Forsaking All Others (1934)

Dill leaves Mary standing at the altar in order to marry his old flame, Connie, instead. Knowing that Mary still has feelings for Dill, Jeff keeps quiet about his own love for her.

Director:

W.S. Van Dyke

Writers:

Joseph L. Mankiewicz (screen play), Frank Cavett (from the play by) (as Frank Morgan Cavett)

Stars:

Robert Montgomery, Joan Crawford, Clark Gable

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robert Montgomery	...	Dillon Todd
Joan Crawford	...	Mary Clay
Clark Gable	...	Jeff Williams
Charles Butterworth	...	Shemp
Billie Burke	...	Aunt Paula
Frances Drake	...	Connie Barnes Todd
Rosalind Russell	...	Eleanor
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hooper Atchley	...	(scenes deleted)
Margaret Bert	...	(scenes deleted)
Edward Brophy	...	(scenes deleted)
Lillian Harmer	...	(scenes deleted)
Forrester Harvey	...	(scenes deleted)
Ted Healy	...	(scenes deleted)

Storyline

Dill leaves Mary standing at the altar in order to marry his old flame, Connie, instead. Knowing that Mary still has feelings for Dill, Jeff keeps quiet about his own love for her.

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Plot Keywords:

man spanks woman | screwball comedy | spanking | horse | adirondack mountains | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 December 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ein Herz ist zu verschenken

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original play opened in New York City, New York, USA on 1 March 1933 and had 110 performance. Tallulah Bankhead played Mary Clay and the cast included Ilka Chase, Barbara O'Neil, Cora Witherspoon, Fred Keating, Anderson Lawler, Harlan Briggs and George Lessey.

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Goofs

When Dill and Mary are driving in the Rolls Royce, the camera pans up from the grill and the "Spirit of Ecstacy" hood ornament is not there. However, moments later when the camera view changes to the car interior, you can clearly see the ornament through the windshield.

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Quotes

Mary Clay: Hey, Paula. What goes on at bachelor dinners?
Aunt Paula: As I understand it, very little, goes on.
Mary Clay: I get it.

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Crazy Credits

In the opening credits the three stars of the film, Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, and Robert Montgomery are seen walking hand in hand.

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Connections

Featured in Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood (2008)

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Soundtracks

Row Row Row Your Boat
(uncredited)
Traditional
Sung a cappella at various times by Robert Montgomery, Joan Crawford and Charles Butterworth

User Reviews

love quadrangle

Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, and Robert Montgomery are childhood friends who are in not only a love triangle but a love quadrangle in "Forsaking All Others," from 1934.

Crawford is Mary Clay, who is about to be married to Dill (Montgomery). Gable is Jeff Williams, who returns from Spain with the intention of proposing to Mary. When he walks in, there's a party going on celebrating the upcoming wedding. Jeff puts on a brave face as Dill and Mary are two of his closest friends. Dill, however, has some old business, and that's his ex-girlfriend Connie (Frances Drake). Turns out Connie's business isn't as old as Mary and Dill thought because, as Mary prepares to walk down the aisle, Jeff gets a telegram saying that Connie and Dill are married.

This is an entertaining comedy, with the three stars in top form. Montgomery is a riot, and Gable - what can I say. I always liked him, but let's face it, at this point in the 1930s the man was irresistible! That smile! That dimple! And that dynamite screen presence - he's wonderful. And he injects the film with warmth. Though comedy was never Crawford's forte, she actually plays this straight and is very good.

Billie Burke costars and Rosalind Russell has a small role. Good fun.