Madame Bovary (1949)

A provincial doctor's wife's romantic illusions about life and social status lead her to betray her naive husband, take on lovers and run up ruinous debts.

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Robert Ardrey (screenplay), Gustave Flaubert (novel)

Stars:

Jennifer Jones, James Mason, Van Heflin

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jennifer Jones	...	Emma Bovary
James Mason	...	Gustave Flaubert
Van Heflin	...	Charles Bovary
Louis Jourdan	...	Rodolphe Boulanger
Alf Kjellin	...	Leon Dupuis (as Christopher Kent)
Gene Lockhart	...	J. Homais
Frank Allenby	...	Lhereux
Gladys Cooper	...	Mme. Dupuis
John Abbott	...	Mayor Tuvache
Harry Morgan	...	Hyppolite (as Henry Morgan)
George Zucco	...	Dubocage
Ellen Corby	...	Felicite
Eduard Franz	...	Roualt
Henri Letondal	...	Guillaumin
Esther Somers	...	Mme. Lefrancois

Storyline

French author Gustave Flaubert is on trial for writing the "indecent" novel "Madame Bovary." To prove that he wrote a moral tale, Flaubert narrates the story of beautiful Emma Bovary, an adulteress who destroyed the lives of everyone she came in contact with.

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Plot Keywords:

doctor | trial | author | adulteress | debt | 

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Taglines:

Whatever it is that French women have ... Madame Bovary had more of it!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 January 1950 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Madame Bovary und ihre Liebhaber

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Loew's

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Breen Office opposed the movie, saying that it had too many controversies and innuendo; everything from the makeup to the kissing scenes had be washed down a bit to pass the censors.

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Quotes

Emma Bovary: Is it a crime to want things to be beautiful?

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Connections

Version of Maya (1993)

User Reviews

must see for all women

I thought this movie was great and should be seen by all women and girls. I think it had a great message of how greed and envy can consume a person. I think that a lot of women suffer from this kind of wander lust. Jennifer Jones' Madame Bovary reminds me of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind. Both women wanting what they can't have and not appreciating the men who truly love them or their beautiful little girls. This movie also teaches the evils of over extending oneself on credit! Van Heflins portrayal of Dr. Bovary is a little weak but then so was the character, so maybe he didn't do so bad. I loved the costumes in Madame Bovary. Call me an old fashioned girl but I just loved this movie and the old fashioned message.