September Affair (1950)

An industrialist (Joseph Cotton) and a pianist (Joan Fontaine) meet on a trip and fall in love. Through a quirk of fate, they are reported dead in a crash though they weren't on the plane. ... See full summary »

Director:

William Dieterle

Writers:

Fritz Rotter (story), Robert Thoeren (screenplay),

Stars:

Joan Fontaine, Joseph Cotten, Françoise Rosay

Won 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Joan Fontaine	...	Marianne 'Manina' Stuart
Joseph Cotten	...	David Lawrence
Françoise Rosay	...	Maria Salvatini
Jessica Tandy	...	Catherine Lawrence
Robert Arthur	...	David Lawrence Jr
Jimmy Lydon	...	Johnny Wilson
Fortunio Bonanova	...	Grazzi
Grazia Narciso	...	Bianca
Anna Demetrio	...	Rosita
Lou Steele	...	Vittorio Portini
Frank Yaconelli	...	Mr. Peppino

Storyline

An industrialist (Joseph Cotton) and a pianist (Joan Fontaine) meet on a trip and fall in love. Through a quirk of fate, they are reported dead in a crash though they weren't on the plane. This gives them the opportunity to live together free from their previous lives. Unfortunately, this artificial arrangement leads to greater and greater stress. Eventually the situation collapses when they come to pursue their original, individual interests without choosing a common path.

---

Plot Keywords:

pianist | florence italy | second chance | adultery | capri italy | 

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

18 October 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

Det var på Capri

Filming Locations:

Boscolo Hotel Exedra, Piazza della Repubblica, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ann Todd was the first choice for the lead.

---

Connections

Featured in Down Came a Blackbird (1995)

---

Soundtracks

"Piano Concerto No. 2"
(uncredited)
Music by Sergei Rachmaninoff

User Reviews

A fine mature romance, with strings attached...

This is my first viewing so I can't start by saying it's a favorite, but with Joseph Cotten in the romantic lead and Joan Fontaine with all her charm and understanding, you really can't be far wrong to expect the best in a love story.

They meet on a plane flight, he as an untiring industrialist who has placed business and projects before his wife and son, and she as a concert pianist performing in various engagements on tour. An error in flight identity has these two fine people listed on a plane that crashed and they are mistakenly presumed dead. As their budding romance unfolds they both realize it's an opportunity for them to take hold of a new life together. That leads to complications of course, as we can expect.

I marvel at the way Joan (Manina) can reflect in her features so many subtle emotions, it's as if we can hear her unspoken words, the thoughts and agonies of a love that has many hurdles to overcome. That is great acting in my opinion.