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The Pursuit of Happiness

  • 1934
  • Passed
  • 1h 15m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
67
YOUR RATING
Joan Bennett, Walter Kingsford, Francis Lederer, and Charles Ruggles in The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)
ComedyRomance

Lederer is a Hessian soldier who defects to the Americans during the Revolutionary War.He falls in love with a Yankee girl, but a thuggish local militiaman jealously makes things hard for hi... Read allLederer is a Hessian soldier who defects to the Americans during the Revolutionary War.He falls in love with a Yankee girl, but a thuggish local militiaman jealously makes things hard for him while he's a prisoner of war.Lederer is a Hessian soldier who defects to the Americans during the Revolutionary War.He falls in love with a Yankee girl, but a thuggish local militiaman jealously makes things hard for him while he's a prisoner of war.

  • Director
    • Alexander Hall
  • Writers
    • Stephen Morehouse Avery
    • J.P. McEvoy
    • Virginia Van Upp
  • Stars
    • Francis Lederer
    • Joan Bennett
    • Charles Ruggles
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.9/10
    67
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Alexander Hall
    • Writers
      • Stephen Morehouse Avery
      • J.P. McEvoy
      • Virginia Van Upp
    • Stars
      • Francis Lederer
      • Joan Bennett
      • Charles Ruggles
    • 5User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos15

    The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)
    The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)
    The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)
    Joan Bennett in The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)
    Joan Bennett and Francis Lederer in The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)
    Joan Bennett, Mary Boland, Francis Lederer, and Charles Ruggles in The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)
    Joan Bennett and Francis Lederer in The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)
    Joan Bennett and Francis Lederer in The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)
    Joan Bennett and Francis Lederer in The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)
    Joan Bennett in The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)
    Joan Bennett and Francis Lederer in The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)
    Joan Bennett and Francis Lederer in The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Francis Lederer
    Francis Lederer
    • Max Christmann
    Joan Bennett
    Joan Bennett
    • Prudence Kirkland
    Charles Ruggles
    Charles Ruggles
    • Aaron Kirkland
    Mary Boland
    Mary Boland
    • Comfort Kirkland
    Walter Kingsford
    Walter Kingsford
    • Rev. Lyman Banks
    Minor Watson
    Minor Watson
    • Col. Sherwood
    Adrian Morris
    • Thad Jennings
    Barbara Barondess
    Barbara Barondess
    • Meg Mallory
    Duke York
    Duke York
    • Jonathan
    Burr Caruth
    • Rev. Myles
    Jules Cowles
    Jules Cowles
    • The Drunk
    Irving Bacon
    Irving Bacon
    • Bijah
    Spencer Charters
    Spencer Charters
    • Sam Evans
    Holmes Herbert
    Holmes Herbert
    • Gen. Sir Henry Clinton
    Ricca Allen
    Ricca Allen
    • Little Boy's Mother
    • (uncredited)
    Georgie Billings
    • Little Boy
    • (uncredited)
    Tommy Bupp
    Tommy Bupp
    • Little Boy
    • (uncredited)
    Shirley Coates
    • Little Girl
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Alexander Hall
    • Writers
      • Stephen Morehouse Avery
      • J.P. McEvoy
      • Virginia Van Upp
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      A nitrate print of this film survives in the UCLA Film and Television Archives.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Wind at My Back: A Formal Affair (2000)

    User reviews5

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    American Tradition
    It starts out like a war picture. Hessian soldiers are conscripted to fight in America beside the British. Francis Lederer is a college student who can speak English and becomes a translator, before deserting to join the American side once here.

    Upon meeting Joan Bennett he is smitten and the picture abruptly becomes a light comedy. It is clearly a vehicle for Lederer who had just become Paramount's newest star. He is in nearly every scene, cheerful, appealing and smiling relentlessly.

    We find out about Bundling, a colonial courting custom allowing couples to sit in bed to converse, read to one another, etc., and with a 9 inch wooden board between them to ward off any impure spirits. It's a very entertaining story and was adapted from the Broadway stage to the big screen.

    See it if you can, it's surprisingly good. I saw it at Capitolfest, Rome, NY. 8/14/21.

    *******7/10 - Website no longer prints my star rating.
    helpful•1
    0
    • GManfred
    • Aug 21, 2021

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 28, 1934 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Den kärleken - Den kärleken
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 15 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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    Joan Bennett, Walter Kingsford, Francis Lederer, and Charles Ruggles in The Pursuit of Happiness (1934)
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