The Sisters (1938)

Three daughters of a small down pharmacist undergo trials and tribulations in their problematic marriages between 1904 and 1908.

Director:

Anatole Litvak

Writers:

Milton Krims (screenplay), Myron Brinig (novel),

Stars:

Errol Flynn, Bette Davis, Anita Louise

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Errol Flynn	...	Frank Medlin
Bette Davis	...	Louise Elliott Medlin
Anita Louise	...	Helen Elliott Johnson
Ian Hunter	...	William Benson
Donald Crisp	...	Tim Hazelton
Beulah Bondi	...	Rose Elliott
Jane Bryan	...	Grace Elliott Knivel
Alan Hale	...	Sam Johnson
Dick Foran	...	Tom Knivel
Henry Travers	...	Ned Elliott
Patric Knowles	...	Norman French
Lee Patrick	...	Flora Gibbon
Laura Hope Crews	...	Flora's Mother
Janet Shaw	...	Stella Johnson
Harry Davenport	...	Doc Moore

Storyline

Sisters Louise Elliott, Helen Elliott and Grace Elliott - the daughters of pharmacist Ned Elliott and his wife Rose Elliott - are considered the most attractive and desirable young women in 1904 Silver Bow, Montana. The eldest Louise is the smart, practical one who is pre-engaged to stuffy Tom Knivel, middle daughter Helen is the one who wants excitement in her life regardless of love, and youngest Grace is the naive one. Louise's practicality is why it is somewhat of a surprise when she immediately falls in love with newspaper sportswriter and aspiring novelist Frank Medlin, marries him and runs off with him to his home base of San Francisco. Long pursuing him, Helen marries wealthy older Sam Johnson, who she doesn't love, but who can provide the exciting lifestyle she wants. And Grace, nursing his broken heart, marries Tom. As each sister endures the problems in her marriage - Louise's whose becomes the most obvious as Frank drowns whatever his problems in life in a bottle of booze,...

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Plot Keywords:

montana | pharmacist | miscarriage | department store | william howard taft | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 October 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

As Irmãs

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the novel on which the film was based, the character of Louise Elliott ends up marrying a different man in the denouement.

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Goofs

At the ball on the night of Theodore Roosevelt's presidential election in 1901, the song "In My Merry Oldsmobile" is played. This song wasn't published until 1905.

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Quotes

Frank Medlin: [Asking the City Editor for a raise] I'm a married man with responsibilities, and all I'm asking you for is enough money to live like a human being.
City Editor: You can't come around here complaining about "hard times" when you smell like a saloon most of the time!
Frank Medlin: Ha! You're a fine one to preach! Why, you've had your nose in a whiskey bottle so long it looks like an old cork!
City Editor: I've had enough out of you, Medlin. You're fired!
Frank Medlin: [Slightly taken aback] Fired?... That's fine. I'll go get myself a decent job, now....

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Connections

Referenced in Elizabeth & Essex: Battle Royale (2005)

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Soundtracks

"In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree"
(uncredited)
Music by Egbert Van Alstyne
Played in the saloon full of sailors

User Reviews

The Elliott Sisters of Broken Bow

Errol Flynn and Bette Davis did the first of two films together in The Sisters and curiously enough it followed landmark films for both of them, The Adventures of Robin Hood for Flynn and Bette's second Academy Award winner, Jezebel.

It was an interesting project for both, but fell somewhat flat at the box office. Still it's not a bad film at all and for Flynn it was an attempt to expand his range as player.

Bette's usual shtick is held firmly in check my director Anatole Litvak. She's one of three daughters of Henry Travers and Beulah Bondi of Broken Bow Montana and the action of the film takes place between Election Day of 1904 and 1908. Shortly after the first election where all three encounter the men they would marry.

For Jane Bryan it's Dick Foran, a proper young man of business who soon becomes president of the bank and they settle down to a nice middle class existence. It's only threatened when Foran falls victim to the town tart briefly, one of many men in the area.

For Anita Louise, she's a naughty flirt who likes romance, but also likes her creature comforts. She marries Alan Hale who's the wealthiest guy in town, who's also a widower looking for a trophy wife. She lucks into the best of both worlds when he dies leaving her well provided for and free to pursue love in comfort.

But the main plot revolves around Bette Davis who marries newspapermen Errol Flynn, a charming, but essentially weak character. He likes to drink and carouse and even impending fatherhood doesn't put a damper on that. He leaves her, purely coincidentally right in the middle of the San Francisco Earthquake.

Some don't like Flynn's performance, but I think he did fine in the role. The problem was that the brothers Warner filmed two different endings and gave into public opinion in the one you see. Flynn, by the way thought they did the wrong thing. Without giving it away, the ending should have resembled one they gave Four Daughters which was also produced by them in 1938.

Despite the fact that Errol and Bette hated each other they got through the film and it's not bad. Look also for good performances from Donald Crisp as Flynn's sportswriter friend and Ian Hunter who gives Bette a job after Flynn leaves her and loves her as well.