Magnificent Doll (1946)

Director:

Frank Borzage

Writers:

Irving Stone (screenplay)
Irving Stone (story)

Release Date:

November 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Plot:

Ginger Rogers is the daughter of boardinghouse owners in Washington, DC who falls in love with Aaron Burr and James Madison.

Plot Keywords:

James Madison | First Lady | Thomas Jefferson | President | Love Triangle

Cast

Ginger Rogers	...	Dolly Payne Madison
David Niven	...	Aaron Burr
Burgess Meredith	...	James Madison
Peggy Wood	...	Mrs. Payne
Stephen McNally	...	John Todd (as Horace McNally)
Robert Barrat	...	Mr. Payne (as Robert H. Barrat)
Grandon Rhodes	...	Thomas Jefferson
Frances E. Williams	...	Amy
Henri Letondal	...	Count D'Arignon
Joseph Forte	...	Senator Ainsworth (as Joe Forte)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #12024)

Company:

Hallmark Productions

Trivia:

Of all the post-Fred Astaire movies of Ginger Rogers to this point, her historical drama was the least successful both financially and critically. According to the June 23, 1947 edition of "Time" magazine the picture had "trouble getting into some first-run theaters." Moreover, film reviewers largely felt that Ginger was miscast in the roll of Dolly Payne Madison.

Taking love over politics.

It's considered polite to consider Borzage's post -war movies mediocre,which is completely unfair.Although they cannot match the director's 1927-1940 brilliant production (who can anyway?),some of them are acceptable,and some even highly commendable:such is the case of " I've always loved you" (1946) or "moonrise" (1948)."The Spanish main" (1945) although hailed by some as a pirates classic ,fails to excite ,perhaps because it is an impersonal movie.

"Magnificent doll" blends love stories with political subjects .David Niven ,cast against type ,plays the part of the villain,a politician who won't be satisfied till he owns everything .Ginger Rogers is good,but her character is a bit unbelievable.

In fact,at least to my eyes,only the first part is Borzagesque: Dolly's first husband is the good man we meet in many of his movies,the one ready to give it all ,to sacrifice everything,even his own happiness if the woman he loves is happy ;that was the story of the heroes/heroines of "street angel" "lucky star" "green light" "big city" ....