Madame Curie (1943)

Despite himself, accomplished physicist and avowed bachelor Pierre Curie falls for brilliant student Marie, and together they embark on the discovery of radium.

Directors:

Mervyn LeRoy, Albert Lewin (uncredited)

Writers:

Paul Osborn (screen play), Hans Rameau (screen play) (as Paul H. Rameau)

Stars:

Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Henry Travers

Nominated for 7 Oscars.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Greer Garson	...	Marie Curie
Walter Pidgeon	...	Pierre Curie
Henry Travers	...	Eugene Curie
Albert Bassermann	...	Professor Jean Perot
Robert Walker	...	David Le Gros
C. Aubrey Smith	...	Lord Kelvin
May Whitty	...	Madame Eugene Curie (as Dame May Whitty)
Victor Francen	...	President of University
Elsa Bassermann	...	Madame Perot
Reginald Owen	...	Dr. Becquerel
Van Johnson	...	Reporter
Margaret O'Brien	...	Irene Curie - Age 5
James Hilton	...	Narration Spoken By (voice)

Storyline

Biopic of the famed scientist and the work she did with her husband Pierre in the discovery of radium. Marie was a student at the Sorbonne studying for her Master's degree in physics when they first met. She received permission to use space in Professor Pierre Curie's laboratory. They soon fall in love and are married, working together on trying to isolate a radioactive substance Marie has identified as radium. Years of painstaking research and experimentation led to success and Marie and Pierre Curie shared the Nobel Prize in Physics. Sadly, Pierre was killed crossing the street in the rain when he was run over by a horse and wagon. Marie continued to work and make major contributions to science.

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Plot Keywords:

waterfall | radiation | discovery | younger version of character | sorbonne | 

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Taglines:

MR. and MRS. MINIVER together again

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

February 1944 (USA)

Also Known As:

Curie-Sklodowska

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The third of Greer Garson's run of five consecutive Oscar nominations for Best Actress. She had been nominated for Blossoms in the Dust (1941) and won for Mrs. Miniver (1942). She would be nominated again the next two years for Mrs. Parkington (1944) and The Valley of Decision (1945).

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Goofs

When Marie is sitting comatose in the parlor, and the old professor is giving her a pep-talk to snap her out of her depression, he tells her there are more stars to catch between her fingers. As she sits there motionless, there is a bottle and small pile of pills on the table next to her. Then the professor leaves and she awakens from her trance, she gets out of her chair ... but now the table has fabric laying across it where the bottle of pills once was. The fabric might be a shawl, but then the audience does not see her remove it.

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Quotes

Pierre Curie: No true scientist can have anything to do with women.

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Connections

Referenced in Feud: You Mean All This Time We Could Have Been Friends? (2017)

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Soundtracks

Auprès de ma Blonde
(uncredited)
Traditional French folk song
Whistled by both Robert Walker and Walter Pidgeon

User Reviews

A Fan Is Born--70 Years Later!

I'm the first to admit I knew little about Marie Curie until watching "Madame Curie" on Turner Movie Classics today. I knew she was a renowned French scientist long before women were accepted in such fields.

Madame Curie--as a historical drama--succeeds in telling her incredible and painstaking contributions to science in the discovery of Radium. The story never lulls, not even for one minute. This film succeeds in providing a unique perspective of the sacrifice and dedication great scientists of all generations have put forth for the betterment of all mankind.

Perhaps more surprising to me was how this movie moved me to tears due to the artful portrayal of Madame Curie by Greer Garson. She was truly a great actress and the chemistry she shared with Walter Pidgeon (movie after movie) just does not happen on screen often. I really thought I would be bored to tears. Instead, my tears resulted from a compelling story and equally compelling performances--especially from Ms. Garson.