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,...

---

Plot Keywords:

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

---

Genres:

Drama

---

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

Several people are in studio records/casting call lists as cast members, but they did not appear or were not identifiable in the movie. These were (with their character names, if any): Edwin Brian (Newsboy), Rosella Towne, Susan Hayward, Paulette Evans and Frances Morris (Telephone Operators), John Harron, Lew Harvey, Richard Bond and Mira McKinney. The 4 telephone operators were possibly among a group seen only from the rear and are not recognizable.

---

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.

---

Quotes

Frank Medlin: [Anxious to know Tim's opinion of his novel in progress] Well, are you through?
Tim Hazelton: Yes.
Frank Medlin: Pretty bad, ay?
Tim Hazelton: Well, I'm no literary critic.
Frank Medlin: [laughs derisively] You don't have to be. All you've got to be is be able to smell.

---

Connections

Referenced in All About Bette (1994)

---

Soundtracks

"In My Merry Oldsmobile"
(1905) (uncredited)
Music by Gus Edwards
Played at the election night ball

User Reviews

Highly forgettable as drama...a nice change for Flynn and Davis...

Despite the authentic period detail and a very well-staged, realistic earthquake scene that takes place late in this story of early San Francisco (but fails to wake up the sluggish plot), the tale itself is a weak one that gives neither BETTE DAVIS nor ERROL FLYNN very much chance to emote as their fans would like them to. Davis plays a loyal wife while Flynn is the family man who can't settle down. Both are professionally competent here, but seem to be fully aware of the script limitations imposed on their bland characters.

Nevertheless, it's nice to see a more restrained Davis playing a nice, normal woman for a change--but one would expect a few more sparks from their relationship than we get here. Their separation, after he goes off on a binge that takes him away for a four year period while he tries to find himself--and their ultimate reunion--is about all the plot has to offer in the quest for tracing the family history of three daughters who each experience their share of problems in choosing hasty marriages. Beulah Bondi and Henry Travers are their worried parents.

Bette and Errol have both given better performances in more detailed roles--and were fine a year later in their flashier costume roles as Elizabeth and Essex. This seems to be merely an attempt to work up some box-office interest in two of the studio's top stars while at the same time taking Flynn away from his swashbuckling roles. Then too, this might have been Jack Warner's promotional idea of working up audience interest in the two stars before presenting them in the lavish ELIZ. AND ESSEX the following year.

Unfortunately, all of the supporting roles are on the bland side except for Alan Hale, Sr. as a wealthy Irishman who marries Anita Louise, a lovely young thing who wants the security his wealth can provide. A plain looking Jane Bryan is totally wasted as the youngest sister who marries Dick Foran, both terminally bland in their respective roles. Donald Crisp is convincing as Flynn's loyal friend.

But whatever real interest the film has, it owes to the performances of Bette Davis and Errol Flynn who are able to give even this kind of weak material some substance and strength. Ian Hunter as Davis' understanding boss handles his meager assignment with customary charm and skill.

Negative note: Director Anatole Litvak should have toned down Lee Patrick's performance as an inquisitive chatterbox neighbor. Nice to see Laura Hope Crews (Aunt Pittypat from GWTW) as her fluttery mother.

Summing up: Whatever energy was put into this production, the end results are meager, even for Davis and Flynn fans.