Madame Bovary (1949)

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Robert Ardrey (screenplay)
Gustave Flaubert (novel)

Release Date:

23 January 1950 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

All she wanted was everything.

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | Trial | Author | Adulteress | Debt

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

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
Frederic Tozere	...	Pinard
Paul Cavanagh	...	Marquis D'Andervilliers
Larry Simms	...	Justin
Dawn Kinney	...	Berthe
Vernon Steele	...	Priest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ed Agresti	...	Man (uncredited)
John Ardizoni	...	Lagandy (uncredited)
Florence Auer	...	Mme. Petree (uncredited)
Charles Bancroft	...	Man (uncredited)
Paul Bryar	...	Bailiff (uncredited)
Jeanine Caruso	...	Berthe Bovary, at 15 Months (uncredited)
David Cavendish	...	Man (uncredited)
Andre Charisse	...	Young Man (uncredited)
Fred Cordova	...	Guest (uncredited)
Gino Corrado	...	Village Official at Agricultural Show (uncredited)
George Davis	...	Innkeeper (uncredited)
Charles De Ravenne	...	Pimply-Faced Youth (uncredited)
Dickie Derrel	...	Urchin (uncredited)
Edith Evanson	...	Mother Superior (uncredited)
Jack George	...	Opera Conductor (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes	...	Guest (uncredited)
Teddy Infuhr	...	Nosey Boy at Rouault's Home (uncredited)
Karl Johnson	...	Drunken Guest (uncredited)
Edward Keane	...	Presiding Judge (uncredited)
Victor Kilian	...	Speaker at Agricultural Show (uncredited)
Harold Krueger	...	Harelip Youth (uncredited)
Ann Kunde	...	Guest (uncredited)
Gracille LaVinder	...	Woman (uncredited)
Bert LeBaron	...	Young Man (uncredited)
Eula Morgan	...	Woman (uncredited)
Mayo Newhall	...	Man (uncredited)
Manuel París	...	Servant (uncredited)
Lon Poff	...	Guest (uncredited)
Constance Purdy	...	Mme. Foulard (uncredited)
Phil Schumacher	...	Guest (uncredited)
Helen St. Rayner	...	Opera Singer (uncredited)
Jack Stoney	...	Guest (uncredited)
Helen Thurston	...	Guest (uncredited)
Sailor Vincent	...	Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Vincente Minnelli

Writing credits
Robert Ardrey		(screenplay)
Gustave Flaubert		(novel)

Produced by
Pandro S. Berman	....	producer

Original Music by
Miklós Rózsa		(as Miklos Rozsa)

Cinematography by
Robert H. Planck		(director of photography) (as Robert Planck)

Film Editing by
Ferris Webster

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons
Jack Martin Smith

Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis

Makeup Department
Jack Dawn	....	makeup designer
Larry Germain	....	hair stylist: Miss Jones
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Al Shenberg	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alfred Raboch	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Richard Pefferle	....	associate set decorator (as Richard A. Pefferle)

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording supervisor
Standish J. Lambert	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Warren Newcombe	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Tom Long	....	grip (uncredited)
S.C. Manatt	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Harkness Smith	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Walter Plunkett	....	costumes: women
Valles	....	costumes: men
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Eugene Zador	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Jack Donohue	....	choreographer
David O. Selznick	....	appear by arrangement with: Miss Jones, Mr. Jourdan and Mr. Kent
Jack Aldworth	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Loew's

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1949) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1950) (France) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1950) (UK) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1983) (USA) (VHS)
• Central Motion Picture Exchange (1950) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

114 min | Argentina:130 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | Australia:PG | West Germany:16 | Canada:14A (video rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #13686) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Loew's

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.

Quotes:

Gustave Flaubert:Could it have been otherwise? She had wept no doubt in the early morning hours. Was Emma the first bride to weep while the bridegroom slept? Or the last? Tristan, Lancelot, love in a Scotch cottage, love in a Swiss chalet...

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Private Screenings: Liza Minnelli" (2010)

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.