Bitter Sweet (1933 film)

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Bitter Sweet
Bitter Sweet (1933 film) poster.JPG
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Herbert Wilcox
Screenplay by Lydia Hayward
Monckton Hoffe
Herbert Wilcox
Based on Bitter Sweet
1929 operetta
by Noël Coward
Produced byHerbert Wilcox
Starring Anna Neagle
Fernand Gravey
Esme Percy
Clifford Heatherley
Ivy St. Helier
Cinematography Freddie Young
Edited byMichael Hankinson
Music byRoy Robertson
Production
company
Distributed by United Artists
Release date
  • 31 August 1933 (1933-08-31)
Running time
93 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office£500,000 [1]

Bitter Sweet is a British musical romance film directed by Herbert Wilcox and released by United Artists in 1933. [2] It was the first film adaptation of Noël Coward's 1929 operetta Bitter Sweet . It starred Anna Neagle and Fernand Gravey, with Ivy St. Helier reviving her stage role as Manon. It was made at British and Dominion's Elstree Studios and was part of a boom in operetta films during the 1930s.

Contents

It tells the story of Sarah Linden's romance. Sarah, now a gray-haired old woman, tells her story to a girl who is on the eve of marrying an obnoxious man when she is really in love with a musician. [3]

The operetta was remade in 1940 as a film of the same name with Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy; however, it was less faithful to the original story than the less censored 1933 version. [4]

Plot summary

Cast

Reception

According to Wilcox the film made no profits. He later wrote "it must have been my fault, for surely a better musical play has never been written... perhaps, however, the story is rather too sad for a film." [5]

The Daily Film Renter wrote: "Magnificently staged talkie version of Noel Coward's famous operetta, which comes to screen with wealth of picturesque detail, abundance of haunting melodies, and fragrant charm that is irresistible. ... Ivy St. Helier shares acting honours with Anna Neagle by a brilliantly sketched portrait of disillusioned cabaret singer, while star, in characterisation that ranges from girlhood to grey hairs, does remarkably well. Clifford Heatherley gives strong support. Tempo on slow side, but this is moot point in view of superb entertainment qualities of production as whole." [6]

Kine Weekly wrote: "A literal thematic translation of Noel Coward's tremendously popular play, which displays little inspiration in its treatment, but, nevertheless, has bouquet and fragrance and is rich in feminine appeal. ... Anna Neagle is entrusted with the leading role, and although its responsibilities weigh rather heavily on ber young shoulders, she succeeds in investing it with unsophisticated charm. The support is adequate and the general tone of the production has polish." [7]

References

  1. ↑ Elstree Versus Hollywood Film Citadel Challenged By Recent British Productions The Times of India (1861-current) [New Delhi, India] 18 November 1933: pg 18.
  2. ↑ "Bitter Sweet". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  3. ↑ Hall, Mordaunt (24 August 1933). "Movie Review – Bitter Sweet – Many Stars of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Firmament In the Film Version of "Dinner at Eight"". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  4. ↑ "Bitter Sweet (1940)". Jeanettemacdonaldandnelsoneddy.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  5. ↑ Wilcox, Herbert (1967). Twenty Five Thousand Sunsets. A. S. Barnes. p. 96. ISBN   978-0498069857.
  6. ↑ "Bitter Sweet". The Daily Film Renter (1989): 4. 7 July 1933. ProQuest   3127085716.
  7. ↑ "Bitter Sweet". Kine Weekly . 197 (1369): 16. 13 July 1933. ProQuest   2338267963.
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