The Private Life of Don Juan (1934)

Director:

Alexander Korda

Writers:

Henry Bataille (play)
Frederick Lonsdale (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

30 November 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

What do women want? Don Juan is aging. He's arrived secretly in Seville after a 20 year absence. His wife Dolores...

Plot Keywords:

Jail | Sword Fight | Playwright | Spain | Servant

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Douglas Fairbanks	...	Don Juan
Merle Oberon	...	Antonita, a Dancer of Passionate Temperament
Bruce Winston	...	Cafe Manager
Gina Malo	...	Pepita, Another Dancer of Equal Temperament
Benita Hume	...	Dona Dolores, a Lady of Mystery
Binnie Barnes	...	Rosita, a Maid Pure and Simple
Melville Cooper	...	Leporello
Owen Nares	...	Antonio Martinez, an Actor as Actors Go
Heather Thatcher	...	Anna Dora, an Actress as Actresses Go
Diana Napier	...	A Lady of Sentiment
Joan Gardner	...	Carmen, a Young Lady of Romance
Gibson Gowland	...	Don Alfredo, Carmen's Poor Husband
Barry MacKay	...	Rodrigo, the Impostor, a Man of Romance (as Barry Mackay)
Claud Allister	...	The Duke, as Dukes Go (as Claude Allister)
Athene Seyler	...	Theresa, the Innkeeper, a Middle Aged Lady of Young Sentiment
Hindle Edgar	...	Don Alfredo, A Jealous Husband
Natalie Paley	...	Jealous Husband's Poor Wife
Patricia Hilliard	...	The Girl at the Castle, a Young Girl in Love
Lawrence Grossmith	...	Pedo, Uncle of the Castle Girl, Who Knows Better
Clifford Heatherley	...	Pedro, Don Juan's Young Masseur
Morland Graham	...	Hector, Don Juan's Cook
Edmund Breon	...	Cardona, the Playwright, as Playwrights Go
Betty Hamilton	...	First Tired Businessman's Wife
Rosita Garcia	...	Second Tired Businessman's Wife
John Brownlee	...	Singer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Flora Robson	...	Undetermined Role (scenes deleted)
Veronica Brady	...	Mistress (uncredited)
Annie Esmond	...	Dolores' Duenna (uncredited)
William Heughan	...	Statue (uncredited)
Miki Hood	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Nancy Jones	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Toto Koopman	...	Actress (uncredited)
Elsa Lanchester	...	Maid (uncredited)
Natalie Lelong	...	Second Wife (uncredited)
Mitchelson-Hill	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Hay Petrie	...	Golden Pheasant Manager (uncredited)
Robert Rietty	...	Boy (uncredited)
Margaretta Scott	...	Pepilla (uncredited)
Abraham Sofaer	...	Street Bookseller (uncredited)
Spencer Trevor	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Edmund Willard	...	Prisoner (uncredited)
Florence Wood	...	Cook at the Inn (uncredited)

Directed by
Alexander Korda

Writing credits
Henry Bataille		(play "L'Homme à la Rose")
Frederick Lonsdale		(story) and
Lajos Biró		(story) (as Lajos Biro)
Frederick Lonsdale		(dialogue) and
Lajos Biró		(dialogue) (as Lajos Biro)

Produced by
Alexander Korda	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Ernst Toch		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Georges Périnal		(as Georges Perinal)
Robert LaPresle		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Stephen Harrison

Set Decoration by
Vincent Korda		(settings)

Costume Design by
Oliver Messel

Production Management
David B. Cunynghame	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Geoffrey Boothby	....	assistant director (as G. Boothby)

Art Department
Francis Hallam	....	architect (as F. Hallam)

Sound Department
A.W. Watkins	....	sound director

Special Effects by
Ned Mann	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Osmond Borradaile	....	camera operator (as Osmond Borrodaile)
Robert Krasker	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Harold Young	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	musical director

Other crew
Marqués De Portago	....	technical director (as Marques de Portago)

Production Companies

• London Film Productions

Distributors

• United Artists Corporation (1934) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1934) (USA) (theatrical)
• Film Classics (1947) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Embassy Home Entertainment (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Samuel Goldwyn Home Entertainment (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Eclipse from the Criterion Collection (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Grapevine Video (video)
• Western Television Inc. (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• B.J. Simmons & Co  costumers

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

London Film Productions

Trivia:

The play originally opened in Paris, France on 5 December 1920. An English adaptation, "Don Juan", by Lawrence Langner, opened in New York on 5 September 1921.

Quotes:

Don Juan: Marriage is like a beleaguered city. Those that are out want to get in; those that are in want to get out.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Shepperton Babylon (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

La Paloma

Fairbanks Goes Out in Style

Legendary lover Douglas Fairbanks (as Don Juan) feels the fatigue of advancing years; so, the ageing lady-killer takes advantage of a misunderstanding, and fakes his own death. After a rest, Mr. Fairbanks tries to return to his amorous ways; but, nobody believes he's the real Don Juan. Through it all, Fairbanks fans both new (Merle Oberon as Antonita) and old (Benita Hume as Dona Dolores) flames.

A look at the credits of "The Private Life of Henry VIII" (1933) will reveal what filmmaker Alexander Korda had in mind -- obviously, with "Don Juan", he hoped to duplicate the success of the earlier "Henry VIII". Unfortunately, this similarly staged "Private Life" found itself coming up short, and is significantly more lowly regarded. Indeed, it is a flat film. Moreover, the supporting cast is introduced in a confusing manner; it's difficult to keep track of who's who.

In his last film role, Fairbanks is terrific as an ageing "Don Juan". Interestingly, he succeeds in eliciting the feeling he memorably portrayed "Don Juan" sometime during his 1920s box office reign. Not so, the famed womanizer was played, in fact, by John Barrymore; and, in spirit, by Rudolph Valentino. Still, Fairbanks makes the role personal; undoubtedly, his status as an fading film superstar helped.

Fairbanks' best scene occurs about a half hour in, when he is informed of his character's "death" via the sword of Gibson Gowland (as Don Alfredo). Fairbanks pretends to be his character's mourning steward; then, he offers some interesting, likely personal, observations on fame. This is followed by a nice funeral sequence, revealing much about the famed lady-killer's escapades. Barry Mackay's deftly inept portrayal as a wannabe Juan is worth noting; his "inability" to leap effectively contracts Fairbanks' ageing gracefulness.