Quality Street (1937)

In the 1810s, an old maid poses as her own niece in order to teach her onetime beau a lesson.

Director:

George Stevens

Writers:

J.M. Barrie (by) (as Sir James M. Barrie), Allan Scott (screen play)

Stars:

Katharine Hepburn, Franchot Tone, Eric Blore

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Katharine Hepburn	...	Phoebe Throssel
Franchot Tone	...	Dr. Valentine Brown
Eric Blore	...	Recruiting Sergeant
Fay Bainter	...	Susan Throssel
Cora Witherspoon	...	Patty
Estelle Winwood	...	Mary Willoughby

Storyline

It's 1805 England, specifically on Quality Street, where a gentleman passerby is an event, not only for the lady being called upon, but also for the ever watching nosy female neighbors. Based on recent events, twenty year old Phoebe Throssel believes that a proposal of marriage from Dr. Valentine Brown is imminent. However, what Dr. Brown has come to tell Phoebe is that he has enlisted in the army to fight in the Napoleonic Wars, with no mention of any romantic feeling for her from his side. Fast forward ten years. Phoebe and her similarly older spinster sister Susan now run a school. The years and situation have not been kind to Phoebe, now thirty, drab and thus considered an unmarriable spinster. Upon Captain Brown's arrival back to Quality Street, he, by his immediate reaction to seeing Phoebe, too has noticed how Phoebe has changed from what he previously knew as a pretty young thing. Heartbroken, Phoebe, if only for herself, decides to regain some of her youth by paying attention...

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Plot Keywords:

spinster | school | maid | niece | old maid | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 March 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Rua da Vaidade

Filming Locations:

Malibu Lake, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original Broadway play starred legendary actress Maude Adams. It opened at the Knickerbocker Theatre in New York on November 11, 1901 and ran for 64 performances.

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Quotes

Dr. Valentine Brown: You look so... so tired.

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Crazy Credits

Opening card:

1805 England Quality Street Where a gentleman passerby is an event.

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Connections

Version of Quality Street (1927)

User Reviews

A delightful play literally put to the screen!

I appreciated this as a delightful play literally put to the screen. It was a bit of a mix of Jane Austen's Emma and perhaps Elizabeth Gaskell's Cranford with a touch of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Of course, as written by James Barrie it had its own twist on British society as set in the early 1800's on Quality Street where every woman on it knows everyone's business.

This is more of an endorsement and less of a plot review, though. I rarely love Katharine Hepburn. I appreciate her as a fine actress, and it was nice to see her acting feminine without fighting for feminism. She was sweet and restrained with just the right amount of tears, smiles, and feminine wiles. This is not something we see much of or at all after this film. This is definite a 1930's version of a chick flick.

The supporting cast shines all the way. I adore Franchot Tone and love seeing him in the lead. The women on Quality were written and acted so well but with the satiric and comic flare to make this a fun little romp. I particularly noticed they got the costuming right with the Empire waist gowns and not the hoop skirts used in 1940's delightful but totally inaccurate as to wardrobe in Pride and Prejudice.

Just as the above authors' work still holds up today, so does this delightful little film.