Conquest (1937 film)

Last updated
Conquest
Conquest 1937 poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Clarence Brown
Gustav Machatý (uncredited)
Screenplay by S. N. Behrman
Salka Viertel
Samuel Hoffenstein
Talbot Jennings
Zoë Akins
Based onPani Walewska
by Wacław Gąsiorowski (1904 book)
Helen Jerome (1933 play)
Produced byBernard H. Hyman
Starring Greta Garbo
Charles Boyer
Reginald Owen
Alan Marshal
Cinematography Karl Freund
Edited by Tom Held
Music by Herbert Stothart
Production
company
Distributed by Loew's, Inc.
Release date
  • October 22, 1937 (1937-10-22)
Running time
113 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2,732,000 [1] [2]
Box office$2,141,000

Conquest (also called Marie Walewska) is a 1937 American historical-drama film directed by Clarence Brown and starring Greta Garbo, Charles Boyer, Reginald Owen. It was produced and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It tells the story of the Polish Countess Marie Walewska, who becomes the mistress of Napoleon in order to influence his actions towards her homeland. [3] [4] The supporting cast includes Alan Marshal, Henry Stephenson, Leif Erickson, Dame May Whitty, George Zucco, and Maria Ouspenskaya.

Contents

The movie was adapted by S.N. Behrman, Samuel Hoffenstein, Helen Jerome and Salka Viertel from the novel Pani Walewska by Wacław Gąsiorowski. An uncredited Gustav Machatý took over some of the direction. It was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Charles Boyer) and Best Art Direction (Cedric Gibbons and William A. Horning). [5]

Its worldwide gross amounted to $2,141,000, but its massive budget led to a loss of $1,397,000.

MGM initially advertised the upcoming release of the film under the title Marie Walewska, but at the last moment changed the title to the more marketable Conquest when the movie arrived in theaters.

The Dad's Army episode "A Soldier's Farewell" starts with the platoon in the cinema watching this film.

Plot

Napoleon Bonaparte (Charles Boyer) launches an unsuccessful seduction of the Countess Marie Walewska (Greta Garbo), who is married to a much older man (Henry Stephenson), but she resists until convinced that giving in will save Poland. After her husband annuls their marriage and Napoleon divorces the Empress Josephine, the pair are free to formalize their happy relationship, but Napoleon shocks her by announcing his decision to wed the Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria for political reasons. While he doesn't expect it to impact his relationship with Marie, she leaves him, without ever telling him that she is expecting his child.

Napoleon is defeated in Russia. On the island of Elba where Napoleon is exiled, she brings their child, Alexander, though without telling him that Napoleon is his father. She carries a message away from Elba that helps Napoleon escape from the island, but he is defeated at Waterloo. She visits him at Rochefort as he is to go into British captivity and offers to sneak him away to escape to America, but he asks what he would do there, and says he must follow his star instead. Marie and Alexander watch him being rowed away to a British ship, and she tells her son they must pray that Napoleon following his star will bring him peace.

Cast

Greta Garbo and Charles Boyer in Conquest Modern Screen 1937 Conquest.jpg
Greta Garbo and Charles Boyer in Conquest
Maria Ouspenskaya and Greta Garbo Maria Ouspenskaya, Greta Garbo 1937.jpg
Maria Ouspenskaya and Greta Garbo

Uncredited Cast

Production

Boyer's fee was $125,000, with an equal amount to be paid for any French version, as well as an overtime provision. In the final event, Boyer earned $450,000 for his performance; reshoots on the film saw the budget rise. [2]

Reception

Writing for Night and Day in 1937, Graham Greene gave the film a poor review, characterizing it simply as "one of the dullest films of the year". Greene's chief complaints came from the plot, writing, and "middlebrow" dialogue which inelegantly attempted to bridge "poetic and realistic drama". Greene also notes a number of scenes or moments of "unconscious comedy" which undermined the film and let to a feeling of "great fake emotions booming out - Love, Country, Ambition". [6] On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an aggregate score of 100% based on 5 critic reviews. [7]

Conquest grossed $730,000 in the United States and $1,411,000 in other markets, bringing the total sum of $2,141,000. Although a success with audiences, the film's high budget resulted in a loss of $1,397,000. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greta Garbo</span> Swedish-American actress (1905–1990)

Greta Garbo was a Swedish-American actress and a premier star during Hollywood's silent and early golden eras. Regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses of all time, she was known for her melancholic and somber screen persona, her film portrayals of tragic characters, and her subtle and understated performances. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Garbo fifth on its list of the greatest female stars of classic Hollywood cinema.

Madame Curie is a 1943 American biographical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film was directed by Mervyn LeRoy and produced by Sidney Franklin from a screenplay by Paul Osborn, Paul H. Rameau, and Aldous Huxley (uncredited), adapted from the biography by Ève Curie. It stars Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, with supporting performances by Robert Walker, Henry Travers, and Albert Bassermann.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Boyer</span> French-American actor (1899–1978)

Charles Boyer was a French-American actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found his success in American films during the 1930s. His memorable performances were among the era's most highly praised, in romantic dramas such as The Garden of Allah (1936), Algiers (1938), and Love Affair (1939), as well as the mystery-thriller Gaslight (1944). He received four Oscar nominations for Best Actor. He also appeared as himself on the CBS sitcom I Love Lucy.

<i>Romance</i> (1930 film) 1930 American film

Romance is a 1930 American Pre-Code film directed by Clarence Brown, and starring Greta Garbo, Lewis Stone, and Gavin Gordon. Based on the 1913 play by Edward Sheldon, the film was written by Edwin Justus Mayer and Bess Meredyth, and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marie Walewska</span> Polish countess belonging to inner circle of Napoleon Bonaparte

Marie Walewska, Countess Walewska was a Polish noblewoman in the court of Napoleon I who used her influence to sway the emperor towards the creation of an independent Polish state. In her later years she married count Philippe Antoine d'Ornano, an influential Napoleonic officer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Boleslawski</span> Polish theatre and film director, actor

Richard Boleslawski was a Polish theatre and film director, actor and teacher of acting.

<i>Marie Antoinette</i> (1938 film) 1938 film by W. S. Van Dyke

Marie Antoinette is a 1938 American historical drama film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by W. S. Van Dyke and starred Norma Shearer as Marie Antoinette. Based upon the 1932 biography of the ill-fated Queen of France by the Austrian writer Stefan Zweig, it had its Los Angeles premiere at the legendary Carthay Circle Theatre, where the landscaping was specially decorated for the event.

<i>Queen Christina</i> (film) 1933 film by Rouben Mamoulian

Queen Christina is a pre-Code Hollywood biographical film, produced for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1933 by Walter Wanger and directed by Rouben Mamoulian. It stars Swedish-born actress Greta Garbo and John Gilbert in their fourth and last film together.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippe Antoine d'Ornano</span> French soldier and politician

Philippe Antoine d'Ornano, Comte d'Ornano was a French soldier and politician who fought in the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was made a Marshal of France in 1861.

<i>Napoléon</i> (miniseries) 2002 historical miniseries

Napoleon is a 2002 historical miniseries which explores the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, portrayed by Christian Clavier. It was the most expensive television miniseries in Europe up to that time, costing an equivalent of (USD) $46,330,000 to produce. The miniseries covered Napoleon's military successes and failures, including the battles of Austerlitz, Eylau, and Waterloo and the retreat from Russia. It also delved into Napoleon's personal life: his marriage to and divorce from Josephine de Beauharnais, his marriage to Marie Louise, the Duchess of Parma and daughter of Francis II, and his affairs with Eleanore Denuelle and Marie Walewska. The series draws from Max Gallo's biography.

The 9th National Board of Review Awards for American cinema were announced on 30 December 1937.

"A Soldier's Farewell" is the third episode of the fifth series of the British television sitcom Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 20 October 1972.

<i>Camille</i> (1936 film) 1936 film by George Cukor

Camille is a 1936 American romantic drama film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer directed by George Cukor, and produced by Irving Thalberg and Bernard H. Hyman, from a screenplay by James Hilton, Zoë Akins, and Frances Marion. The picture is based on the 1848 novel and 1852 play La dame aux camélias by Alexandre Dumas, fils. The film stars Greta Garbo, Robert Taylor, Lionel Barrymore, Elizabeth Allan, Jessie Ralph, Henry Daniell, and Laura Hope Crews. It grossed $2,842,000.

<i>Anna Karenina</i> (1935 film) 1935 film by Clarence Brown

Anna Karenina is a 1935 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film adaptation of the 1877 novel Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy and directed by Clarence Brown. The film stars Greta Garbo, Fredric March, Basil Rathbone, and Maureen O'Sullivan. There are several other film adaptations of the novel.

<i>Anna Christie</i> (1930 English-language film) 1930 film

Anna Christie is a 1930 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer pre-Code film adaptation of the 1921 play of the same name by Eugene O'Neill. It was adapted by Frances Marion, produced and directed by Clarence Brown with Paul Bern and Irving Thalberg as co-producers. The cinematography was by William H. Daniels, the art direction by Cedric Gibbons and the costume design by Adrian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Finckenstein Palace</span> Baroque palace in Kamieniec, Poland

Finckenstein Palace is a ruined Baroque palace situated in the village of Kamieniec, about 25 mi. (40 km) south of Elbląg, in northern Poland. Formerly part of West Prussia, it was designed by the architect John von Collas and erected in the years 1716–1720 by Prussian Field Marshal, Marquess, and Count Albrecht Konrad Reinhold Finck von Finckenstein. It remained in the possession of the Finck von Finckenstein family until 1782. After that the Counts Dohna-Schlobitten lived in it until 1945. Red Army soldiers set the palace on fire January 22, 1945, during their conquest of Prussia in World War II. The last owner/resident was Alfred (1917–1988), son of Hermann Dohna-Finckenstein (1894–1942).

<i>Tarzan and the Amazons</i> 1945 film by Kurt Neumann

Tarzan and the Amazons a 1945 American adventure film starring Johnny Weissmuller in his ninth outing as Tarzan. Brenda Joyce plays Jane, in the first of her five appearances in the role, and Johnny Sheffield makes his sixth appearance as Boy. Henry Stephenson and Maria Ouspenskaya co-star.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lois Meredith</span> American actress

Lois Meredith was a silent film and theatre actress.

<i>The Kiss</i> (1929 film) 1929 film

The Kiss is a 1929 American synchronized sound drama film directed by Jacques Feyder, starring Greta Garbo, Conrad Nagel, and Lew Ayres in his first feature film. The film has no audible dialogue but featured a synchronized musical score and sound effects. The soundtrack was recorded using the Western Electric Sound System sound-on-film process. The soundtrack was also transferred to discs for those theatres that were wired with sound-on-disc sound systems.

<i>Outcast Lady</i> 1934 film by Robert Zigler Leonard

Outcast Lady is a 1934 American romantic drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and produced and distributed by Metro Goldwyn Mayer. The film stars Constance Bennett, Herbert Marshall and Mrs. Patrick Campbell. It is a sound version of Michael Arlen's 1924 novel The Green Hat, filmed in 1928 by MGM as A Woman of Affairs with Greta Garbo and John Gilbert.

References

  1. [ citation needed ]
  2. 1 2 Scott Eyman, Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Legend of Louis B. Mayer, Robson, 2005 p 199
  3. Variety film review; October 27, 1937, page 18.
  4. Harrison's Reports film review; November 13, 1937, page 183.
  5. "NY Times: Winterset". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-10-17. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
  6. Greene, Graham (23 December 1937). "Marie Walewska/True Confession". Night and Day . (reprinted in: Taylor, John Russell, ed. (1980). The Pleasure Dome. Oxford University Press. pp. 187, 190. ISBN   0192812866.)
  7. "Conquest". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  8. "Conquest".