Anthony Adverse (1936)

In 18th-century Italy, an orphan's debt to the man who raised him threatens to separate him forever from the woman he loves.

Directors:

Mervyn LeRoy, Michael Curtiz (uncredited)

Writers:

Hervey Allen (by), Sheridan Gibney (screen play)

Stars:

Fredric March, Olivia de Havilland, Donald Woods

Won 4 Oscars. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Fredric March	...	Anthony Adverse
Olivia de Havilland	...	Angela Guisseppi
Donald Woods	...	Vincent Nolte
Anita Louise	...	Maria
Edmund Gwenn	...	John Bonnyfeather
Claude Rains	...	Don Luis
Louis Hayward	...	Denis Moore
Gale Sondergaard	...	Faith
Steffi Duna	...	Neleta
Akim Tamiroff	...	Carlo Cibo
Ralph Morgan	...	Signore Debruille
Fritz Leiber	...	Ouvrard
Luis Alberni	...	Tony Guisseppi
Billy Mauch	...	Anthony Adverse at Ten
Henry O'Neill	...	Father Xavier

Storyline

In late 18th century Italy, a beautiful young woman finds herself married to a rich but cruel older man. However, she is in love with another, younger man. When the husband finds out, he kills the lover in a swordfight, and takes his wife on a long trip throughout Europe. Months later, she dies giving birth to a son. The husband leaves the child at a convent, where he is raised until the age of 10; then he is apprenticed to a local merchant, who gives him the name "Anthony Adverse" because of the adversity in his life. But his adversity has only begun, as fate takes him to Cuba, Africa, and Paris.

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Plot Keywords:

manipulative female | homosexual subtext | search for identity | femme fatale | catholic priest | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

29 August 1936 (USA)

Also Known As:

Adversidade

Filming Locations:

Stage 14, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,050,500 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

141 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold won an Oscar, though as was the custom at the time it was awarded to the music department and collected by its head, Leo F. Forbstein. However Korngold's other Oscar, for 'The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)', was awarded to Korngold.

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Goofs

I noticed an omission. There wasn't a 'goof' section. During the duel between Don Luis (Claude Rains) and Denis Moore (Louis Hayward) the sword wielded by Moore was "unbated", i.e., his fencing foil was blunted with a protective guard on the tip. As Osric, would say when Don Luis thrusts home, "a hit, a hit, a most palpable hit..."

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Quotes

[first lines]
Marquis Don Luis: I dare say you wish you'd never left Versailles. You had a very pleasant time at court with those gallant young officers. With one in particular, I recall.

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Connections

Referenced in The Making of a Great Motion Picture (1936)

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Soundtracks

The Duchess of Ferrara
(uncredited)
Written by Aldo Franchetti (as Franchetti)
Sung by Diana Gaylen (uncredited) in Paris opera

User Reviews

Adventure and Romance in the 1930s' Hollywood Tradition!

Fredric March stars as the title character, an orphan boy discarded due to his illegitimacy, who overcomes much adversity throughout his life. He is raised in a convent and adopted by a wealthy merchant, Edmund Gwenn, at the age of ten. He learns the business, but is shipped to Havana around the time of the French Revolution. Before he departs, it is learned that he has married the daughter of a servant, Olivia DeHavilland. He is thought lost at sea by all, but is actually in Africa running a slave trade, with his heart blackening the whole time. From there, the tale takes many twists as Anthony must find goodness in his heart again, and DeHavilland may be the key. The drama is a bit heavy-handed and some overacting is present. Claude Rains and Gale Sondergaard make great antagonists, and Sondergaard won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance.