Enchantment (1948)

Uncle Rollo finally retires to the house he was brought up in. Lost in thoughts of his lost love, Lark, he does not want to be disturbed in his last days. However, the appearance of his ... See full summary »

Director:

Irving Reis

Writers:

John Patrick (screenplay), Rumer Godden (from a novel by)

Stars:

David Niven, Teresa Wright, Evelyn Keyes

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Niven	...	General Sir Roland Dane
Teresa Wright	...	Lark Ingoldsby
Evelyn Keyes	...	Grizel Dane
Farley Granger	...	Pilot Officer Pax Masterson
Jayne Meadows	...	Selina Dane
Leo G. Carroll	...	Proutie
Philip Friend	...	Pelham Dane
Shepperd Strudwick	...	Marchese Del Laudi
Henry Stephenson	...	General Fitzgerald
Colin Keith-Johnston	...	The Eye
Gigi Perreau	...	Lark as a Child
Peter Miles	...	Rollo as a Child
Sherlee Collier	...	Selina as a Child
Warwick Gregson	...	Pelham as a Child
Marjorie Rhodes	...	Mrs. Sampson

Storyline

Uncle Rollo finally retires to the house he was brought up in. Lost in thoughts of his lost love, Lark, he does not want to be disturbed in his last days. However, the appearance of his niece and the subsequent romance between her and Lark's nephew causes him to reevaluate his life and offer some advice so the young couple don't make the same mistake he did, all those years ago.

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Plot Keywords:

melodrama | younger version of character | metempsychosis | love | house | 

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Taglines:

Just About the Most Wonderful Love Story Ever Filmed!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Fugue in Time

Filming Locations:

Samuel Goldwyn Studios - 7200 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Samuel Goldwyn Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Rollo was the surname of Nivens first wife who tragically died after a fall at their home in California two years previously.

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Quotes

Pilot Officer Pax Masterson: I used to play hide and seek in these rooms.
Grizel Dane: How interesting since you never set foot here before.
Pilot Officer Pax Masterson: Imaginary hide and seek. When I was little my aunt taught me where every room was. She wanted to know this house as she remembered it, she grew up here.
Grizel Dane: Was your aunt by any chance called Lark?
Pilot Officer Pax Masterson: Yes, Lark Ingoldsby. I was brought up by her. She made me promise to visit this house if I ever got to London.
Grizel Dane: You begin to make sense.

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Soundtracks

Pretty Polly Oliver
(uncredited)
Traditional English folk song
Sung by Teresa Wright

User Reviews

Bitter Sweet and Charming

I saw this movie while home sick from school many years ago and found it to be magical and sweet. The writer (Rumer Godden, who also penned 'Black Narcissus') created a wonderful weave of time and characters -- 'Enchantment' is based on her novel, 'Take Three Tenses: A Fugue in Time,' which tells one a bit more about how she intended the story to work.

Not a top-flight movie by any means, just a wonderful watch. Looking at other reviews I suppose one warning would be that it might be experienced as being too sentimental -- and, perhaps therefore, too transparent. But if the intended magic works for you I think you will enjoy the film immensely.