Holy Matrimony (1943)

Director:

John M. Stahl

Writers:

Arnold Bennett (play)
Nunnally Johnson (writer)

Release Date:

27 August 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

From Arnold Bennett's novel "Buried Alive". An artist returning from years abroad takes the identity...

Plot Keywords:

Mistaken Identity | Based On Novel | Kids And Family | Based On Play

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Monty Woolley	...	Priam Farrell
Gracie Fields	...	Alice Chalice
Laird Cregar	...	Clive Oxford
Una O'Connor	...	Sarah Leek
Alan Mowbray	...	Mr. Pennington
Melville Cooper	...	Dr. Caswell
Franklin Pangborn	...	Duncan Farll
Ethel Griffies	...	Lady Vale
Eric Blore	...	Henry Leek
George Zucco	...	Mr. Crepitude
Fritz Feld	...	Critic

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Movie Connections:

Version of The Great Adventure (1915)

Is there a lovelier, more delightful film?

"Holy Matrimony" existed for me only as legend for the longest time. My father's friend Bill Gitt (renowned projectionist and elder brother of film preservationist Bob) was a great fan of this and often spoke of it, though I can't recall ever seeing it as a young lad. But I searched long and hard and finally tracked down a DVD of it (not a bad print at all), and it is truly enchanting. Marvelous, marvelous performance by Monty Woolley, in a very understated mood -- those who know him only from "The Man Who Came to Dinner" will, I think, be quite pleasantly surprised by his work here and, from Gracie Fields, a miraculous one. The first time I watched it I thought, well, she doesn't do much. But then I wanted to see it again almost immediately. And it's true, she doesn't do much, but the little things she does are simply exquisite. A great, really subtle performance, not at all played for laughs, but funny all the same. Her delivery of the simple line, "That's it," is a lesson in charming simplicity. John M. Stahl, that strange, almost mythical director, has a marvelous effect on actors (see, for example, Adolphe Menjou in "Letter of Introduction," where he really plays sincerity... well, sincerely): without fancy photography, he seems able to give them an almost mystical radiance. And he has an amazing cast of character actors to work with here: Eric Blore, Una O'Connor, Alan Mowbray, George Zucco, Laird Cregar, Melville Cooper, Ethel Griffies. A superb Nunnally Johnson script (his best?) and an excellent score (Cyril Mockridge) -- typical of Fox films of the 40s and early 50s. A film worth seeking out, one you will want to watch time and again.