Years found
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Years found |
| Original title | Random Harvest |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1942 |
| length | 125 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Mervyn LeRoy |
| script |
Claudine West , George Froeschel , Arthur Wimperis |
| production | Sidney Franklin |
| music | Herbert Stothart |
| camera | Joseph Ruttenberg |
| cut | Harold F. Kress |
| occupation | |
| |
Found Years (Original Title: Random Harvest ) is an American melodrama by Mervyn LeRoy from 1942 with Ronald Colman and Greer Garson in the lead roles. The novel of the same name by James Hilton served as a literary model . The film about a woman's unwavering love for an amnesia officer after World War I received very good reviews at the time and was one of the top box office hits of the year in the United States.
action
A British officer was seriously wounded during World War I and has since suffered from amnesia and speech disorders. In the sanatorium of Melbridge, a small English town, he spends several months under the name of John Smith and hopes one day to find out who he really is. When the war was over in 1918 and people were cheering in the streets, Smith managed to leave the asylum for the first time. In a tobacco shop he meets the actress Paula Ridgeway, who immediately feels drawn to the shy man. She brings "Smithy", as she calls him from now on, to a pub and invites him to one of her shows in the theater. There Smithy becomes faint and falls to the ground. Paula and her old friend "Biffer" take him to a room above the pub, where Paula nurses him back to health. When Paula hears that the sanatorium guards are still looking for Smithy, she decides to leave Melbridge with him and travel to Devon . There they are accommodated in a small hostel, and Paula soon gets a job as a typist . Thanks to her cheerful demeanor, Smithy blossoms and starts writing articles for the newspaper. After selling his first item, he proposes marriage to Paula. After their wedding, they move into a small house and begin a happy life as a couple. Just a few days after the birth of their son in November 1920, Smithy received a telegram from a Liverpool newspaper wishing to permanently discontinue him. Since Paula still feels too weak, Smithy travels alone to Liverpool and promises her to be home the next evening.
When Smithy arrives in the industrial city, he is hit by a car on his way to the newspaper office and he loses consciousness. When he comes to, he has lost the memory of the last three years of his life and instead knows who he really is: His real name is Charles Rainier and he is the wealthy scion of an influential family. He then returns to Random Hall, his family's estate in London . His relatives are very surprised to see him. Only Kitty, his sister's stepdaughter, is genuinely happy about his sudden return. Now that Charles has rediscovered the old self, he has taken over the family business and has grown into a great entrepreneur over the years. In 1932 he was praised in the newspapers as the "industrial magnate of England". However, despite his success, he is not happy. He is plagued by the uncertainty over the three years that he can no longer remember. He always carries a key with him that he found in his vest pocket after the accident and he hopes one day he will find out which lock the key fits.
His private secretary Margaret Hanson has been loyal to him for three years. This is Paula, whom he does not recognize because of his lack of memory. Paula had seen his picture in the newspaper. Fearing that Charles would think she was an impostor who was only after his money, she applied under a false name to be his secretary. She secretly hopes that sooner or later he will recognize his wife in her. When Margaret, who lost her child shortly after birth, learns that Charles is about to marry Kitty, she is determined to tell Charles the truth. The psychiatrist Dr. Jonathan Benet, who had treated Charles in the sanatorium and to whom Margaret or Paula has confided in the meantime, makes it clear to her that Charles has to rediscover Smithy in himself in order to be really convinced of it. When Charles experiences déjà vu shortly before the wedding , Kitty realizes that his heart still belongs to another woman, which is why she cancels the wedding. Charles then goes to Liverpool to find clues about his three lost years. Margaret follows him and tries cautiously, but in vain, to help him in his search. Back in London, Charles also started his political career. When he is elected to parliament and realizes that he needs a wife by his side for his new responsibilities, he proposes Margaret to marry him. However, he immediately gives her to understand that he can offer her friendship in marriage, but not love. Although Dr. Benet Margaret warns against such a marriage of convenience, she marries Charles a second time.
With Margaret as a loyal companion, Charles continues to rise in politics and is ultimately knighted. On her third wedding anniversary, he gives her an expensive necklace. However, his attentions and friendship are not enough for Margaret. She longs for her Smithy and decides to travel alone for a few weeks. After saying goodbye to them at the train station, Charles receives a message from one of his factories in Melbridge: his workers have gone on strike. Once there, he settles the dispute personally and is amazed to know where to find a tobacco shop, even though he said he had never been to Melbridge before. Margaret, who had spent the night in the old hostel in Devon, learned the next day from the new owner that a few moments ago a man had asked her about a nearby cottage. When Charles arrives at the cottage and his key fits into the lock on the front door, memories flood over him. When Margaret also reaches the small country house and he finally recognizes his Paula in her, the two of them hug each other overjoyed.
background
Book template
Found Years is based on James Hiltons novel of the same name from 1941, which sold 100,000 copies just six weeks after its publication. Producer Sidney Franklin secured the film rights for MGM for $ 50,000. The original title of the book, Random Harvest , was inspired by a war report: “According to a British Official Report, bombs fell at random.” (German: “According to an official British report, the bombs fell at random”) To make reference to the title, the Rainiers estate was renamed from "Stourton" to "Random Hall" for the film. In contrast to the film, the book only reveals in the last line of the story that Mrs. Rainier and Paula are one and the same person. In the film, in which one immediately recognizes Greer Garson as the secretary Margaret Hanson or Lady Rainier, this punchline was not possible.
Hollywood censorship, the production code , also called for changes to the script. Rainier's first wife, for example, was completely removed from the film plot in order not to make Rainier a bigamist . Furthermore, it could not be suggested that he and Paula may have had an intimate relationship before they were married. Despite the changes to its original, James Hilton was very taken with the film project and agreed to take on the role of narrator at the beginning of the film.
Cast and filming
Director Mervyn LeRoy later said that Ronald Colman and Greer Garson were "the first choices for their roles". He even said that “the English language has never been spoken more beautifully on screen than by these two”. Greer Garson was particularly pleased to be part of the film, as it gave her the opportunity to work with both Ronald Colman, the screen idol of her youth, and again with author James Hilton, who was the literary source for Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939), her debut film and Hollywood breakthrough. She also liked her role very much:
“One of the reasons I found it interesting to play Paula was because I believed in her. She was as diverse as most people - she was the dancing actress, happy and independent; the likeable girl; the admirable wife, the happy Mrs. Smith; the efficient secretary; and finally the influential Lady Rainier. More important than the variety that gave the role so much color, however, was the fact that its characterization was a delicate study of a woman's heart. "
The fact that she was able to work together again with her favorite director, LeRoy, and her favorite cameraman, Joseph Ruttenberg , made the filming a great experience for Garson: “Playing Paula was pure joy for me. Sometimes when I act in a movie I come home terribly exhausted, but when I played that role I ended each day with a feeling of freshness and happiness. The script was beautiful as a symphony. I only sang when I came into the studio every morning. And that was at 4:45 am! ”Ronald Colman had appeared in a 1937 film adaptation of a James Hilton novel - in Columbia's In the Shackles of Shangri-La . The story of Charles Rainier in Years Found closely resembled Colman's own life and experiences during World War I. In 1914, he was seriously injured as a British officer at the Battle of Ypres when an explosion shattered his knee and ankle. After receiving a medal for bravery, like the figure of Rainier, he was dismissed from the army as an invalid and, like his role, could only overcome his bitterness and melancholy through constant work - he as an actor and Rainier as a writer and entrepreneur.
The role of Rainier's fiancé Kitty went to Susan Peters , who director LeRoy hoped would make her a star, as he had done with Loretta Young , Ginger Rogers and Lana Turner . With an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress in the film, she seemed well on her way to becoming a big star. In 1945, however, a hunting accident brought her career to an abrupt end when a shot from her unsecured rifle hit her spine and she was paralyzed from the waist down. She died in 1952 at the age of only 31. Shortly after Peters got the role of Kitty, MGM signed the also young Australian actress Ann Richards . Richards looked astonishingly like Garson. Since Kitty's physical resemblance to Paula was an important aspect of the plot, producer Sidney Franklin regretted not waiting for Richards to cast her as Kitty. But neither did he want to revoke his agreement with Peters. Instead, he cast Richards as another Rainier family member.
Like Garson's previous film, Mrs. Miniver (1942), which is also set in England, Years Found was shot exclusively on MGM's studio premises. Although the film spanned the years from 1918 to 1935, all hairstyles and costumes of the actresses involved are kept in the style of the 1940s.
Garsons dance interlude
The scriptwriters Claudine West , George Froeschel and Arthur Wimperis found it difficult from the start to integrate Greer Garson's role as a showgirl into the plot. In the novel, the character of Paula Ridgeway is described only once on stage. After much deliberation, in the end it was Garson himself who suggested a famous dance performance by Scottish entertainer Harry Lauder to the song She's Ma Daisy in the film . Garson, who had both Irish and Scottish blood, later said: “The Scots and Irish dance all the time, and I was born with their natural sense of rhythm. It seemed to me a wonderful opportunity to show that I am not a stiff doll. ”As a costume, a short kilt was chosen for her, which for the first time presented Garson's legs to the screen audience, which in her previous films mostly looked under wide skirts Spectators remained hidden. “At first we felt it was a mistake to show her legs to the audience like this. We didn't want to present it on the big screen in the typical Hollywood way, ”recalled producer Sidney Franklin. “We had kilts made in three different lengths and tried them all. In the end we decided on the medium length model. ”At first Garson was nervous about her new costume:“ I was a little embarrassed when I put on the kilt for the first time. I seemed to consist only of legs and for once I wish I had a hoop skirt ready to hand. "
After three weeks of rehearsal with the choreographers Ernst and Maria Matray , the scene was shot on an old-fashioned stage in front of around 200 extras, press people and curious MGM staff. Garson later admitted, “When I hopped on stage in this short costume, I felt terribly shy and embarrassed. But then the extras and the crew started to whistle to me and I have to say that I suddenly felt very flattered. ”When Garson finished their performance, the extras spontaneously voted for them the song For She's a Jolly Good Fellow at. MGM's acting coach Lillian Burns later said that this dance number was "exactly" what Greer really wanted to do - what she really enjoyed - and a cheerful musical at that.
reception
publication
The film premiered on December 17, 1942 at New York's Radio City Music Hall . In 1942, when the United States participated in World War II for the first full year , the subject of the film about a man troubled by war who finds new happiness through wife and home was particularly topical and relevant to the audience. Found years then drove in a record box office of $ 8,147,000, making it one of the biggest hits in MGM's studio history. The melodrama was shown in the Radio City Music Hall for a total of eleven weeks. Director LeRoy was convinced that the film could have run there for at least ten more weeks. However, film mogul Nicholas Schenck absolutely wanted to show the film in all Loew theaters , which is why he took it out of the Radio City Music Hall program early in order to transfer the film roles to other film theaters. So many people flocked to Rockefeller Center to see the film that the center's management expanded the daily schedule to seven shows, with the first showing at 7.45 a.m.
The success of the film prompted Colman and Garson to repeat their roles for the Lux Radio Theater on January 31, 1944 and April 19, 1948 in two radio play versions of the film. In 1957 an Indian remake was made under the title Harano Sur . In relation to the films she starred in, Garson named Found Found her favorite film years later. For her it was "the most beautiful film" that she "ever made" and which, in her opinion, tells one of the "greatest love stories". Colman was also very impressed by the film drama, which is why he named his house in Hollywood the "Random House" after a renovation.
Reviews
The reviews for Found Years were extremely positive. Main actress Greer Garson was particularly praised for her performance. According to Time, it is "a first-class film adaptation of the second-rate novel by James Hilton". The film is characterized primarily by "a moving love story" and "the revelation of Miss Garson's interesting legs". The Hollywood Reporter found that Greer Garson, "the most distinguished and feminine actress among the stars," performed the role of Paula "in a wonderful way." It is simply about "a perfect performance by a great actress".
Variety saw in the screen adaptation of the Hilton novel "far more than a standard film adaptation". Ronald Colman offers "a wonderful representation". But Greer Garson - "more enchanting and seductive than never before" - is the "mainstay of the film". She is seen in a "very likeable role" and puts Colman in the shade. Bosley Crowther enthused in the New York Times that Garson embodied "the ideal image of a woman in every way" and in the film was allowed to "show her pretty knees in a chaste way". Ronald Colman presented himself equally attractive "as a man of impeccable character and with remarkable elegance". Director Mervyn LeRoy staged the film "at a slow pace with an eye for moving moods". Hal Erickson of the All Movie Guide pointed out that "under normal circumstances one would notbelievea minute of Years Found ". But the “magic” created by the stars and thanks to the author James Hilton has transformed “the unbelievable into the absolutely credible”.
According to the lexicon of international films , the film has become "a good entertainment cinema" thanks to directing and convincing actors. Cinema described Found Years as a "sure-fire melodrama" that could come up with a "brilliant cast" and was a "box-office hit that moved to tears".
Awards
At the 1943 Academy Awards , Found Years was nominated for an Oscar in seven categories , but ended up with nothing. In the categories of Best Film , Best Director (Mervyn LeRoy), Best Adapted Screenplay (George Froeschel, Claudine West, Arthur Wimperis) and Best Supporting Actress (Susan Peters), the melodrama had to admit defeat to the war drama Mrs. Miniver , in which Greer Garson too had played a leading role and received an Oscar for the title role. Her screen partner in Found Years , Ronald Colman, lost to James Cagney in the Best Actor category . Even Herbert Stothart could in the category Best Original Score nor prevail against the competition like Cedric Gibbons , Randall Duell , Edwin B. Willis and Jack D. Moore in the category Best Art Direction .
German version
The German dubbed version was created in 1947 by Willy-Zeyn Film GmbH Berlin . Eugen York was responsible for the dialogue script and the dubbing .
| role | actor | Voice actor |
|---|---|---|
| Charles Rainier | Ronald Colman | Wolfgang Lukschy |
| Paula Ridgeway | Greer Garson | Lu Neatly |
| Dr. Jonathan Benet | Philip Dorn | Konrad Wagner |
| Kitty Chilcet | Susan Peters | Catja Görna |
| Dr. Sims | Henry Travers | Erich Dunskus |
| "Biffer" | Reginald Owen | Karl Hellmer |
| Harrison | Bramwell Fletcher | Max Eckard |
| Sam | Rhys Williams | Reinhold Bernt |
| Tobacco trader | Una O'Connor | Lilli Schoenborn |
| Butler Sheldon | Aubrey Mather | CW castle |
| Mrs. Deventer | Margaret Wycherly | Margarete Schön |
| George Rainier | Melville Cooper | Tadzio Kondziella |
| Mrs. Lloyd | Elisabeth Risdon | Magdalena von Nussbaum |
literature
- James Hilton : Years found . Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag, 1998, 332 pages, ISBN 3-59612-745-9 .
- James Hilton: Random Harvest . Carroll & Graf Publishers Inc., 1st edition, 1998, 326 pages, ISBN 0-78670-593-0 (English edition).
Web links
- Random Harvest in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Random Harvest at Rotten Tomatoes (English)
- Found years at Turner Classic Movies (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Michael Troyan: A Rose for Mrs. Miniver. The Life of Greer Garson . The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, p. 138.
- ^ "When Random Harvest came along, Ronnie and Greer were the first choice for the role. [...] Between the two of them, the English language was never spoken more beautifully on film. " Mervyn LeRoy quoted. after Michael Troyan: A Rose for Mrs. Miniver. The Life of Greer Garson . The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, p. 139.
- ↑ “One reason I found Paula so interesting to play was that I believed in her. She was as multi-faceted as most human beings are - the music hall actress, gay and independent; the sympathetic girl; the adored wife, happy Mrs. Smith; the efficient secretary, and finally the influential Lady Rainier. But more important even than the variety that gave color to the role was the fact that it was a sensitively written study of a woman's heart. " Greer Garson cited. after Michael Troyan: A Rose for Mrs. Miniver. The Life of Greer Garson . The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, p. 138.
- ↑ “Playing the part of Paula was pure joy for me. Sometimes when working on a film, I come home utterly exhausted, but while playing this role I ended each day feeling fresh and lighthearted. The script flowed so beautifully, like a symphony. I would just sing going to the studio every morning. And that was at 4:45 AM! " Greer Garson cited. after Michael Troyan: A Rose for Mrs. Miniver. The Life of Greer Garson . The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, p. 143.
- ^ “The Scotch and Irish are always dancing and their natural sense of rhythm was born in me. It seemed a wonderful opportunity to prove that I wasn't born with a bustle. " , Michael Troyan: A Rose for Mrs. Miniver. The Life of Greer Garson . The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, p. 141.
- ↑ “We felt it would be a mistake suddenly to throw her legs at the public, and we didn't want to have her 'go Hollywood' on the screen; so we had kilts made in three different lengths, and tried them all out. Finally we decided to use the medium-length ones. " Sidney Franklin quote. after Michael Troyan: A Rose for Mrs. Miniver. The Life of Greer Garson . The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, p. 141.
- ↑ “I was a bit embarrassed the first time I put on the kilt. I seemed to be all legs, and for once I wished there was a hoop skirt handy. " Greer Garson cited. after Michael Troyan: A Rose for Mrs. Miniver. The Life of Greer Garson . The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, p. 141.
- ↑ “When I pranced out onto the sound stage wearing this abbreviated costume, I felt terribly shy and embarrassed. Then the extras and the gang gave out with long whistles and I must say, I felt pleasantly flattered. " Greer Garson cited. after Michael Troyan: A Rose for Mrs. Miniver. The Life of Greer Garson . The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, p. 141.
- ↑ "That number was exactly what Greer really wanted to do - really enjoyed to do: musical comedy." Lillian Burns cited. after Michael Troyan: A Rose for Mrs. Miniver. The Life of Greer Garson . The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, p. 141.
- ↑ Michael Troyan: A Rose for Mrs. Miniver. The Life of Greer Garson . The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, p. 155.
- ↑ “It was the happiest film I ever made. I know I am prejudiced but I think it is one of the half dozen greatest love stories. " Greer Garson cited. after Michael Troyan: A Rose for Mrs. Miniver. The Life of Greer Garson . The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, p. 136.
- ^ “ Random Harvest is a first-rate film made from James Hilton's second-rate novel of the same name. [...] It is distinguished by 1) a moving love story, 2) the unveiling of Miss Garson's interesting legs. " See Cinema: The New Pictures . In: Time , December 28, 1942.
- ^ “Greer Garson, most gracious and feminine of stars, has a role in Paula […] which she makes magnificent. It is a performance of perfection by a great actress. " The Hollywood Reporter quoted. after Michael Troyan: A Rose for Mrs. Miniver. The Life of Greer Garson . The University Press of Kentucky, 1999, p. 155.
- ^ “The film transcription of James Hilton's novel Random Harvest […] achieves much more than average importance. […] Colman gives a fine performance […]. Greer Garson, more charming and seductive than ever, is an important mainstay of the picture. Essaying a highly sympathetic role, she overshadows Colman. " See Random Harvest . In: Variety , 1942.
- ↑ "Miss Garson [...] is the model splendid woman in every desirable respect, and she even is modestly permitted to show off her dimpled knees. Likewise, Mr. Colman is presented in the most attractive light as a man of impeccable character and conspicuous gentility. […] Mr. LeRoy has directed it in slow tempo with an eye to poignant moods. " Bosley Crowther : 'Random Harvest,' With Greer Garson and Ronald Colman, From James Hilton Novel, Opens at the Music Hall . In: New York Times , December 18, 1942.
- ↑ "Under normal circumstances, we wouldn't believe a minute of Random Harvest , but the magic spell woven by the stars and by author James Hilton transforms the wildly incredible into the wholly credible." Hal Erickson , cf. omovie.com
- ↑ Years found. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed May 25, 2019 .
- ↑ cf. cinema.de
- ↑ cf. synchrondatenbank.de