Escape to Happiness (1939)
"Intermezzo: A Love Story" (original title)

A concert violinist becomes charmed with his daughter's talented piano teacher. When he invites her to go on tour with him, they make beautiful music away from the concert hall as well. He ... See full summary »

Director:

Gregory Ratoff

Writers:

George O'Neil (screen play), Gösta Stevens (original story),

Stars:

Leslie Howard, Ingrid Bergman, Edna Best

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Leslie Howard	...	Holger
Ingrid Bergman	...	Anita
Edna Best	...	Margit
John Halliday	...	Thomas
Cecil Kellaway	...	Charles
Enid Bennett	...	Greta
Ann E. Todd	...	Ann Marie (as Ann Todd)
Douglas Scott	...	Eric
Eleanor Wesselhoeft	...	Emma
Maria Flynn	...	Marianne (as Marie Flynn)

Storyline

A concert violinist becomes charmed with his daughter's talented piano teacher. When he invites her to go on tour with him, they make beautiful music away from the concert hall as well. He soon leaves his wife so the two can go off together.

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Plot Keywords:

concert | piano | scholarship | violinist | birthday party | 

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Taglines:

"Let the world cry 'shame'...I love him...I'll always love him!"

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Genres:

Romance | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 February 1940 (Argentina)

Also Known As:

Intermezzo

Filming Locations:

Monterey, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Selznick International Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In a published memo, David O. Selznick stated the title "Intermezzo" was not used because he feared the obscurity of the word would confuse audiences.

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Quotes

Charles Moler, The Impressario: [Cutting into Ann Marie's birthday cake] You know what? Not so long ago your daddy and I went to a birthday party in China.
Ann Marie Brandt: In *china*?
Charles Moler, The Impressario: Uh-huh. At a Mandarin's house. His name was
[thinks]
Charles Moler, The Impressario: Chou Ching Chang Chip Chop.
Ann Marie Brandt: Did you have ice cream and cake?
Charles Moler, The Impressario: Oooh, no indeed. We had swallows' nests, umm, roasted silkworms, snake soup and, uh - cricket eggs!
Ann Marie Brandt: Oh! You didn't eat *that*...?
Charles Moler, The Impressario: Oh, we had to take a double helping of everything or the Mandarin would've murdered us.
Ann Marie Brandt: Oh well, Uncle Charles - nobody ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

and introducing Ingrid Bergman

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Connections

Referenced in Hollywood Hist-o-Rama: Leslie Howard (1962)

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Soundtracks

"Rustles Of Spring [Fruhlingsrauschen] Op.32 No.3"
(1896)
Music by Christian Sinding
Hummed by Ingrid Bergman
Played as background music

User Reviews

Unashamedly romantic, carefully wrought weepie

A cultured and unfussy weepie. Strong leads from Leslie Howard and Ingrid Bergman front a strong cast - right down to the excellent Ann Todd as Howard's young daughter.

The story is of a concert violinist who leaves his wife for another woman. Naturally there is quite a bit of music in the film. Great care has been taken to equate the miming with the soundtrack. All the musicians look as if they are really performing, detail typically neglected nowadays. The score itself, despite being the fruit of many hands, is exemplary in its integration with the film: Heinz Provost's titular melody uses the opening phrase of the act 2 love duet of Wagner's Tristan and Isolde, showing the long reach of Wagner's fully-integrated musico-dramatic ideas in romantic American film scores more than 50 years after his death.

The final sequences are slightly out of kilter. However mitigating against this lumpen denouement are some wonderful location shots and two outstandingly executed leave-taking sequences as Bergman literally dissolves into the chiaroscuro of the shot. A thoroughly affecting and well-made film. 7/10