The Affairs of Cellini (1934)

Director:

Gregory La Cava

Writers:

Edwin Justus Mayer (play)
Bess Meredyth (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 August 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | History

Plot:

The 16th-century sculptor woos the Duchess of Florence despite the duke. |

Plot Keywords:

Sculptor | Sleepwalking | Sword Fight | Sheep | 1500s

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars.

Cast

Constance Bennett	...	Duchess of Florence
Fredric March	...	Benvenuto Cellini
Frank Morgan	...	Alessandro - Duke of Florence
Fay Wray	...	Angela
Vince Barnett	...	Ascanio
Jessie Ralph	...	Beatrice
Louis Calhern	...	Ottaviano
Jay Eaton	...	Polverino
Paul Harvey	...	Emissary
Jack Rutherford	...	Captain of the Guards (as John Rutherford)
Irene Ware	...	Daughter of the Royal House of Bocci

Also Known As:

The Firebrand

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | USA:Approved

Company:

20th Century Pictures

Trivia:

The play, "The Firebrand," opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 15 October 1924 and closed in May 1925 after 261 performances. The opening night cast included Nana Bryant as the Duchess, Frank Morgan as Allessandro (same role as in the movie), Edward G. Robinson as Ottaviano and Joseph Schildkraut as Cellini.

Quotes:

Duchess of Florence: Jelly - how like the men of our times.

One of Bennett's Best

Constance Bennett was born to play a Medici. Her combination of hauteur and ooh-la-la makes this role a perfect fit. Frank Morgan, as her dithering husband, is amusing but less plausible.

Fredric March, as the title character, is good. He was always good. Possibly not the heartthrob he needs to be, he is nevertheless both cocky and handsome. Fay Wray is excellent as a commoner whose tastes are too prosaic for the dastardly lover Cellini. She looks beautiful (as does Bennett.) This is certainly atypical Gregory La Cava. It is probably not very accurate historically. But as costume pieces go, it's very compelling. A few years later, another studio made one that is more famous. That was "Marie Antoinette." It was better researched and is still somewhat well known. But it is really dull.

The costumes here are gorgeous. Now and then the music is appropriate to the time. A theme that seems distinctly 19th Century Romantic runs through, though.

The supporting cast is up to the task. It's hard to imagine what people sitting down in a theater in 1934 made of this. Bennett was still a big star so maybe they were happy to see her. It's an oddity, no doubt about it. But it's very good.