To Each His Own (1946)

An unwed mother, forced to give up her child to avoid scandal, follows her son's life from afar even as she prospers in business.

Director:

Mitchell Leisen

Writers:

Charles Brackett (screenplay), Jacques Théry (screenplay),

Stars:

Olivia de Havilland, Mary Anderson, Roland Culver

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Olivia de Havilland	...	Miss Josephine 'Jody' Norris (as Olivia De Havilland)
Mary Anderson	...	Corinne Piersen
Roland Culver	...	Lord Desham
Phillip Terry	...	Alex Piersen
Bill Goodwin	...	Mac Tilton
Virginia Welles	...	Liz Lorimer
Victoria Horne	...	Nurse Daisy Gingras
Griff Barnett	...	Daniel Norris
Alma Macrorie	...	Belle Ingram
Billy Ward	...	Gregory - Younger (as Bill Ward)
Frank Faylen	...	Babe
Willard Robertson	...	Dr. Hunt
Arthur Loft	...	Bernadock Clinton
Virginia Farmer	...	Mrs. Cora Clinton
Doris Lloyd	...	Miss Pringle

Storyline

During World War I, small-town girl Josephine Norris has an illegitimate son by an itinerant pilot. After a scheme to adopt him ends up giving him to another family, she devotes her life to loving him from afar.

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Plot Keywords:

adopted son | small town | pilot | unwed mother | cosmetics | 

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Taglines:

A Great Picture! You'll Thrill to Every Moment!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 March 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mutterherz

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ginger Rogers wrote that Leland Hayward first offered her the role of Josephine Norris. Rogers read the script and asked herself if she wanted to play the mother of a twenty-year-old man who is preparing to go off to war. She turned down the role and later regretted it when Olivia de Havilland won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Rogers also turned down The Snake Pit, which Olivia also accepted and was nominated for another Oscar. Rogers wrote: "It seemed Olivia knew a good thing when she saw it. Perhaps Olivia should thank me for such poor judgment".

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Quotes

Gregory: Holy Canarsie!

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Connections

Remade as Aradhana (1969)

User Reviews

A fine drama of devotion and a mother's love

What a gentle, tender story! This is a Romance 'par excellence' handled with maturity, insight, and simply told in flashbacks which take us back to earlier years, into the realities of life for a young woman who loses her true love during wartime (WW1) then finds herself unmarried and bringing a child into the world whom she must give up afterwards due to a twist in circumstances. It's a truly wonderful role for Olivia de Havilland, as Jodie Norris, and I can't think of anyone else who could play it so convincingly.

Roland Culver, in his supporting role as Lord Desham, provides a substantial backup for the elderly 'Jodie' who meets him rather abrasively during WW2 days but later relates to him the personal tragedy in her youth. He has the presence of mind and determination to see that old wrongs are set aright -- all of which leads to one of the most beautiful endings to a film anyone could wish for.

It's a film that poignantly reflects the war years when so many lives were uprooted, hopes dashed, yet carried on with courage. I wish they made more films like this one, it's a gem.