In This Our Life (1942)

The day before her wedding, a pampered young woman absconds with her sister's husband; in retaliation, her sister begins seeing the woman's former fiancé.

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

Howard Koch (screenplay), Ellen Glasgow (novel)

Stars:

Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, George Brent

3 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bette Davis	...	Stanley Timberlake
Olivia de Havilland	...	Roy Timberlake
George Brent	...	Craig Fleming
Dennis Morgan	...	Peter Kingsmill
Charles Coburn	...	William Fitzroy
Frank Craven	...	Asa Timberlake
Billie Burke	...	Lavinia Timberlake
Hattie McDaniel	...	Minerva Clay
Lee Patrick	...	Betty Wilmoth
Mary Servoss	...	Charlotte Fitzroy
Ernest Anderson	...	Parry Clay
William B. Davidson	...	Jim Purdy
Edward Fielding	...	Dr. Buchanan
John Hamilton	...	Police Inspector Millett
William Forrest	...	Forest Ranger

Storyline

A young woman, Stanley Timberlake, dumps her fiance, Craig Fleming, and runs off with her sister Roy's husband, Peter Kingsmill. They marry, settle in Baltimore, and Stanley ultimately drives Peter to drink and suicide. Stanley returns home to Richmond only to learn that her sister Roy and old flame Craig have fallen in love and plan to marry. The jealous and selfish Stanley attempts to win back Craig's affections, but her true character is revealed when, rather than take the rap herself, she attempts to pin a hit and run accident on the young black clerk, Parry Clay, who works in Craig's law office.

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Plot Keywords:

sister | hit and run | virginia | f rated | suicide | 

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Taglines:

A sensational novel throbs to life! The cast is one of Warner Bros. best - the picture is one of Warner Bros. biggest!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 May 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

In This Our Life

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Both Bette Davis' and Olivia de Havilland's characters have masculine given names--"Stanley" and "Roy," respectively. The film never hints that there is anything unusual about their names, nor does it offer any explanation.

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Quotes

Roy Timberlake: Parks are for the very rich or the very poor.

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Alternate Versions

Also available in a computer colorized version.

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Connections

References The Maltese Falcon (1941)

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Soundtracks

Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride)
(1850) (uncredited)
from "Lohengrin"
Written by Richard Wagner
In the score when Stanley and Peter leave the Justice of the Peace

User Reviews

Excellent combination of Huston, Davis and DeHavilland

Fortunately, I stumbled upon this film airing early one morning on TCM. Bette Davis is quite wonderful, and contrary to what some posters have stated, she actually underplays what could have been an hilarious, scenery-chewing role. DeHavilland is, likewise, outstanding as the initially timid individual, who must cope with the devastating actions of her selfish sister.

Supporting performances are directed well by Houston, with young Ernest Anderson standing out as the wrongly accused black man. It is disappointing that the remainder of his career consisted mainly of parts such as waiters, doormen, porters, etc.

Max Steiner's score is a bit overpowering at times, but he was at the top of his game in the early 40s. The Warner back lot works effectively as Virginia, and the absence of fake/forced Southern accents actually lends credibility to the performances.

As others have stated, I will now seek out the original source material, especially after having learned of its honors. I am curious as to the source of a previous claim that the film was a critical and financial bomb on release.