The Moon and Sixpence (1942)

Loosely inspired from Gauguin's life, the story of Charles Strickland, a middle-aged stockbrocker who abandons his middle-classed life, his family, his duties to start painting, what he has... See full summary »

Director:

Albert Lewin

Writers:

W. Somerset Maugham (novel), Albert Lewin

Stars:

George Sanders, Herbert Marshall, Doris Dudley

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
George Sanders	...	Charles Strickland
Herbert Marshall	...	Geoffrey Wolfe
Doris Dudley	...	Blanche Stroeve
Eric Blore	...	Capt. Nichols
Albert Bassermann	...	Dr. Coutras
Florence Bates	...	Tiare Johnson
Steven Geray	...	Dirk Stroeve (as Steve Geray)
Elena Verdugo	...	Ata

Storyline

Loosely inspired from Gauguin's life, the story of Charles Strickland, a middle-aged stockbrocker who abandons his middle-classed life, his family, his duties to start painting, what he has always wanted to do. He is from now on a awful human being, wholly devoted to his ideal: beauty.

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Plot Keywords:

painting | tahiti | devotion | love | reference to gauguin | 

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Taglines:

Strange DREAMS - He had ideas he never told her about...He didn't dare!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 October 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

W. Somerset Maugham's The Moon and Sixpence

Box Office

Budget:

$401,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

David L. Loew-Albert Lewin

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White (gold tint) (reels 6-10) Black and White (Sepiatone) (reels 1-5) Color (Technicolor) (some sequences) (last reel)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The rights to this film were originally bought by RKO in 1932 as a vehicle for John Barrymore.

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Connections

Version of BBC Play of the Month: The Moon and Sixpence (1967)

User Reviews

Based on Somerset Maugham's novel

George Sanders stars in "The Moon and Sixpence," a 1942 film also starring Herbert Marshall, Doris Dudley, Eric Blore, Steven Geray, and Albert Basserman. Loosely based on the life of Gauguin, the screenplay by Albert Lewin is based on the book by Somerset Maugham.

As in the later "The Razor's Edge," Maugham, here also played by Herbert Marshall, serves as narrator for most of the film. Sanders is the unpleasant, self-involved Charles Strickland, a stock broker who deserts his family and leaves London to go to Paris and become a painter. There he meets Dirk Stroeve (Geray), who becomes a friend. When Strickland becomes ill, Stroeve over the strong objections of his wife Blanche (Dudley) moves Strickland to their home to nurse him back to health. Stroeve then gets the impression that his wife is in love with Srrickland, and that Strickland has no intention of leaving. So he throws him out. His wife says that she's leaving with him. Stroeve leaves instead.

Strickland eventually tires of Blanche and then leaves for Tahiti. There he continues to paint and even falls in love with a native girl, Ata (Elena Verdugo). There Dr. Coutras (Bassermann) picks up the narration.

As the unapologetic user obsessed with his work, George Sanders is excellent. Like many in the studio system, he was typecast into playing one type of role, but he was capable of so much more. Another revelation in this film is Eric Blore, who was always typecast as a butler. Here he is a different kind of character and is absolutely wonderful. Herbert Marshall does not register much in what is basically a thankless role - he had more to do in The Razor's Edge.

Good movie. If this and Lust for Life are any indication, Gauguin, even if this character just hints at him, was a most unpleasant character.