Portrait of Jennie (1948)

A mysterious girl inspires a struggling artist.

Director:

William Dieterle

Writers:

Robert Nathan (novel), Leonardo Bercovici (adaptation),

Stars:

Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, Ethel Barrymore

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jennifer Jones	...	Jennie Appleton
Joseph Cotten	...	Eben Adams
Ethel Barrymore	...	Miss Spinney
Lillian Gish	...	Mother Mary of Mercy
Cecil Kellaway	...	Matthews
David Wayne	...	Gus O'Toole
Albert Sharpe	...	Moore (as Albert Sharp)
Henry Hull	...	Eke
Florence Bates	...	Mrs. Jekes (landlady)
Felix Bressart	...	Pete
Clem Bevans	...	Capt. Cobb
Maude Simmons	...	Clara Morgan

Storyline

Eben Adams is a struggling artist in Depression era New York who has never been able to find inspiration for a painting. One day, after he finally finds someone to buy a painting from him, a young girl named Jennie Appleton appears and strikes up an unusual friendship with Eben.

---

Plot Keywords:

artist | manhattan new york city | supernatural power | spiral staircase | ghost | 

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance | Fantasy | Mystery

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 April 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tidal Wave

Filming Locations:

RKO-Pathé Studios - 9336 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,041,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Vanguard Films, Selznick International Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo (special stereo mix in final storm scene) Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White (green and sepia tints for final reel, excluding last shot) Color (Technicolor) (final shot)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Producer David O. Selznick initially considered filming this movie over a period of several years, casting a young actress in the role of Jennie and shooting portions of the film over time as the actress actually grew older in real life. (Shirley Temple, then under contract to Selznick, was reportedly intended for the role, had the movie been filmed that way.) In the end, however, Selznick abandoned the idea as too risky and difficult to film properly.

---

Goofs

As Eben clings to Jennie on the rocks at the Land's End lighthouse, they speak to one another, but their lips either aren't moving or aren't in sync with what they're saying.

---

Quotes

Jennie Appleton: [singing] Where I come from nobody knows and where I am going everything goes. The wind blows, the sea flows, nobody knows. And where I am going, nobody knows.

---

Crazy Credits

No credits at all are shown at the beginning except for the studio logo, not even the title of the film. Instead, we hear a narrator speaking the prologue, and then announcing, "And now, 'Portrait of Jennie'". The credits are saved for the end of the picture.

---

Connections

Version of Boy Meets Girl: Portrait of Jennie (1969)

---

Soundtracks

"Arabesque No. 1 in E"
Music by Claude Debussy
Heard as background music and during closing credits

User Reviews

What a man will do for love.

William Dieterle directs a wonderful romantic fantasy evocative of the lonesome and lovesick . Kudos to the special effects staff and Dimitri Tiomkin for the haunting soundtrack. A down-on-his-luck artist(Joseph Cotten)gets inspiration from an otherworldly girl(Jennifer Jones).A little picture becomes bigger and memorable because of its ensemble cast. Near perfection are Ethel Barrymore, David Wayne and Cotten and the beautiful Jones. Also in the cast are Cecil Kellaway and Lillian Gish. Unusual and memorable is a scene near the finale filmed in a green tint and the climax in full color. Pretty cool for a black and white movie. Thanks to PBS for airing this almost forgotten film.