Beloved Enemy

19361936
ApprovedApproved
1h 30m

In 1921, Irish rebels launch an uprising with the aim of creating an Irish republic, independent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. One of the rebellion's leaders and a beau... Read allIn 1921, Irish rebels launch an uprising with the aim of creating an Irish republic, independent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. One of the rebellion's leaders and a beautiful aristocratic Englishwoman meet and - despite the enormous class, cultural, political... Read allIn 1921, Irish rebels launch an uprising with the aim of creating an Irish republic, independent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. One of the rebellion's leaders and a beautiful aristocratic Englishwoman meet and - despite the enormous class, cultural, political and social differences between them - fall in love.

6.4/10

333

Director
- H.C. Potter
Writers
- John L. Balderston(screen play)
- Rose Franken(screen play)
- William Brown Meloney(screen play)
Stars

Top credits

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

David Niven and Merle Oberon in Beloved Enemy (1936)

David Niven, Brian Aherne, and Merle Oberon in Beloved Enemy (1936)

Brian Aherne and Merle Oberon in Beloved Enemy (1936)

David Niven, Brian Aherne, Jerome Cowan, Donald Crisp, Karen Morley, Merle Oberon, and Henry Stephenson in Beloved Enemy (1936)

In 1921, Irish rebels launch an uprising with the aim of creating an Irish republic, independent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. One of the rebellion's leaders and a beautiful aristocratic Englishwoman meet and - despite the enormous class, cultural, political and social differences between them - fall in love. —frankfob2@yahoo.com

betrayal rebellion uprising pub freedom fighter struggle 42 more

Taglines
- He's a Bloody Killer!
Genres
Certificate
- Approved
Parents guide
- Add content advisory

Trivia
Retired film star Eve Southern loaned Samuel Goldwyn a rare Rolls Royce for this film.

Goofs
Despite the fact that the film takes place in the 1916-1922 era, all of Merle Oberon's clothing and hairstyles are strictly in the contemporary 1936 fashion.

Crazy credits
Opening credits prologue: DUBLIN, 1921

A time of Ireland's bitter struggle for freedom from English rule. . . . .

A time of night raids and ambushes, of guerilla warfare against Britisah military occupation. . . . .

A time of horror and heroism, with men of both sides dying bravely for what they believed was right.

This story is not taken from the pages of history. Rather, it is legend inspired by fact and all characters are fictional.

Soundtracks
The Sixpence
(uncredited)
Traditional

Top review

4/10

intelligently handled for what it is

In the "love-against-the-backdrop-of" genre, BELOVED ENEMY occupies a rather high position because of the intelligence with which an extremely unlikely romantic relationship is handled. Merle Oberon, the daughter of a British bigwig (Henry Stephenson), falls in love with an Irish rebel leader (Brian Aherne). But not only does her love for him not turn her against her own people, she even rats on him to the British military, only to be hugely relieved when he escapes from their ambush. Then she has the gall to visit him and admit her betrayal! This is truly a case of love conquers all. On one level this film is a plea for peace from a woman's point of view. Movies with pleas for peace were not uncommon in the mid- to-late Thirties. Needless to say, this production is a pure Hollywood gloss on the realities of the 1921 Irish Civil War, but at least the opening credits admit clearly that the story is "legend based on fact" with fictitious characters. When the going gets a bit heavy, we have those stunning physical specimens of Oberon and Aherne (their surnames even sound like poetry together) to feast our eyes upon. In close-up profile they both look exquisite. Oberon was a fine actress, much underrated. She had her limitations, but here, as in many other films, not only turned in a creditable and convincing performance but was a pleasure to watch as she did so. Aherne, as finely carved a block of wood that ever took human form, never quite comes to life. He is somehow not all there.

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