The Shining Hour
The Shining Hour is a 1938 American romantic drama film directed by Frank Borzage, based on the 1934 play The Shining Hour by Keith Winter, and starring Joan Crawford and Margaret Sullavan. The supporting cast of the MGM film features Robert Young, Melvyn Douglas, Fay Bainter and Hattie McDaniel.
| The Shining Hour | |
|---|---|
 Original Film Poster | |
| Directed by | Frank Borzage |
| Screenplay by | Jane Murfin Ogden Nash |
| Based on | The Shining Hour 1934 play by Keith Winter |
| Produced by | Joseph L. Mankiewicz Frank Borzage (uncredited) |
| Starring | Joan Crawford Margaret Sullavan Robert Young Melvyn Douglas |
| Cinematography | George J. Folsey |
| Edited by | Frank E. Hull |
| Music by | Franz Waxman |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Loew's Inc |
Release date |
|
Running time | 76 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,068,000[1] |
| Box office | $1,367,000[1] |
Plot
Olivia Riley (Joan Crawford), a New York City nightclub dancer, tires of the fast life and consents to marry Henry Linden (Melvyn Douglas), a wealthy farmer from Wisconsin. Even before they engage to be married, however, Henry's brother David (Robert Young) is sent to New York by their domineering sister Hannah (Fay Bainter) to dissuade him from marrying Olivia. In private, Olivia slaps David when her integrity is questioned, but she marries Henry because she says he's the only person in her life who is endlessly positive. When Olivia moves to her new husband's farm in Wisconsin, she encounters trouble from her sister-in-law Hannah, who does not approve of her. Olivia finds an ally in David's wife, Judy (Margaret Sullavan), who is in a loveless marriage.
Olivia comes to realize that she and Judy are in the same situation. Olivia's situation is further complicated when David defends her from the unwanted advances of a farm hand and he begins to fall in love with her. Henry is unaware of this, but Hannah finds out what is going on, and in a drunken rage she sets fire to the house that's being built for Henry and Olivia. Olivia saves a badly burned Judy, and David realizes he has loved Judy after all. Olivia then decides to leave the farm; and, as she drives away, Henry joins her and they leave together.
Cast
- Joan Crawford as Olivia Riley
- Margaret Sullavan as Judy Linden
- Robert Young as David Linden
- Melvyn Douglas as Henry Linden
- Fay Bainter as Hannah Linden
- Allyn Joslyn as Roger Q. Franklin
- Hattie McDaniel as Belvedere
- Oscar O'Shea as Charlie Collins
- Frank Albertson as Benny Collins
- Harry Barris as Bertie
Box office
According to MGM records, the film earned $942,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $425,000 in other markets, realizing for the studio a total box office of $1,367,000. Those receipts, less the production's cited budget of $1,068,000, resulted in a profit of $299,000 for MGM.[1]
References
- The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
External links
- The Shining Hour at IMDb
- The Shining Hour at AllMovie
- The Shining Hour at the TCM Movie Database
- The Shining Hour at the American Film Institute Catalog