Cavalcade (1933)

The triumphs and tragedies of two English families, the upper-crust Marryots and the working-class Bridges, from 1899 to 1933 are portrayed.

Director:

Frank Lloyd

Writers:

Reginald Berkeley (screen play), Sonya Levien (continuity)

Stars:

Diana Wynyard, Clive Brook, Una O'Connor

Won 3 Oscars. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Diana Wynyard	...	Jane Marryot
Clive Brook	...	Robert Marryot
Una O'Connor	...	Ellen Bridges
Herbert Mundin	...	Alfred Bridges
Beryl Mercer	...	Cook
Irene Browne	...	Margaret Harris
Tempe Pigott	...	Mrs. Snapper
Merle Tottenham	...	Annie
Frank Lawton	...	Joe Marryot
Ursula Jeans	...	Fanny Bridges
Margaret Lindsay	...	Edith Harris
John Warburton	...	Edward Marryot
Billy Bevan	...	George Grainger
Desmond Roberts	...	Ronnie James
Dickie Henderson	...	Master Edward (as Dick Henderson Jr.)

Storyline

A cavalcade of English life from New Year's Eve 1899 until 1933 seen through the eyes of well-to-do Londoners Jane and Robert Marryot. Amongst events touching their family are the Boer War, the death of Queen Victoria, the sinking of the Titanic and the Great War.

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Plot Keywords:

mother daughter relationship | dysfunctional marriage | manipulative mother | manipulative wife | homosexual subtext | 

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Taglines:

MAGNITUDE never before attempted TITANIC in its sweep APPEALING to every emotion to which the human heart is susceptible. (Print Ad- Plattsburg Daily Republican,((Plattsburg, NY)) 8 June 1933)

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 April 1933 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cabalgata

Filming Locations:

Fox Movietone City, Westwood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,180,280 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$7,630,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$17,440,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Features Diana Wynyard's only Oscar nominated performance.

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Goofs

The Titanic's port of registry was Liverpool, not Southampton.

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Quotes

Jane Marryot: There should never be any good reason for neglecting someone that you love.

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Alternate Versions

The Fox Movie Channel (FMC) broadcasts the British version of the film, which had fewer onscreen credits than the American version. (The last title card reads "Distributed by Fox Film Co. Ltd., 13 Berners St. London, W.") Omitted in the British version were credits for the assistant director, dialogue director, film editor and costumes. In addition, it specified that the film was based on Charles B. Cochran's Drury Lane production. The IMDb credits are based on the American version, as listed in the AFI Catalogue of Feature Films, 1931 - 1940, which they determined from the records of Twentieth Century-Fox legal department. The soundtrack may also have been different in these two versions. Performance data in the IMDb soundtrack listing, however, was compiled from the viewed British version.

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Connections

Version of The 20th Century-Fox Hour: Cavalcade (1955)

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Soundtracks

A Bird in a Gilded Cage
(1900) (uncredited)
Music by Harry von Tilzer
Played on a hurdy gurdy

User Reviews

This Blessed Isle

I suppose you don't have to be an Anglophile to like Cavalcade, but it certainly helps.

The film it seems to be most like to me is Giant. Just as the Edna Ferber based film is some 25 years of the second quarter of the last century as seen through the eyes of the Texas Benedict family, Cavalcade is a British social history through the Marryots, Robert and Jane played by Clive Brook and Diana Wynyard. Though the Benedicts have their problems, they don't go through near the tragedies that the Marryots do.

Cavalcade was presented on the London stage a few years earlier and it never made it to Broadway unlike most of Noel Coward's works. It was an expensive production with revolving kaleidoscope like sets that probably made American producers on Broadway shy away from it.

A lot of standard English Music Hall numbers were used instead of Coward writing an original score. He did contribute one number however, 20th Century Blues which was a whole commentary unto itself of the roaring twenties.

Although at that point in time our history in the USA certainly does connect with the United Kingdom's during World War I for the most part Cavalcade deals strictly with British subject matter. I'm afraid unless one is a fan of Noel Coward or is familiar with 20th Century British history, it's hard for today's audience to appreciate Cavalcade.

Cavalcade however was the Best Picture of 1933 and Frank Lloyd won for Best Director. He'd win another Oscar for Best Director on another, but far different British subject in Mutiny on the Bounty. Diana Wynyard was nominated for Best Actress, but lost to Katherine Hepburn for Morning Glory.

Two other good performances are Una O'Connor and Herbert Mundin as Mrs. and Mr. Bridges. They are the downstairs in service couple to the upstairs Marryots. Both play far different parts than what we normally see of them. Most film fans remember Herbert Mundin as the meek mess man from Mutiny on the Bounty and Much the Miller from The Adventures of Robin Hood where he's paired with Una O'Connor. He's quite different here.

Cavalcade is good, but terribly dated. Still it should be seen and evaluated as a commentary of how the British saw themselves at the beginning of the Great Depression.