The Little Foxes (1941)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

William Wyler

Writers:

Lillian Hellman (play)
Lillian Hellman (screenplay)

Release Date:

21 August 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

...the film version of the stage hit, as the ruthless beauty whose ambition spelt the doom of three men

Plot:

The ruthless, moneyed Hubbard clan lives in, and poisons, their part of the deep South at the turn of the 20th century.

Plot Keywords:

Death Of Husband | Matriarch | Servant | Bond | Alcoholic Mother

Awards:

Nominated for 9 Oscars.

Cast

Bette Davis	...	Regina Giddens
Herbert Marshall	...	Horace Giddens
Teresa Wright	...	Alexandra Giddens
Richard Carlson	...	David Hewitt
Dan Duryea	...	Leo Hubbard
Patricia Collinge	...	Birdie Hubbard
Charles Dingle	...	Ben Hubbard
Carl Benton Reid	...	Oscar Hubbard
Jessica Grayson	...	Addie (as Jessie Grayson)
John Marriott	...	Cal
Russell Hicks	...	William Marshall
Lucien Littlefield	...	Sam Manders
Virginia Brissac	...	Mrs. Lucy Hewitt
Terry Nibert	...	Julia Jordan
Henry 'Hot Shot' Thomas	...	Harold

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Southern California, California, USA

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Trivia:

The original stage production of "The Little Foxes" opened at the National Theater in New York on February 15, 1939 and ran for 410 performances. It starred Tallulah Bankhead as Regina Giddens and featured Dan Duryea as Leo Hubbard. As of this date (Aug. 2008), it has had three revivals, starring Anne Bancroft in 1967, Elizabeth Taylor in 1981, and Stockard Channing in 1997.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the final scene, just before Alexandra leaves Regina, in the shot when Regina climbs the stairs, and asks Zan if she would "like to sleep in her room tonight", we see a chair in the background (which earlier in the scene, Regina had sat in). The chair seat is empty. Two shots later, when Alexandra collects her hat and coat to leave, they have suddenly appeared on the chair.

Quotes:

David Hewitt: Do you like me?
Alexandra Giddens: Not today.
David Hewitt: Why, I'll come back tomorrow.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Charulata (1964)

Magnificent adaptation of Hellman's hit play

As the greedy, conniving Regina Giddons, Bette Davis gives a fascinating performance which ranks with her very finest. Tallulah Bankhead had her greatest stage success playing Regina on Broadway in 1939. Wyler wanted Davis to portray Regina with a more sympathetic "hot house" flavour, but Bette was adamant that the character was a witch in spades: the resulting performance is striking. Regina Giddons is a classic example of a character movie viewers love to hate. Carl Benton Reid is great as the equally greedy brother and Dan Duryea is fine as Leo the crumb. As Alexandra, Teresa Wright is almost annoyingly innocent in the beginning, but she wisens up considerably towards the end of the film: "Why, Alexandra, you have spirit after all. I used to think you were all sugar-water" says a frankly impressed Regina. As the alcoholic flibbertigibbet Birdie, Patricia Collinge is perfection personified: a truly memorable portrait brilliantly enacted. Herbert Marshall is fine as the tragically deceived Horace who shouldn't depend on his "lovely" wife to fetch his heart medicine for him. A magnificent example of a great play transferred to film, Wyler's guiding hand is patent throughout: they definitely don't make films like this anymore - no matter what the cost.