In the mid-1800s, cute Dickie Moore (as "Gogo") and pretty Virginia Weidler (as "Mimsey") - both around eight years old, according to the script - argue about what to do with a pile of wood. He wants to make a wagon, and she wants to build a dollhouse. The wagon wins. Despite their tender age, the youngsters are "desperately in love." When Master Moore's ailing mother dies, he is taken away from the Parisian suburb, to live in England. He vows to return for his little sweetheart, someday...
In the film's first real problem, Moore grows up to become Gary Cooper (re-named Peter Ibbetson). An architect, Mr. Cooper goes back to the old Paris home, where he is contracted to rebuild stables for his childhood friend, now played by Ann Harding (as Mary). When Ms. Harding appears, you immediately know she's the grown-up version of Ms. Weidler, but Cooper doesn't. Understandably, Harding doesn't recognize Cooper as Moore - the two look nothing alike.
They are still in love, but... alas, Harding is married...
This romantic fantasy began as a Gothic-tinged novel by George du Maurier, grandfather of Daphne (best known in cinema as the author of Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca" and "The Birds"). A hit Broadway "Peter Ibbetson" (1917) starred John Barrymore, and led to a silent success for popular Wallace Reid and Elsie Ferguson, re-titled "Forever" (1921). In a more perfect world, George Fitzmaurice might have updated his production for Laurence Olivier and Greta Garbo. Still, much here is excellent.
This version's musical score, by Ernst Toch, won an "Academy Award" nomination; and, the combination of work evidenced by director Henry Hathaway and cinematographer Charles Lang is unquestionably award-worthy. The film is extraordinarily beautiful, using the Paramount production team to great effect. Cooper succeeds by building intensity (filling Mr. Reid's shoes, if not Mr. Barrymore's), and Harding is at her personal best. If only love was this eternal
******* Peter Ibbetson (10/31/35) Henry Hathaway ~ Gary Cooper, Ann Harding, John Halliday, Dickie Moore
In the film's first real problem, Moore grows up to become Gary Cooper (re-named Peter Ibbetson). An architect, Mr. Cooper goes back to the old Paris home, where he is contracted to rebuild stables for his childhood friend, now played by Ann Harding (as Mary). When Ms. Harding appears, you immediately know she's the grown-up version of Ms. Weidler, but Cooper doesn't. Understandably, Harding doesn't recognize Cooper as Moore - the two look nothing alike.
They are still in love, but... alas, Harding is married...
This romantic fantasy began as a Gothic-tinged novel by George du Maurier, grandfather of Daphne (best known in cinema as the author of Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca" and "The Birds"). A hit Broadway "Peter Ibbetson" (1917) starred John Barrymore, and led to a silent success for popular Wallace Reid and Elsie Ferguson, re-titled "Forever" (1921). In a more perfect world, George Fitzmaurice might have updated his production for Laurence Olivier and Greta Garbo. Still, much here is excellent.
This version's musical score, by Ernst Toch, won an "Academy Award" nomination; and, the combination of work evidenced by director Henry Hathaway and cinematographer Charles Lang is unquestionably award-worthy. The film is extraordinarily beautiful, using the Paramount production team to great effect. Cooper succeeds by building intensity (filling Mr. Reid's shoes, if not Mr. Barrymore's), and Harding is at her personal best. If only love was this eternal
******* Peter Ibbetson (10/31/35) Henry Hathaway ~ Gary Cooper, Ann Harding, John Halliday, Dickie Moore