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That Forsyte Woman
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Wikipedia article
'That Forsyte Woman' (released in the United Kingdom as 'The Forsyte Saga') is a 1949 romance film directed by Compton Bennett and starring Greer Garson, Errol Flynn, Walter Pidgeon, Robert Young and Janet Leigh. It is an adaptation of the 1906 novel 'The Man of Property', the first book in 'The Forsyte Saga' by John Galsworthy.
Walter Plunkett and Arlington Valles were nominated for an Oscar for Best Costume Design, Color. The original music score was composed by Bronisaw Kaper.
'Filmink' magazine wrote that the movie featured "perhaps Flynns most famous capital-A-Acting performance".
Plot
Irene (Greer Garson) is the wife of Soames Forsyte (Errol Flynn), a Victorian "man of property". Irene married without love, after having many proposals. Soames is preoccupied with material possessions, and considers Irene to be his possession. Irene eventually rebels against Soames' treatment of her.
Irene falls in love with unconventional architect Philip Bosinney (Robert Young), who is engaged to Soames' niece June (Janet Leigh). June happens to be one of Irene's closest friends. Soames learns of Irene's affair with Bosinney, and rather than allowing Irene to leave him, he slaps her. When Soames and Bosinney discover that Irene has run away, Bosinney rushes out in the foggy London streets after her. Bosinney is run over in an accident.
After Irene learns of Bosinney's death, she takes refuge with Soames' cousin Young Jolyon (Walter Pidgeon). Jolyon is June's estranged father, but has sympathy for Irene's plight. Irene and Young Jolyon eventually marry, after Irene spurns Soames's attempts at reconciliation.
Cast
* Errol Flynn as Soames Forsyte
* Greer Garson as Irene Forsyte
* Walter Pidgeon as Young Jolyon Forsyte
* Robert Young as Philip Bosinney
* Janet Leigh as June Forsyte
* Harry Davenport as Old Jolyon Forsyte
* Aubrey Mather as James Forsyte
* Gerald Oliver Smith as Wilson
* Lumsden Hare as Roger Forsyte
* Stanley Logan as Swithin Forsyte
* Halliwell Hobbes as Nicholas Forsyte
* Matt Moore as Timothy Forsyte
* Florence Auer as Ann Forsyte Heyman
* Phyllis Morris as Julia Forsyte Small
* Marjorie Eaton as Hester Forsyte
* Lilian Bond as Maid
* Evelyn Beresford as Mrs. Taylor
Background
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer bought the film rights to 'The Forsyte Saga' in 1937 after much negotiating over a long period of time."STUDIO AND SCREEN: Directors Wanted--A Comic Colman--Health and Beauty Films" 'The Manchester Guardian' [Manchester (UK)] 28 Oct 1937: 12. Initial plans were to make an all-star film in the vein of 'Dinner at Eight' or 'Grand Hotel', with Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and Franchot Tone mentioned as possible stars.'"FORSYTE SAGA" BY GALSWORTHY TO BE FILMED WITH ALL-STAR CAST: Radio Sports Announcer Awarded Lead' Schallert, Edwin. 'Los Angeles Times' 29 May 1937: A7. Joseph L. Mankiewicz was assigned to the project, which at one stage was going to be turned into two films."Hedda Hopper's HOLLYWOOD" 'Los Angeles Times' 28 Apr 1939: 13.
James Hilton wrote a screenplay in 1938 and in 1939, and it was reported the film would be made as a vehicle for Myrna Loy."SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: Warners Sins Ruth Gordon for Role of Wife in 'The Life of Dr. Ehrlich ANOTHER NEW FILM FRIDAY 'Hollywood Cavalcade,' History of the Cinema Since Sennett Days, to Open at Roxy Merle Oberon Is Released Yola D'Avril With Universal Of Local Origin" by DOUGLAS W. CHURCHILL 'New York Times' 10 Oct 1939: 32. Clark Gable was going to star as Soames as his follow-up performance to 'Gone with the Wind'."DRAMA: Mickey Rooney Heads Box-Office Champions" Schallert, Edwin. 'Los Angeles Times' 22 Dec 1939: 13. This did not proceed.
In July 1940, it was announced Greer Garson would star in the film, which would most likely use many of the supporting cast from MGM's 1940 version of 'Pride and Prejudice' (which had starred Garson)."SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: Metro to Revive Galsworthy's 'Forsyte Saga' as a Probable Vehicle for Greer Garson MUNI IN BEETHOVEN ROLE Two Pictures, 'My Love Came Back' at Strand and 'Maryland' at Roxy, in Second Week "Chad Hanna" to be in Color Of Local Origin" 'New York Times' 19 July 1940: 25. Again, no film was made.
In 1945, it was announced that Robert Lord was going to produce the first in a series of proposed movies based on the series from a script by Robert Nathan."Looking at Hollywood" Hopper, Hedda. 'Chicago Daily Tribune' 11 Dec 1945: 20. Deborah Kerr and Garson were named as possible leads."Looking at Hollywood" Hopper, Hedda. 'Chicago Daily Tribune' 7 Mar 1947: 28. Eventually, Garson was set for the female lead. She had reservations about the script and threatened to withdraw but changed her mind after further work on it."UA WILL RELEASE 'VIOLENT HOUSE': Cassidy and Banks in Deal for Their Film Based on Lewis Browne's Novel" by THOMAS F. BRADY 'New York Times' 03 Feb 1948: 31."Looking at Hollywood" Hopper, Hedda. 'Chicago Daily Tribune' 12 July 1948: A4. Compton Bennett signed to direct, and producing duties were taken over by Leon Gordon, who said the film would mostly concentrate on the story of 'A Man of Property' (written between 1903 and 1906).
(When the script went to credit arbitration with the Writers Guild of America, it was revealed that 13 writers had done 17 adaptations in all. The writers included James Hilton, Richard Llewellyn, Robert Nathan, Ivan Tors, Robert Lord, Lawrence Weingarten, John Balderston, Arthur Wimperis, Ann Cunningham, Franclien McConnell, John Collier, and J.B. Williams. Under guild rules at the time, only three writers could be credited."OWN TO THE SEA IN EXPLOITATION: The Movie Junket Comes Into Its Own Again at New Bedford Fete" by THOMAS M. PRYOR NEW BEDFORD, Massachusetts. 'New York Times' 20 Feb 1949: X5. These ended up being Tors, Lustig and Williams.)
MGM wanted Michael Wilding for one of the leads but were unable to get him."Looking at Hollywood" Hopper, Hedda. 'Chicago Daily Tribune' 05 Nov 1948: a6. In November, it was announced Errol Flynn would join the cast he was under contract to Warners, but MGM had had a one-picture call on his services ever since Warner Bros borrowed William Powell from MGM for 'Life with Father'."FLYNN WILL STAR IN 'FORSYTE SAGA': To Appear with Greer Garson in Metro Film Adaptation of Galsworthy Trilogy" by THOMAS F. BRADY 'New York Times' 08 Nov 1948: 24. Robert Young, Janet Leigh and Walter Pidgeon rounded out the main stars.
Reportedly, Flynn was cast as the bohemian artist Jolyon and Pidgeon as the stuffy banker Soames. When they met on the set, and discovered that they both were tired of being typecast, they decided to switch roles.Tony Thomas, Rudy Behlmer & Clifford McCarty, 'The Films of Errol Flynn', Citadel Press, 1969 p 162-163 (This casting was publicly confirmed in December."ARNALL TAKES POST IN MOVIE INDUSTRY: Former Governor of Georgia to Be Voted Tomorrow as Head of Independents" by THOMAS F. BRADY 'New York Times' 11 Dec 1948: 12.)
Filming took place from December 1948 to March 1949. Flynn and Garson were recalled for reshoots in June."DEL RUTH TO DIRECT MILTON BERLE FILM: Signed by Warners to Handle 'Always Leave Them Laughing' -- Wald Producing Movie" by THOMAS F. BRADY 'New York Times' 24 June 1949: 29.
Robert Young later claimed he developed his English accent from listening to records of Maurice Evans and Laurence Olivier."Greer Garson Assigned To 'Forsyte' Film" by Frank Daugherty. 'The Christian Science Monitor' [Boston, Mass] 4 Feb 1949: 5.
Flynn and Garson got along surprisingly well during filming and discussed making another film together, such as a project about female pirate Mary Burns."Flynn and Dandy: LOOKING AT HOLLYWOOD WITH HEDDA HOPPER" 'Chicago Daily Tribune' 29 May 1949: C4. However this movie was not made.
Release
in 'That Forsyte Woman'
In August 1949, it was announced the film's U.S. title would be 'That Forsyte Woman'."RKO AND WARNERS BUY NEW STORIES: Former Acquires 'Macao,' by Robert Williams -- 'Fires of Orinoco' Goes to Latter" by THOMAS F. BRADY 'New York Times' 13 Aug 1949: 6.
The movie was selected for the Royal Command Performance of 1949."KING TO SEE METRO FILM: Approves 'That Forsyte Woman' for Command Performance" 'New York Times' 4 Oct 1949: 32. This happened on 17 November, attended by the King, Queen and two princesses."THOUSANDS ATTEND ROYAL MOVIE SHOW: King, Queen, Two Princesses at Command Performance of American Picture" 'New York Times' 18 Nov 1949: 33.
Critical reception
The 'Washington Post' wrote "while it's long, talkative and musty, there is a certain lush sincerity about it.""A Leisurely Job on the Forsytes" by Richard L. Coe. 'The Washington Post' [Washington, D.C] 10 Nov 1949: 19. The 'Los Angeles Times' wrote the casting of Errol Flynn as Soames "is about the only neat trick with which the filmmakers have succeeded in enlivening a photographed novel and one that is virtually without other surprises.""'That Forsyte Woman' Saga of Victorians" Scheuer, Philip K. 'Los Angeles Times' 08 Feb 1950: B9.Box office
'That Forsyte Woman' ranked ninth among popular film at the British box office in 1949. It recorded admissions of 1,341,629 in France.[http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com.au&sl=fr&u=http://www.boxofficestory.com/france-1951-c22734225/2&usg=ALkJrhjfv-xLd5EIeKNZywzOBxZ_Da7qeg 1951 French box office figures] at Box Office StoryAccording to MGM records, the film made $1,855,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $1,855,000 overseas, ultimately earning the studio a loss of $574,000.
References
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