Dolly Sisters (film)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Dolly Sisters |
| Original title | The Dolly Sisters |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1945 |
| length | 114 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Irving Cummings |
| script |
John Francis Larkin Marian Spitzer |
| production | George Jessel |
| music |
Alfred Newman Cyril J. Mockridge Charles E. Henderson David Buttolph |
| camera | Ernest Palmer |
| cut | Barbara McLean |
| occupation | |
| |
Dolly Sisters is an American biopic about two entertainers of Hungarian origin who made show careers on stage in the USA and Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. Betty Grable and June Haver can be seen in the title roles , the male lead is played by John Payne . Directed by Irving Cummings .
action
The story begins in 1904 with the arrival of the two Hungarian sisters as children in the USA. Yansci and Rozsika Deutsch are accompanied by their teddy bear-like uncle László, whom they affectionately call "Latsie". Soon the girls appear in cafes as dancers and call themselves Jenny and Rosie. As Uncle Latsie's debts grew steadily, the young women decided in 1912 to professionally market their show dances and therefore decided to join the American variety of vaudeville, the vaudeville. During one of their appearances, they meet the young talent Harry Fox, with whom Jenny quickly falls in love. While the girls can show considerable success with their performances, Harry is professionally on the spot. Rosie doesn't trust Harry on the way, but Jenny wants to stay with him. When Harry presents his latest song composition to Jenny in love, a theater producer who is present hears it and gives him the professional opportunity that Harry has always been waiting for. Jenny and Harry decide to get married, but as soon as their happiness is perfect, the First World War breaks out in Europe and Harry is called to arms a little later.
Rosie convinces Jenny to go to Paris and perform at the Folies Bergère there, which could mean a significant boost to her image and career. They tour western Europe and are becoming more and more famous and popular. Finally, the year is 1918, the war is finally over. Harry wants his wife Jenny to return to the United States with him, but Rosie sees a glamorous show future for herself and her sister only here in Europe and therefore asks them to stay with her. Thereupon Harry indicates that he would like to divorce Jenny in such a case. The Dolly Sisters continue their tour of Europe. The unstable Jenny begins to fall prey to gambling and meets several wealthy men, whose advances she is all too happy to get involved with. Meanwhile, Rosie has secretly got engaged to her American friend Irving Netcher, who owns a chain of shops. Now it is Rosie who wants to return to the USA, while Jenny is reluctant. Instead, she accepts a marriage proposal from a wealthy patron. But the young married woman's thoughts are still with Harry, from whom she is now divorced.
While driving, she loses control of the vehicle and causes a serious accident. Harry, who has just become engaged to the American Leonora Baldwin, shows deep compassion for his ex. After a few months of convalescence in a French hospital, Jenny returns to New York. The legendary Dolly Sisters reunite during a charity event. Harry, who also appears there, introduces his Leonora to the two sisters, who quickly realizes that Harry still loves Jenny. That's why she leaves the theater while Harry is performing. Jenny and Rosie go to Harry on stage and finish his show and singing number with him.
Production notes
Dolly Sisters , planned since May 1943 , according to a report by The Hollywood Reporter , was written between January 18 and April 20, 1945 and premiered in Chicago on October 5, 1945. The German premiere took place on October 19, 1951. Originally, John M. Stahl was intended to direct.
James V. Monaco (music) and Mack Gordon (text) received an Oscar nomination for their song " I Can't Begin to Tell You " in 1946 .
Lyle R. Wheeler and Leland Fuller were responsible for the film construction, Thomas Little and Walter M. Scott took care of the equipment. Joseph C. Wright designed the film structures that were to be seen in the music show performances. Orry-Kelly designed the extensive costumes of the early 20th century. Ben Nye was a make-up artist, Arthur von Kirbach was responsible for the sound. The two composers Alfred Newman and Charles E. Henderson also took over the musical direction. Seymour Felix was responsible for the choreography .
Historical background, interesting facts
The “Dolly Sisters” actually existed, but the film tells a largely fictional life story. The Dolly sisters were Hungarian twins. One was called Yansci (US stage name: Jenny) Deutsch, the other Roszika (US stage name: Rosie) Deutsch. You were born on October 24, 1892 in a small town northeast of Budapest, right on today's border with Slovakia. The twins came to the United States in 1900 and, since their debut in the US vaudeville business in 1907, soon made a name for themselves as show dancers on both sides of the Atlantic. Rosie's first husband was the songwriter Jean Schwartz, after the divorce in 1921 she married the millionaire Mortimer Davis Jr. in 1927. In 1932, Rosie was her third marriage to the department store owner Irving Netcher. Jenny was married from 1914 to 1920 in her first marriage to Harry Fox, who played a central role in the film, and from 1935 in her second marriage to the lawyer Bernard Vinnisky.
The sisters celebrated their greatest successes in the lavish music shows in Florence Ziegfeld and also appeared in plays in New York, London and Paris. After 20 years, in 1927, Jenny and Rosie Dolly said goodbye to the stage, but continued to make headlines (e.g. through excessive gambling). Jenny adopted two Hungarian orphans, Klari and Manzi, in 1929 and was seriously injured in a car accident in 1933. After her recovery, Jenny returned to the United States with her daughters and married the said lawyer Vinnisky. She committed suicide on June 1, 1941. Her sister Rosie died of a heart attack on February 1, 1970. Rosie sold the film rights to both life stories to producing Twentieth Century Fox for $ 52,500. Jenny's suicide was not allowed to be discussed. The basis for the film plot was a fourteen-page biography of the sisters written down by Rosie, as well as scrapbooks, correspondence, newspaper clippings and the like.
Reviews
Bosley Crowther was disappointed in the New York Times after the New York premiere: “The story of the" Dolly Sisters "... is not the story we heard long ago. It is not the extravagant fable of the famous "sister appearance" that once made her the darling of two continents and the stuff of many inky journalists' dreams. Instead, it's a tired and drawn-out copy of so many old musical film plots that even Betty Grable's and June Haver's legs fail as adequate support. "
The Movie & Video Guide called the film a “cheeky humbug”.
In the lexicon of international films it says: "Igniting vaudeville numbers enliven the otherwise insignificant, elaborate music film."
Halliwell's Film Guide noted that the film was "neat at the script level, but sparkling in its excellent color scheme and enriching thanks to the excellent production standards."
Individual evidence
- ^ Production dates in the American Film Institute catalog
- ↑ In the film, they are only sisters, not twins
- ^ Review in The New York Times of November 15, 1945
- ^ Leonard Maltin : Movie & Video Guide, 1996 edition, p. 348
- ↑ Dolly Sisters. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed January 8, 2020 .
- ^ Leslie Halliwell : Halliwell's Film Guide, Seventh Edition, New York 1989, p. 288
Web links
- The Dolly Sisters in the American Film Institute catalog
- The Dolly Sisters in Turner Classic Movies
- Dolly Sisters in the Internet Movie Database (English)