{"id":44154,"date":"2019-07-30T09:27:01","date_gmt":"2019-07-30T16:27:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=44154"},"modified":"2021-02-05T20:33:08","modified_gmt":"2021-02-06T03:33:08","slug":"dodsworth-1936","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=44154","title":{"rendered":"Dodsworth (1936)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;A man&#8217;s habits get pretty strong in 20 years.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Poster-202x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"202\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-44156\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Poster-202x300.jpg 202w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Poster-86x128.jpg 86w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Poster.jpg 672w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 202px) 100vw, 202px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA retired automobile magnate (Walter Huston) goes on a European tour with his wife (Ruth Chatterton), who is eager to &#8220;have a fling&#8221; and feel young again. After an embarrassing flirtation with a roue (David Niven), Chatterton falls for a playboy (Paul Lukas) and then a penniless baron (Gregory Gaye) &#8212; but will Huston wait patiently, or seek solace from a kind widow (Mary Astor)?\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>David Niven Films<\/li>\n<li>Marital Problems<\/li>\n<li>Mary Astor Films<\/li>\n<li>Midlife Crisis<\/li>\n<li>Paul Lukas Films<\/li>\n<li>Play Adaptation<\/li>\n<li>Retirement<\/li>\n<li>Walter Huston Films<\/li>\n<li>William Wyler Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nWilliam Wyler directed this adaptation of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dodsworth_(novel)\">Sinclair Lewis&#8217;s 1929 satirical novel<\/a> (turned into a <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dodsworth_(play)\">play by Sidney Howard<\/a>) about a middle-aged American couple struggling to reconcile their post-retirement life abroad. It&#8217;s notable for not sugar-coating the marital challenges faced by Huston and Chatterton, instead recognizing the compromises that are sometimes made &#8212; at least up to a certain point (as Huston finally declares to Chatterton, &#8220;Love has got to stop someplace short of suicide!&#8221;). The performances are strong across the board, with Huston nicely showcasing the sense of wild-eyed freedom he feels once given permission to explore his interests, and Chatterton instantly displaying a narcissistic need to be noticed and loved by men other than her husband. With that said, she&#8217;s not presented as a shrew, but rather as a complex woman deathly afraid of what aging implies. This is a depressing tale, but one told with such honesty that we can&#8217;t help staying engaged and eager to see how events fare. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Walter Huston as Arthur Dodsworth<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Huston-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Huston-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-44227\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Huston-1.png 640w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Huston-1-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Huston-1-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Ruth Chatterton as Fran Dodsworth<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Chatterton.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Chatterton.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-44229\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Chatterton.png 640w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Chatterton-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Chatterton-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Mary Astor as Edith<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Astor.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Astor.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-44228\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Astor.png 640w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Astor-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Astor-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Rudolph Mate&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Cinematography.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-44230\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Cinematography.png 640w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Cinematography-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Cinematography-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Strong direction throughout by Wyler<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Direction-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Direction-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-44231\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Direction-1.png 640w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Direction-1-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Dodsworth-Direction-1-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a fine adaptation by a master director. Listed as a film with Historical importance and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary&#8217;s book. Chosen in 1990 by the National Film Preservation Board to be preserved in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Good Show<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> (<span style=\"color:red;font-weight:bold;\">Listed in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-static\/1001Movies.htm\"><em>1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die<\/em><\/a><\/span>) <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0027532\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tvguide.com\/movies\/dodsworth\/review\/113181\/\">TV Guide Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1936\/09\/24\/archives\/samuel-goldwyns-film-of-dodsworth-opens-at-the-rivoli-the.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/73332\/dodsworth#articles-reviews\">TCM Articles<\/a><\/li>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;A man&#8217;s habits get pretty strong in 20 years.&#8221; Synopsis: A retired automobile magnate (Walter Huston) goes on a European tour with his wife (Ruth Chatterton), who is eager to &#8220;have a fling&#8221; and feel young again. After an embarrassing flirtation with a roue (David Niven), Chatterton falls for a playboy (Paul Lukas) and then a penniless baron (Gregory Gaye) &#8212; but will Huston wait patiently, or seek solace from a kind widow (Mary Astor)? Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=44154\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=44154"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44154\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69122,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44154\/revisions\/69122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=44154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=44154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=44154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}