IMDb > Craig's Wife (1936)

Craig's Wife (1936) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.6/10   223 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 3% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Dorothy Arzner
Writers:
George Kelly (play)
Mary C. McCall Jr. (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Craig's Wife on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
25 September 1936 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama more
Plot:
A domineering woman marries a wealthy man for his money, and then uses her position to further her own ambitions for money and power. | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
User Comments:
The institution of marriage takes a big hit more (19 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Rosalind Russell ... Harriet Craig
John Boles ... Walter Craig

Billie Burke ... Mrs. Frazier
Jane Darwell ... Mrs. Harold
Dorothy Wilson ... Ethel Landreth
Alma Kruger ... Ellen Austen
Thomas Mitchell ... Fergus Passmore
Raymond Walburn ... Billy Birkmire
Elisabeth Risdon ... Mrs. Landreth
Robert Allen ... Gene Fredericks
Nydia Westman ... Mazie
Kathleen Burke ... Adelaide Passmore
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
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Runtime:
73 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Company:
Columbia Pictures Corporation more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The original Broadway production of "Craig's Wife' by George Kelly opened on October 12, 1925 at the Morosco Theater, ran for 360 performances and won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1926. more
Movie Connections:
Remade as Harriet Craig (1950) more

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
13 out of 16 people found the following comment useful.
The institution of marriage takes a big hit, 3 January 2000
7/10
Author: Michael Asimow (asimow@law.ucla.edu) from Los Angeles

Harriet Craig (Rosalind Russell) is a thoroughly hateful character. This is one of those films that gains power from the strength of the villainous antagonist rather than from a relatively weak protagonist.

Harriet is married to the gentle henpecked Walter Craig. Walter never catches on, even though the Craigs have no friends and Walter has become something of a laughing stock in town. Harriet never cared much for Walter, but she sure liked his money which enabled her to have a beautiful home, servants, and a respectable place in the community. Harriet is, therefore, one of those respectable, upwardly mobile prostitutes who uses marriage to barter her good looks for money and position. It's not a pretty picture.

However, Harriet's strategy for maintaining her marriage is deeply flawed. She acts like a manipulative, controlling cold-hearted bitch at all times and ultimately her life implodes.

This film is quite well done and the viewer just can't escape a warm feeling of satisfaction as the malevolent Harriet gets what's coming to her--and more. Although the Harriet character lacks nuance (she's just SO witchy), the story still worked, at least for me. This emotional resonance indicates that the writers, actors, and director Dorothy Arzner did a good job in projecting a wholly believable villain.

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