The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)

Lederer is a Hessian soldier who defects to the Americans during the Revolutionary War.He falls in love with a Yankee girl, but a thuggish local militiaman jealously makes things hard for him while he's a prisoner of war.

Director:

Alexander Hall

Writers:

Stephen Morehouse Avery (adaptation), Armina Marshall Langner (play),

Stars:

Francis Lederer, Joan Bennett, Charles Ruggles

Cast

Cast overview:
Francis Lederer	...	Max Christmann
Joan Bennett	...	Prudence Kirkland
Charles Ruggles	...	Aaron Kirkland
Mary Boland	...	Comfort Kirkland
Walter Kingsford	...	Rev. Lyman Banks
Minor Watson	...	Col. Sherwood
Adrian Morris	...	Thad Jennings
Barbara Barondess	...	Meg Mallory
Duke York	...	Jonathan
Burr Caruth	...	Rev. Myles
Jules Cowles	...	The Drunk
Irving Bacon	...	Bijah
Spencer Charters	...	Sam Evans
Holmes Herbert	...	Gen. Sir Henry Clinton

Storyline

Lederer is a Hessian soldier who defects to the Americans during the Revolutionary War.He falls in love with a Yankee girl, but a thuggish local militiaman jealously makes things hard for him while he's a prisoner of war.

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Plot Keywords:

historical event | based on play

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 September 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

Den kärleken - Den kärleken

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since.

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Connections

Referenced in Wind at My Back: A Formal Affair (2000)

User Reviews

good,old movie

Charming old movie (black & white) set in our colonial war during the winter. A hessian soldier-Franz Lederer (conscripted into the British army goes a.w.o.l.) Meets American girl, romance, candles in the window, bundling board-(an old new england custom to conserve wood) ensue. Saw this 30 years ago on TV haven't seen since. Charlie Ruggles was particularly good. So is Lederer and the female lead.