The Good Fairy (1935)

A naive girl just out of a cloistered orphanage finds that being a 'good fairy' to strangers makes life awfully complicated.

Director:

William Wyler

Writers:

Jane Hinton (English translation of play), Ferenc Molnár (play),

Stars:

Margaret Sullavan, Herbert Marshall, Frank Morgan

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Margaret Sullavan	...	Luisa 'Lu' Ginglebuscher
Herbert Marshall	...	Dr. Max Sporum
Frank Morgan	...	Konrad
Reginald Owen	...	Detlaff, the Waiter
Eric Blore	...	Dr. Metz
Beulah Bondi	...	Dr. Schultz
Alan Hale	...	Maurice Schlapkohl
Cesar Romero	...	Joe
Luis Alberni	...	The Barber
June Clayworth	...	Mitzi, on-screen actress

Storyline

Young, naive Luisa Ginglebusher, who loves fairy tales, leaves the Budapest orphanage to become a movie usherette. Soon she befriends paternal waiter Detlaff and not so paternal Konrad, a meat-packing millionaire. Uninterested in Konrad's rich gifts, Luisa schemes to be a "good fairy" and divert some of this wealth to poor stranger Dr. Sporum. But it's not that simple...

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Plot Keywords:

usherette | orphan | foreign language adaptation | coming of age | based on play

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 February 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Boa Fada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

On July 31, 1944, Deanna Durbin, Fredric March and June Lockhart acted in a 30-minute radio adaptation of the film, presented on the "Screen Guild Theatre" by CBS. Two-and-one-half years later, Miss Durbin starred in a musical remake of this picture, entitled I'll Be Yours, which opened on February 2.

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Quotes

Dr. Schultz: Would you like to be an usherette, Luisa?
Luisa: Oh, yes, ma'am.
Dr. Schultz: Do you know what an usherette is?
Luisa: N-n-no, ma'am.

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Connections

Version of Die Fee (1969)

User Reviews

Nearly Forgotten Comedy Classic.

This has long been director William Wyler's hardest-to-find classic, a truly nutty, thoroughly charming romantic comedy written by the incomparable Preston Sturges (and very loosely based on a Ferenc Molnar play). All the Sturges touches that would later be his hallmarks as a director are here - the jaded wit, the almost dance-like physical comedy, the hilarious supporting cast of characters (the priceless Eric Blore, Frank Morgan, Reginald Owen, Beulah Bondi and Alan Hale, among others)... "The Good Fairy" is as much his as Wyler's. Margaret Sullavan is captivating as always as the pure-of-heart (and slightly loopy) heroine - a characterization she would come to perfect in later roles. As for Wyler, this was the first in what would be a string of classics in an astonishing number of genres. But here they are - Preston Sturges, Margaret Sullavan and William Wyler - near the beginning of their careers, already in classic form. Don't miss!