Green Dolphin Street (1947)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Victor Saville

Writers:

Elizabeth Goudge (novel) and
Samson Raphaelson (writer)

Release Date:

5 November 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Romance | Drama

Tagline:

A Fiery Girl Who Dares The Dangers Of The Sea And A Savage Land... Fighting For The Love Of A Bold Adventurer!

Plot:

Sophie loved Edmund, but he left town when her parents forced her to marry wealthy Octavius. Years later...

Plot Keywords:

Love | New Zealand | Navy | Mother Daughter Relationship | Pier

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Lana Turner	...	Marianne Patourel
Van Heflin	...	Timothy Haslam
Donna Reed	...	Marguerite Patourel
Richard Hart	...	William Ozanne
Frank Morgan	...	Dr. Edmond Ozanne
Edmund Gwenn	...	Octavius Patourel
Dame May Whitty	...	Mother Superior
Reginald Owen	...	Captain O'Hara
Gladys Cooper	...	Sophie Patourel
Moyna MacGill	...	Mrs. Metivier
Linda Christian	...	Hine-Moa
Bernie Gozier	...	Jacky-Poto
Patrick Aherne	...	Kapua-Manga
Al Kikume	...	A Maori
Edith Leslie	...	Sister Angelique

Runtime:

140 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG (TV rating) | West Germany:12 | Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (certificate #12224)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Lana Turner and Van Heflin reprised their roles in a Lux Radio Theatre broadcast on September 19, 1949.

Quotes:

Marianne Patourel: [Discussing William's love for Marguerite] But when you wrote to my father you lied. You asked for my hand in marriage.
William Ozanne: I didn't lie. Listen to me, Marianne. I love you.
Marianne Patourel: Listen to more lies! You never loved me! You loved *her*. But you sent for me. Why?
William Ozanne: It wasn't a lie. It was o -
Marianne Patourel: Why did you send for me?
William Ozanne: I'll tell you, Marianne. Now I must tell you. I never wanted you to know. I never thought you would ever find out. But now...
Marianne Patourel: What did you never want me to find out?
William Ozanne: That I accidentally wrote your name instead of Marguerite's in the letter to your father.
Marianne Patourel: [She looks crushed] You accidentally wrote my name? Our whole marriage has been a... slip of the pen?
William Ozanne: Marianne...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Lana Turner... a Daughter's Memoir (2001) (TV)

Two sisters and their saga get the MGM treatment

Lana Turner as Marianne marries her sister Marguerite's beau in "Green Dolphin Street," an MGM extravaganza (but in black and white) that probably was meant to equal Gone With the Wind. The story concerns a family, the Patourels, living on the Channel Islands. Their mother (Gladys Cooper) was forbidden to marry the love of her life (Frank Morgan) and instead married Octavius (Edmund Gwenn) and has two daughters. Morgan returns to the area with a son, William (Richard Hart) and both of the girls go after him, though he falls in love with Marguerite (Donna Reed). Eventually he ends up in New Zealand and, in a drunken stupor, writes to Octavius for his daughter's hand in marriage - except he writes the name Marianne, not Marguerite, thereby changing his life and the lives of the sisters forever.

The film is a bit long but holds the viewer once it gets going. Its main problem when it's seen today is the painted backdrops and fake scenery, all extremely obvious. When one compares the backdrops and scenery of the earlier Gone with the Wind to this, it's obvious that Selznick demanded a lot more care from his artists than did the powers that be on this film.

There are several striking scenes, but the best is Donna Reed climbing a tunnel inside of a cave to escape the rising tide. The earthquake scenes and the Maori attacks are also excellent and exciting.

The role of Marianne is huge and well essayed by Lana Turner. Marianne is a smart, controlling woman whose guidance turns William into a success. Apparently the character in the book was somewhat plain; obviously, Turner isn't, so she brings a femininity and beauty to the part as well as a strong core. Of course, when she's supposed to be pregnant, she's wearing a dress tightly cinched at the waist. It was considered indecent to show pregnancy back then, but it's ridiculous. As Marguerite, Donna Reed manages to bring some color into what is a somewhat thankless role. Van Heflin, as a friend and eventual partner of William, gives a wonderful performance as a tough but kind and tender man who makes William do the right thing by Marianne. Gladys Cooper does her usual fine job as Mrs. Patourel, and her final scene is beautiful. There were several very touching parts of the movie, and that was one of them. Newcomer Richard Hart, who died four years later, is William and looks good once he grows his mustache. The role, however, could have used a more exciting performance. Hart was from the theater and actually performed many of the classics on television in its early days.

On an interesting side note, Linda Christian plays Turner's Maori maid. Turner at that time was seeing Tyrone Power. The story goes that Christian overheard Turner say that Power was going to be in Rome. Christian wangled the money for her and her sister, went to Rome, and stayed in the same hotel as Power. He never returned to Turner and the next year married Christian.

Apropos of this, "Green Dolphin Street" asks age-old questions - are there mistakes in life, or a guiding hand? Did William really write the name of the wrong sister, or was that as it was meant to be? We all have to decide for ourselves. I'm not sure "Green Dolphin Street" will help one do that, but it's entertaining nonetheless.