Hold Back the Dawn (1941)

Director:

Mitchell Leisen

Writers:

Ketti Frings (story)
Charles Brackett (written by) ...

Release Date:

26 September 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Stopped in Mexico by U.S. Immigration, Georges Iscovescu hopes to get into the country by marrying a citizen.

Plot Keywords:

Mexico | Love | American | Gigolo | Jealousy

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Oscars.

Cast

Charles Boyer	...	Georges Iscovescu
Olivia de Havilland	...	Emmy Brown
Paulette Goddard	...	Anita Dixon
Victor Francen	...	Van Den Luecken
Walter Abel	...	Inspector Hammock
Curt Bois	...	Bonbois
Rosemary DeCamp	...	Berta Kurz
Eric Feldary	...	Josef Kurz
Nestor Paiva	...	Fred Flores
Eva Puig	...	Lupita
Micheline Cheirel	...	Christine
Madeleine Lebeau	...	Anni
Billy Lee	...	Tony
Mikhail Rasumny	...	Mechanic
Charles Arnt	...	Mr. John MacAdams

Also Known As:

Memo to a Movie Director (USA) (original script title)
The Golden Door (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

116 min | USA:125 min (copyright length)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #7139) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center - 1200 N. State Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Paramount paid $5000 for Ketti Frings' story "Memo to a Movie Producer," before any novel was published. The working title of the movie therefore was "Memo to a Movie Producer," but was changed to "Hold Back the Dawn" when the novel was published before the movie was released.

Quotes:

Inspector Hammock: I'll be the doggonedest dog to end all doggoned dogs! Maybe I'm just dumb.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cinemania (2002)

Soundtrack:

My Boy My Boy

A little-known gem

One of the all-time great tearjerkers, this film satisfies on many levels: it offers a truly involving and emotionally moving story, an abundance of well-drawn and complex characters, an unusual setting, and three excellent stars (Charles Boyer, Olivia de Havilland, and Paulette Goddard). Boyer's character narrates much of the film, describing how he woos and weds sweet schoolteacher de Havilland in order to gain American citizenship, and this device allows us to listen in as his jaded, mercenary persona mellows and purifies under the influence of his innocent bride. Full of wry humor and a colorful supporting cast, this film deserves to be better known.