Sylvia Scarlett (1935)

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Gladys Unger (screenplay) &
John Collier (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

3 January 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

Escaping to England from a French embezzlement charge, widower Henry Scarlett is accompanied by daughter Sylvia who...

Plot Keywords:

Disguise | Hidden Identity | Father Daughter Relationship | Gender Disguise | Chase

Cast

Katharine Hepburn	...	Sylvia Scarlett a.k.a. Sylvester
Cary Grant	...	Jimmy Monkley
Brian Aherne	...	Michael Fane
Edmund Gwenn	...	Henry Scarlett
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Adair	...	Turnkey (uncredited)
Bunny Beatty	...	Maid (uncredited)
May Beatty	...	Older Woman on Ship (uncredited)
Daisy Belmore	...	Fat Woman on Beach (uncredited)
Carmen Beretta	...	Woman (uncredited)
Madam Borget	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Thomas Braidon	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Elsa Buchanan	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Colin Campbell	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Patricia Caron	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Harold Cheevers	...	Bobby (uncredited)
E.E. Clive	...	Customs Inspector (uncredited)
Edward Cooper	...	Customs Inspector (uncredited)
Adrienne D'Ambricourt	...	Stewardess (uncredited)
Kay Deslys	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Elspeth Dudgeon	...	Older Woman (uncredited)
Harold Entwistle	...	Conductor (uncredited)
Gaston Glass	...	Purser (uncredited)
Daisy Goodill	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Robert Hale	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Alec Harford	...	Man Taking Half a Crown (uncredited)
Peter Hobbes	...	Steward (uncredited)
Olaf Hytten	...	Customs Inspector (uncredited)
Lilyan Irene	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Lorimer Johnston	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Connie La Mont	...	Girl at Park Scam (uncredited)
Gwendolyn Logan	...	Concerned Woman (uncredited)
Nola Luxford	...	Woman in Bathing Suit (uncredited)
Elsie Mackay	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Ella McKenzie	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Dennie Moore	...	Maudie Tilt - the Maid (uncredited)
Frank Moran	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer	...	Park Scam Onlooker (uncredited)
Leonard Mudie	...	Train Steward (uncredited)
George Nardelli	...	Frenchman (uncredited)
Natalie Paley	...	Lily Levetsky (uncredited)
Lionel Pape	...	Sergeant Major (uncredited)
Lennox Pawle	...	Drunk (uncredited)
Ethel Rawson	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Harrington Reynolds	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Roger Roughton	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Violet Seaton	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
C. Montague Shaw	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Dina Smirnova	...	Russian (uncredited)
Pat Somerset	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Jacques Vanaire	...	Steward (uncredited)
Michael Visaroff	...	Purser (uncredited)

Directed by
George Cukor

Writing credits
Gladys Unger		(screenplay) &
John Collier		(screenplay) &
Mortimer Offner		(screenplay)
Compton MacKenzie		(novel) (as Compton Mac Kenzie)

Produced by
Pandro S. Berman	....	producer

Original Music by
Roy Webb		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Joseph H. August		(photographed by) (as Joseph August)

Film Editing by
Jane Loring		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Van Nest Polglase

Makeup Department
Mel Berns	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kenneth Holmes	....	assistant director
Argyle Nelson	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Sturges Carne	....	associate art director

Sound Department
George D. Ellis	....	recordist

Special Effects by
Harry Redmond Sr.	....	special effects supervisor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Louie Anderson	....	grip (uncredited)
Ernest Bachrach	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Muriel King	....	costumes: Miss Hepburn
Bernard Newman	....	costumes: Miss Paley

Music Department
Philip Faulkner Jr.	....	music recordist (as P.J. Faulkner Jr.)
Roy Webb	....	musical director

Other crew
Patricia Doyle	....	stand-in: Katharine Hepburn (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Radio Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1935) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Radio Picture)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• Turner Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS) (for the RKO Collection)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD) (Included in the "Katharine Hepburn Collection")
• Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) (1975) (West Germany) (TV)
• Nostalgia Merchant, The (198?) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Turner Entertainment  DVD package design
• Warner Bros. Entertainment  DVD package design

Also Known As:

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Certification:

USA:TV-PG | UK:A (original rating) (cut) | USA:Approved (certificate #1697) | UK:U (video rating) (1986) (1997) | Finland:K-16 | Spain:13 | Argentina:16 | Portugal:M/12 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Laurel Canyon, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Radio Pictures

Trivia:

Despite the poor reviews of the movie, most critics noted the performance of Cary Grant. It has since been recognized as one of Grant's break-out performances.

Quotes:

Michael Fane:[speaking to Sylvia dressed as a boy] "I say, uh! I know what it is that gives me a queer feeling when I look at you. There's something in you to be painted."

Movie Connections:

Featured in "American Masters: Cary Grant: A Class Apart (#18.3)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

WHO WANTS A KISS FROM ME?

Strange but Interesting!

This is a very odd movie, Hepburn and Grant are not at their best but then it's very early on in their careers. Hepburn is the strangest "boy" I've ever seen and her acting is way over the top. I think it should be noted, that the entrance of Brian Aherne as Michael adds some much needed life and humor to the film, I don't think he's been given any credit here. The scene in which Hepburn as Sylvia comes to him in a dress is priceless, His immediate reaction being "Good heavens boy, what are ya up to!". It only gets worse when he proceeds to call her a "freak of nature"(among other things), laughing all the while, then is strangely charmed by her, kisses her, and then forgets all about her as soon as Lily comes into the room. I found it absurdly hilarious. Cary Grant is fine in this, I think he's always enjoyable to watch. I wouldn't call this a great classic, but I think it's an oddity that is at least interesting for a one time watch.