Madame Bovary (1949)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Gustave Flaubert (novel)
Robert Ardrey (writer)

Release Date:

23 January 1950 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

All she wanted was everything.

Plot:

A provincial doctor's wife's romantic illusions about life and social status lead her to betray her naive husband, take on lovers and run up ruinous debts.

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | Adulteress | Lover | Debt | Author

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Jennifer Jones	...	Emma Bovary
James Mason	...	Gustave Flaubert
Van Heflin	...	Charles Bovary
Louis Jourdan	...	Rodolphe Boulanger
Alf Kjellin	...	Leon Dupuis (as Christopher Kent)
Gene Lockhart	...	J. Homais
Frank Allenby	...	Lheureux
Gladys Cooper	...	Madame Dupuis
John Abbott	...	Mayor Tuvache
Harry Morgan	...	Hyppolite (as Henry Morgan)
George Zucco	...	Dubocage
Ellen Corby	...	Félicité
Eduard Franz	...	Rouault
Henri Letondal	...	Guillaumin
Esther Somers	...	Madame Lefrançois

Runtime:

Argentina:130 min | USA:115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The Breen Office opposed the movie, saying that it had too many controversies and innuendo; everything from the makeup to the kissing scenes had be washed down a bit to pass the censors.

Quotes:

Charles Bovary: I like everything, I suppose that's what's wrong with me.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Some of the Best (1949)

Wonderful adaptation.

Many readers have found Gustave Flaubert's classic novel 'Madame Bovary' somewhat cold and dispassionate, but few will have that complaint after watching this film. Jennifer Jones' flesh-and-blood embodiment of Emma Bovary has passion and emotion to burn, yet it still manages to remain in the spirit of Flaubert's work. Vincente Minneli's direction is brilliant and at times stunning. Witness the waltz sequence. Besides being so aesthetically wonderful, just think what a technical marvel this scene must have been in 1949! I can recommend this version of 'Madame Bovary' without reservation.

Jones' center-stage presence dominates, of course, but the performance of Van Heflin as another memorable character, the pitiable, cuckolded Charles Bovary, should not be overlooked. Plus this movie shows us that Ellen Corby wasn't always old! Check her out as the Bovary's servant, Felicite.