leslie Howard

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Norma Shearer	...	Kathleen (credited) / Moonyeen (uncredited)
Fredric March	...	Kenneth Wayne (credited) / Jeremy Wayne (uncredited)
Leslie Howard	...	Sir John Carteret
O.P. Heggie	...	Dr. Owen
Ralph Forbes	...	Willie Ainley
Beryl Mercer	...	Mrs. Crouch
Margaret Seddon	...	Ellen, the Maid
Forrester Harvey	...	Orderly

Storyline

John has lead a solitary life for thirty years since the death of Moonyeen Clare. But now Owens, a close friend, insists that he care for his niece, Kathleen, orphaned when her parents were lost at sea. Kathleen is five, but the years pass and now she is a young woman who is the image of Moonyeen. Willy wants Kathleen for his wife, but Sparks fly when she meets Kenneth Wayne one dark and stormy night. John is horrified for it was Wayne's father who shot Moonyeen dead on her wedding day and John has never found him or forgiven the family. When Ken goes off to war, John forbids any marriage and Ken agrees, while Kathleen does not. When Ken returns four years later when the war is over, he is crippled. He conceals his condition and makes plans to leave for America.

---

Plot Keywords:

physician | ghost | unrequited love | world war one | england | 

---

Taglines:

Exquisite romance!

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 September 1932 (USA)

Also Known As:

Catene

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on December 17, 1939 with Norma Shearer reprising her film role.

---

Goofs

The bulk of the story takes place during the WWI era, 1915-1919, but all of Norma Shearer's clothes, hats, and hairstyles are strictly in the 1932 mode, the year the film was made, a typical practice of the era.

---

Crazy Credits

As M-G-M would later do with "The Wizard of Oz", no mention at all is made of any of the actors having dual roles. Thus, the characters "Moonyeen" and "Jeremy Wayne" are not even mentioned in the credits, although the characters are drastically important to the story.

---

Connections

Referenced in Hollywood Hist-o-Rama: Leslie Howard (1962)

---

Soundtracks

"Smilin' Through"
(uncredited)
Written by Arthur A. Penn
Played on piano and Sung by Norma Shearer (dubbed by Georgia Stark)
Music integrated into the score throughout

User Reviews

smiling and sighing

I cannot imagine a movie being classier than this one. The lilting mood of the story is felt all the way through the film until its closing moments. The swell of music followed by the appearance of a 'The End' card, like a surrendered afterthought on the screen, make Smilin' Through seem as if MGM meant to deliver a movie on a cloud in 1932. Fredric March and Norma Shearer's conversations have a sense of 'sway' or dance about them. From her refusal to see his soldier off at the train station then following him there in the very next scene to his simple but imploring, "There's a war on, and I'm in it!", the well-drawn characters demonstrate nobility, humor, and attachment to each other that are poetic in their simplicity. Even an elderly man, as painted by Leslie Howard's portrayal, commits his loving then selfish then last surprising acts with grace. Director, Sidney Franklin motions us into the fold to experience the drama alongside the characters with his special touches: distant gunfire rattling windows, doors shutting on a church shooting while we wait for them to be reopened to discover how the characters are reacting. No leotards or shades of pink are glimpsed here, but surely we have been to a ballet of sorts.