MICHAEL CURTIZ
Bil’s rating (out of 5): BBBB. USA, 1938. First National Pictures. Screenplay by Julius J. Epstein, Lenore J. Coffee, from the Cosmopolitan Magazine story by Fannie Hurst. Cinematography by Ernest Haller. Produced by Hal B. Wallis. Music by Max Steiner. Production Design by John Hughes. Costume Design by Orry-Kelly. Film Editing by Ralph Dawson. Academy Awards 1938.
Every frame of this wonderful comedy-tearjerker is chock full of charm as it follows the hilarious love lives of Claude Rains‘ four attractive daughters (three of them played by the irresistible Lane sisters). One of them manages a romance with a sensitive boxer (John Garfield in his breakthrough role). Deceptively simple, the film starts out sweet and unassuming until it turns the screws and really gets you to care deeply about the characters involved. Exceptionally well written and beautifully directed by Michael Curtiz, this is a top example of thirties filmmaking.
