The Sisters (1938)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Anatole Litvak

Writers:

Milton Krims (screenplay)
Myron Brinig (novel)

Release Date:

14 October 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Three sisters attend a celebration of the inauguration of Teddy Roosevelt. Each will marry a man in attendance...

Plot Keywords:

Montana | Earthquake | Miscarriage | William Howard Taft | Department Store

Cast

Errol Flynn	...	Frank Medlin
Bette Davis	...	Louise Elliott Medlin
Anita Louise	...	Helen Elliott Johnson
Ian Hunter	...	William Benson
Donald Crisp	...	Tim Hazelton
Beulah Bondi	...	Rose Elliott
Jane Bryan	...	Grace Elliott Knivel
Alan Hale	...	Sam Johnson
Dick Foran	...	Tom Knivel
Henry Travers	...	Ned Elliott
Patric Knowles	...	Norman French
Lee Patrick	...	Flora Gibbon
Laura Hope Crews	...	Flora's Mother
Janet Shaw	...	Stella Johnson
Harry Davenport	...	Doc Moore

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #4407)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

In the novel on which the film was based, the character of Louise Elliott ends up marrying a different man in the denouement.

Quotes:

Ned Elliott: Unhappiness ain't so bad. It makes happiness all the keener.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in All About Bette (1994) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Happy Birthday to You

The Elliott Sisters of Broken Bow

Errol Flynn and Bette Davis did the first of two films together in The Sisters and curiously enough it followed landmark films for both of them, The Adventures of Robin Hood for Flynn and Bette's second Academy Award winner, Jezebel.

It was an interesting project for both, but fell somewhat flat at the box office. Still it's not a bad film at all and for Flynn it was an attempt to expand his range as player.

Bette's usual shtick is held firmly in check my director Anatole Litvak. She's one of three daughters of Henry Travers and Beulah Bondi of Broken Bow Montana and the action of the film takes place between Election Day of 1904 and 1908. Shortly after the first election where all three encounter the men they would marry.

For Jane Bryan it's Dick Foran, a proper young man of business who soon becomes president of the bank and they settle down to a nice middle class existence. It's only threatened when Foran falls victim to the town tart briefly, one of many men in the area.

For Anita Louise, she's a naughty flirt who likes romance, but also likes her creature comforts. She marries Alan Hale who's the wealthiest guy in town, who's also a widower looking for a trophy wife. She lucks into the best of both worlds when he dies leaving her well provided for and free to pursue love in comfort.

But the main plot revolves around Bette Davis who marries newspapermen Errol Flynn, a charming, but essentially weak character. He likes to drink and carouse and even impending fatherhood doesn't put a damper on that. He leaves her, purely coincidentally right in the middle of the San Francisco Earthquake.

Some don't like Flynn's performance, but I think he did fine in the role. The problem was that the brothers Warner filmed two different endings and gave into public opinion in the one you see. Flynn, by the way thought they did the wrong thing. Without giving it away, the ending should have resembled one they gave Four Daughters which was also produced by them in 1938.

Despite the fact that Errol and Bette hated each other they got through the film and it's not bad. Look also for good performances from Donald Crisp as Flynn's sportswriter friend and Ian Hunter who gives Bette a job after Flynn leaves her and loves her as well.