The World Changes (1933)

Director:

Mervyn LeRoy

Writers:

Edward Chodorov (writer)
Sheridan Gibney (story)

Release Date:

25 November 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

HUMAN! TOUCHING! DYNAMIC!

Plot Keywords:

Refrigerator Car | Omaha Nebraska | Chicago Illinois | Stock Market Crash 1929 | Butcher

Cast

Paul Muni	...	Orin Nordholm Jr.
Aline MacMahon	...	Anna Nordholm
Mary Astor	...	Virginia 'Ginny' Clafflin Nordholm
Donald Cook	...	Richard Nordholm
Jean Muir	...	Selma Peterson II / Her Grandaughter Selma II
Guy Kibbee	...	James Clafflin
Patricia Ellis	...	Natalie Clinton Nordholm
Theodore Newton	...	Paul Nordholm
Margaret Lindsay	...	Jennifer Clinton Nordholm
Gordon Westcott	...	John Nordholm
Alan Dinehart	...	Ogden Jarrett
Henry O'Neill	...	Orin Nordholm Sr.
Anna Q. Nilsson	...	Mrs. Peterson
Arthur Hohl	...	Mr. Patten
William Janney	...	Orin Nordholm III

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #2619)

Company:

First National Pictures

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Once the story reaches the year 1929, all the women wear 1933 fashions, an unfortunate anachronism, since styles had changed dramatically in those four years, and everything we see them wearing in what is supposed to be 1929 is completely out of tune with the actual styles of that period.

Soundtrack:

The Wedding March

Spectacularly good photog and direction

Until the story dredged itself into dreary cliches, this film reminded me of Citizen Kane. Many of the scenes are extremely well-put together; Mervyn LeRoy and Tony Gaudio are as good a team as Welles and Toland (an incredible fact when you view LeRoy's tepid output from the 50's). Paul Muni portrays a blonde cowboy (!), Aline McMahon is beautiful and strong, Mary Astor is scary, and many of the characters age (unbelievably) sixty years over the course of the film. Don't skip this one, it's a fascinating watch!