An American Romance (1944)

Stefan Dangos immigrates to America and works his way up from the iron mines and steel mills to become a great American success story as an industrialist.

Director:

King Vidor

Writers:

King Vidor (story), Herbert Dalmas (screenplay)

Stars:

Brian Donlevy, Ann Richards, Walter Abel

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Brian Donlevy	...	Stefan Dubechek aka Steve Dangos
Ann Richards	...	Anna O'Rourke Dangos
Walter Abel	...	Howard Clinton
John Qualen	...	Anton Dubechek
Stephen McNally	...	Teddy Roosevelt Dangos / Narrator (as Horace McNally)
Mary McLeod	...	Katina 'Tina' Dangos
Bob Lowell	...	George Washington Dangos

Storyline

Stefan Dangos immigrates to America and works his way up from the iron mines and steel mills to become a great American success story as an industrialist.

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Plot Keywords:

bare chested male | hairy chest | steel | steel mill | iron mine | 

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Taglines:

Love, Thrills, Adventure!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 April 1945 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

America

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

151 min (copyright length) 121 min (re-edited)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The two B-17s shown taxiing out and flying (they shot the takeoff from different angles to make it look like more planes) were serial numbers 42-107229 and 42-107230. Both went into combat: 42-107229 with the 447th Bomb Group, lost August 25, 1944 (ditched and sank, the crew was rescued); 42-107230 with the 100th Bomb Group, damaged on mission to Mainz, France, salvaged December 5, 1944.

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Goofs

As Steve Dangos closes his front door (after arriving home from the board meeting), a hand and lower arm can also be seen closing the door from the outside.

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Alternate Versions

Original version premiered at 151 minutes; later cut to 122 minutes.

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Soundtracks

Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride)
(1850) (uncredited)
from "Lohengrin"
Music by Richard Wagner
Played in the score at the wedding

User Reviews

An unapologetic "immigrant boy makes good" story,

I saw this movie as a kid of 10 in Port Arthur, Texas, which had four theaters in a four block area. I don't remember all the details, but it was definitely a feel-good film. The protagonist was an Eastern European immigrant whose name was long and hard to pronounce, so he was re-christened Steve Dangos. Steve first got a job iron ore in an "op'm pit". Being bright and ambitious, he later became an automobile manufacturer and, if the movie is to be believed, was the first to build an enclosed sedan. He was proud to be an American (this was at a point in World War II when the outcome was expected but not guaranteed) and he named his sons after Washington and Theodore Roosevelt. He had his share of sorrow when one of the sons was killed in World War I. This was not one of the all-time film classics, but it must have made a great impression on me for the basic plot to have stayed with me for all these 62 years.