Waterloo Bridge (1940)

During World War I, believing her fiance to be dead, a young ballerina loses her job and is forced to turn to prostitution.

Director:

Mervyn LeRoy

Writers:

S.N. Behrman (screen play), Hans Rameau (screen play)

Stars:

Vivien Leigh, Robert Taylor, Lucile Watson

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Vivien Leigh	...	Myra
Robert Taylor	...	Roy Cronin
Lucile Watson	...	Lady Margaret Cronin
Virginia Field	...	Kitty
Maria Ouspenskaya	...	Madame Olga Kirowa
C. Aubrey Smith	...	The Duke
Janet Shaw	...	Maureen
Janet Waldo	...	Elsa
Steffi Duna	...	Lydia
Virginia Carroll	...	Sylvia
Leda Nicova	...	Marie
Florence Baker	...	Beatrice
Margery Manning	...	Mary
Frances MacInerney	...	Violet
Eleanor Stewart	...	Grace

Storyline

On the eve of World War II, a British officer revisits Waterloo Bridge and recalls the young man he was at the beginning of World War I and the young ballerina he met just before he left for the front. Myra stayed with him past curfew and is thrown out of the corps de ballet. She survives on the streets of London, falling even lower after she hears her true love has been killed in action. But he wasn't killed. Those terrible years were nothing more than a bad dream is Myra's hope after Roy finds her and takes her to his family's country estate.

---

Plot Keywords:

tragedy | tragic ending | sad ending | downbeat ending | suicide of girlfriend | 

---

Taglines:

"Gone With the Wind's" Tempestuous "Scarlett O'Hara"! Romantic Robert Taylor! Exciting Together!

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

---

Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ethel Griffies played (uncredited) the Landlady in BOTH Waterloo Bridge (1931) & Waterloo Bridge (1940). She was Mrs. Hobley in the earlier version and Mrs. Clark in the later version.

---

Goofs

Robert Taylor speaks with a distinctly American accent although his family is clearly English. He made no attempt at an English accent. No explanation is given such as Cronin having spent time in the U.S e.g. schooling.

---

Quotes

Madame Olga Kirowa: Good evening, Myra. It's very condescending of you to come here at all!
Kitty: She's very unhappy, Madame. Her fiance was called to the front.
Madame Olga Kirowa: I'm not interested in troop movements.
Kitty: She was to be married in the morning.
Madame Olga Kirowa: Nor in social events.
Kitty: Well, the whole world doesn't begin and end with a ballet.
Madame Olga Kirowa: My world does! And while you are with me, so must your's!

---

Alternate Versions

Also shown in computer colorized version.

---

Connections

Referenced in Hollywood Mouth 3 (2018)

---

Soundtracks

Smiles
(1917) (uncredited)
Music by Lee S. Roberts
Lyrics by J. Will Callahan
Played as dance music in the Candlelight Club

User Reviews

Taylor and Leigh at their best...one of the all-time great tear-jerkers!

Robert Taylor's favorite movie is also rumored to be one of Vivien's favorites--although at the time she was sorry that Laurence Olivier had not been cast in it. (She was always seeking him as her screen partner!) But Taylor delivers the goods--great charm, presence and obviously respecting the fine role that he plays. Vivien Leigh is a revelation--here she is fresh from Scarlett O'Hara and able to inhabit another character's skin with ease, back in her oh-so-British mode and looking as young and beautiful as ever. It's a pleasure that two such charismatic stars are still being seen in this--their finest moments on screen in one of the greatest tear-jerkers of the '40s. Special mention should be given to Lucille Watson for the way she plays the restaurant scene with Leigh at their first meeting--the mother-in-law getting the wrong impression from Leigh's reception. All of it is romantic, tender and charming--with an Anna Karenina-like ending after a surprising twist. For fans of Taylor and Leigh, it doesn't get any getter than this.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

17 May 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Waterloo Bridge

Filming Locations:

Bath, Somerset, England, UK

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$31,111

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1