Another dawn
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Another dawn |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1937 |
| length | 73 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | William Dieterle |
| script | Laird Doyle |
| production | Warner Brothers |
| music | Erich Wolfgang Korngold |
| camera | Tony Gaudio |
| occupation | |
| |
Another Dawn is a 1937 American film directed by William Dieterle, starring Kay Francis and Errol Flynn . The script is based in part on the short story The Ambassador's Wife by W. Somerset Maugham .
action
The story begins on board an ocean liner. Julia Ashton is constantly harassed by a fellow traveler while Colonel John Wister gallantly helps her. Both meet some time later in England, where John learns why Julia is so reluctant: her lover Duncan had only recently died in an airplane accident. Although Julia Duncan has sworn eternal love, she lets John persuade her to marry, despite great misgivings and inner agony. Both live happily for a while at the desert post that John commands. One day Denny Roark, a light-hearted pilot and John's best friend, comes to the border post. Julia and Denny discover common interests and Julia begins to discover more and more similarities between Duncan and Denny. After a skirmish with Bedouins, in which Denny is seriously injured, the two lovers realize that their relationship is hopeless. In the end, John sacrifices himself for the happiness of both of them and goes to certain death fighting the insurgents.
background
The film was shot from November 4, 1936 in the Warner Bros. Studios Burbank. The exterior shots were taken at the Movie Ranch Lasky Mesa ( Agoura Hills ), in the San Fernando Valley and in the Yuma Desert . The buildings were designed by Robert M. Haas , the costumes by Orry-Kelly . It was premiered on June 17, 1937 at Radio City Music Hall in New York, and was released on June 26, 1937.
Kay Francis had joined Warner Brothers from Paramount in 1932 and within a few years had become one of the highest paid actresses. In 1936 she made $ 227,000 and her income for 1937 was $ 209,000. Her success was based on her ability to play even sentimental and implausible stories with confidence and integrity. In addition, she had a reputation for being one of the best-dressed women in America. In 1936 she was awarded the title Best Dressed Woman in Movies , which she won against competition from Marlene Dietrich , Joan Crawford , Norma Shearer and Carole Lombard . After the failure of The White Angel , Francis' status as a star was in jeopardy and the studio did everything in 1937 to bring the actress back to their fans.
The men at Francis side were Errol Flynn and Ian Hunter , who succeeded George Brent as a permanent partner. Francis and Hunter had previously worked together successfully on I Found Stella Parrish , Give Me Your Heart and The White Angel . The chemistry between Francis and Flynn wasn't right on screen or during filming. The dislike was mutual and the common scenes seemed stiff and without passion. The shooting took place at the end of 1936 partly in the desert of Yuma, in the Imperial Valley and at Lake Messa Agoura, the female lead was initially intended for Bette Davis , who sued the studio shortly before the start, so that the role went to Francis. The title Another Dawn had often been used as a working title for various productions in previous years. The producer Hal B. Wallis shot two alternative endings: Flynn dies in one and Hunter in the other. The test demonstrations ultimately resulted in a clear vote for the happy ending with Errol Flynn.
The film, which shows Francis again and again in spectacular clothes in the middle of the desert, shows remarkable similarities with The Garden of Allah , which last year saw Marlene Dietrich as a woman seeking meaning in better society in an endless sequence of different chiffon evening dresses and high heels in the middle of the Sahara presented.
Theatrical release
At $ 552,000 to produce, Another Dawn was an average expensive proposition for Warner Brothers. In the US, the film grossed a modest $ 572,000, with an additional $ 473,000 from overseas markets. The end result was a total revenue of $ 1,045,000.
criticism
The New York Times read quite cynical words:
“It was not since the days of the fabulous phoenix that the Arabian desert has seen anything as breathtaking as Kay Francis and her extensive wardrobe in 'Another Dawn'. Miss Francis walks around with an amorous expression and surrounded by a mystical aura in long, flowing robes that clean the floor better than any vacuum cleaner. "
Web links
- Another Dawn in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Another Dawn at Kay Francis Films
- Another Dawn at Turner Classic Movies (English)
Footnotes
- ^ Wilhelm (William) Dieterle - actor, director . In: CineGraph - Lexikon zum Deutschsprachigen Film , Lg. 22, F 23 f.
- ↑ Not since the enabled phoenix has the Arabian desert blossomed into anything quite as stunning as Kay Francis and her exhausting wardrobe in Another Dawn. Miss Francis walks with love and some mysterious form of Yogi in her eyes, in long flowing gowns ... that go sweeping- more effectively as a vacuum cleaner.