Dragonwyck (1946)

Director:

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Writers:

Anya Seton (novel)
Joseph L. Mankiewicz (written for the screen by)

Release Date:

10 April 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller | Mystery | Romance

Tagline:

DANGEROUSLY She dared to LOVE! (original ad - all caps)

Plot:

A simple Connecticuit farm girl is recruited by a distant relative, an aristocratic patroon, to be governess to his young daughter in his Hudson Valley mansion.

Plot Keywords:

Farmer | Farm | Mansion | Servant | Companion

Cast

Gene Tierney	...	Miranda Wells
Walter Huston	...	Ephraim Wells
Vincent Price	...	Nicholas Van Ryn
Glenn Langan	...	Dr. Jeff Turner
Anne Revere	...	Abigail Wells
Spring Byington	...	Magda
Connie Marshall	...	Katrine Van Ryn
Harry Morgan	...	Klaas Bleecker (as Henry Morgan)
Vivienne Osborne	...	Johanna Van Ryn
Jessica Tandy	...	Peggy O'Malley
Trudy Marshall	...	Elizabeth Van Borden
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gertrude Astor	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Arthur Aylesworth	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Shelby Bacon	...	Boy Dancer (uncredited)
Robert Baldwin	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Walter Baldwin	...	Tom Wilson - Farmer (uncredited)
Trevor Bardette	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Bill Carter	...	Man (uncredited)
Ruth Cherrington	...	Dowager (uncredited)
John Chollot	...	French Count (uncredited)
Clancy Cooper	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Jamie Dana	...	Seth Wells (uncredited)
Edwin Davis	...	Boy Dancer (uncredited)
Wally Dean	...	Servant (uncredited)
Scott Elliott	...	Tom Wells (uncredited)
Nestor Eristoff	...	Man (uncredited)
Tom Fadden	...	Otto Gebhardt - Farmer (uncredited)
Betty Fairfax	...	Mrs. McNab (uncredited)
George Ford	...	Man (uncredited)
Ruth Ford	...	Cornelia Van Borden (uncredited)
Michael Garrison	...	Zack Wilson (uncredited)
Henry Hebert	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Robert 'Buzz' Henry	...	Messenger Boy (uncredited)
Keith Hitchcock	...	Mr. McNabb (uncredited)
Harry Humphrey	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Boyd Irwin	...	Tompkins the Butler (uncredited)
Ted Jordan	...	Man (uncredited)
Virginia Lee	...	Helena Vanderhyde (uncredited)
Pierce Lyden	...	Murdered Man (uncredited)
Robert Malcolm	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Thomas Martin	...	Servant (uncredited)
Walter Marx	...	Boy (uncredited)
Jane Nigh	...	Tabitha Wells (uncredited)
Steve Olsen	...	Vendor on Boat (uncredited)
Francis Pierlot	...	Dr. Brown (uncredited)
Addison Richards	...	Head Farmer (uncredited)
Mickey Roth	...	Nathaniel Wells (uncredited)
Alexander Sascha	...	Man (uncredited)
Reinhold Schünzel	...	Count De Grenier (uncredited)
Larry Steers	...	Servant (uncredited)
Grady Sutton	...	Astor House Clerk (uncredited)
Art Thompson	...	Servant (uncredited)
David Vallard	...	Obadiah (uncredited)
Nanette Vallon	...	French Countess (uncredited)
Maya Van Horn	...	Countess De Grenier (uncredited)
Charles Waldron	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Elizabeth Williams	...	Dowager (uncredited)
Al Winters	...	Servant (uncredited)
Douglas Wood	...	Mayor Curtis (uncredited)

Directed by
Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Writing credits
Anya Seton		(novel)
Joseph L. Mankiewicz		(written for the screen by)

Produced by
Ernst Lubitsch	....	producer (uncredited)
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Alfred Newman

Cinematography by
Arthur C. Miller		(director of photography) (as Arthur Miller)

Film Editing by
Dorothy Spencer

Art Direction by
J. Russell Spencer		(as Russell Spencer)
Lyle R. Wheeler		(as Lyle Wheeler)

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little

Costume Design by
René Hubert		(as Rene Hubert)

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
F.E. 'Johnny' Johnston	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Paul S. Fox	....	associate set decorator
Larry Haddock	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
W.D. Flick	....	sound
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)

Special Effects by
Fred Sersen	....	special photographic effects
Sol Halperin	....	transparency projection shots (uncredited)
Ralph Hammeras	....	miniatures (uncredited)
J.O. Taylor	....	transparency projection shots (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Lockwood	....	second camera operator (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Lyman Hallowell	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestral arranger
Charles Althouse	....	music mixer (uncredited)
Paul Neal	....	music mixer (uncredited)
Murray Spivack	....	music mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Arthur Appell	....	dances stager (as Arthur Appel)
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	presenter
Katherine Lambert	....	research assistant (uncredited)
Arthur Pierson	....	dialogue director (uncredited)
Frances C. Richardson	....	research director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox of Germany (1952) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1946) (USA) (theatrical) (as 20th Century Fox) (released through Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Media Cooperation One (MC-One) (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Silver Screen Archive (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved | West Germany:16 | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Gregory Peck was the first choice to play Nicholas Van Ryn, but he bowed out when he learned Ernst Lubitsch was dropping out as director. When second choice Laird Cregar died, Price was assigned.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Miranda and Van Ryn dance through the doorway from the balcony into the ballroom, she holds her closed fan in her hand. When the shot changes after they enter the room, the fan dangles from her wrist.

Quotes:

Abigail Wells:[talking about Miranda] Sometimes when a woman's unhappy, she just can't talk about it, Ephraim.
Ephraim Wells:Are you gonna tell me it's a man? What man I'd like to know? She's given frostbite to every mother's son in the country.
Abigail Wells:Perhaps the right man hasn't come along.
Ephraim Wells:No, she won't find find him with her nose in the air, wanting what she can't get! A woman oughta get a man first and then want him!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962)

Soundtrack:

I Dreamt I Dwelt In Marble Halls

Excellent early Price in a brilliantly Gothic mood piece

With shades of Hitchcock's Rebecca, Dragonwyck is a lushly Gothic melodrama; abound with themes of social class; centring on the struggle between the rich and the poor in nineteenth century America. The most striking thing about Dragonwyck is the beauty of the piece. The sets are brilliantly Gothic, while director Joseph L. Mankiewicz keeps the atmosphere thick and foreboding, which in turn ensures that the film succeeds in capturing the best of it's locations. The film reunites the two strongest cast members from Otto Preminger's masterpiece 'Laura' - Gene Tierney and the master of the macabre, Vincent Price. These two are both great thespians, but it is Vincent Price that shines the most. Many people pass this great man off as merely a camp horror movie actor, but with his performance here; along with the vast majority of his later ones - Price proves that he is far more than that. His voice and mannerisms make up a lot of his performances, but it's the subtleties that he hints at beyond his immediate performance that really make him great. Just like he did with The Fall of the House of Usher; Price plays one thing, while all the time hinting at a darker side to his character.

The plot follows a young farm girl (Tierney) who goes to stay with her mother's cousin, Nicholas Van Ryan (Price), in his castle upon his request. It isn't long after her arrival that she hears strange things from the servants, and it's not long after that she realises all isn't quite right with Dragonwyck. The plot is rather thinly spread, but the film always manages to stay interesting because of the fact that it doesn't let you know anything until you really need to know. Things are hinted at throughout the film, but the audience never really knows anything for sure. Even by the time the film reaches it's climax, there are several things that have been left open. Vincent Price's performance here stands out from the rest of his oeuvre because he manages to be charming at the same time as being dark and brooding. After having seen the likes of The Abominable Dr Phibes, it's hard to imagine the man being charming; but here it's hard to imagine why Gene Tierney wouldn't fall for him. Dragonwyck has a few problems, but on the whole this is a quality forties melodrama and comes with high recommendations, especially to the Vincent Price fan.