Double Wedding
Encyclopedia
Double Wedding is a 1937 romantic comedy film
. A bohemian free spirit (William Powell
) helps meek Waldo (John Beal
) win back his fiancée (Florence Rice
) and falls in love with her over-controlling sister (Myrna Loy
) in the process.
Based on the play Nagy szerelem (Great Love) by Ferenc Molnár
, the screenplay was written by Jo Swerling, and directed by Richard Thorpe
. Powell's fiancée Jean Harlow
died during production, halting filming. Powell later described finishing the film as "very difficult under the circumstances". Myrna Loy, who had been good friends with Harlow, wrote in her autobiography that she disliked the film because of Harlow's death and that it was "the scapegoat for concurrent despair".
), a freewheeling film director who lives in a car trailer, interrupts the well-ordered life of Margit Agnew (Myrna Loy
) when he convinces her younger sister Irene (Florence Rice
) that she should become an actress. However, Margit is determined that Irene will marry her fiancé of four years, the pliable Waldo (John Beal
). Fed up with Waldo's easy-going nature, Irene decides that she is infatuated with Charles. Charles pretends to return her feelings so he can stay close to Margit. He agrees to give up Irene if Margit will let him paint her portrait. However, Irene comes unexpectedly to his trailer and Margit, believing he lied about giving Irene up, angrily destroys the painting and has him arrested. Charles arranges for a wedding, planning to marry Margit, but circumstances push him into marrying Irene. During the ceremony Charles and Margit finally admit that they really love each other and Waldo arrives to punch Charles out and take back his fiancée.
Romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily"...
. A bohemian free spirit (William Powell
William Powell
William Horatio Powell was an American actor.A major star at MGM, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the popular Thin Man series in which Powell and Loy played Nick and Nora Charles...
) helps meek Waldo (John Beal
John Beal (actor)
-Life and career:Beal was born James Alexander Bliedung in Joplin, Missouri. He originally went to New York to study art but a chance to understudy in a play made him change his mind. He began acting in the 1930s, opposite Katharine Hepburn , among others; one of his notable screen appearances was...
) win back his fiancée (Florence Rice
Florence Rice
Florence Rice was an American film actress.Florence Davenport Rice was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the daughter of Grantland Rice and Katherine Hollis, who became an actress during the early 1930s and after several Broadway roles, eventually made her way to Hollywood where she acted in almost fifty...
) and falls in love with her over-controlling sister (Myrna Loy
Myrna Loy
Myrna Loy was an American actress. Trained as a dancer, she devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. Originally typecast in exotic roles, often as a vamp or a woman of Asian descent, her career prospects improved following her portrayal of Nora Charles...
) in the process.
Based on the play Nagy szerelem (Great Love) by Ferenc Molnár
Ferenc Molnár
LanguageFerenc Molnár was a Hungarian dramatist and novelist. His Americanized name was Franz Molnar...
, the screenplay was written by Jo Swerling, and directed by Richard Thorpe
Richard Thorpe
Richard Thorpe was an American film director.Born Rollo Smolt Thorpe in Hutchinson, Kansas, he began his entertainment career performing in vaudeville and onstage. In 1921 he began in motion pictures as an actor and directed his first silent film in 1923. He went on to direct more than one hundred...
. Powell's fiancée Jean Harlow
Jean Harlow
Jean Harlow was an American film actress and sex symbol of the 1930s. Known as the "Blonde Bombshell" and the "Platinum Blonde" , Harlow was ranked as one of the greatest movie stars of all time by the American Film Institute...
died during production, halting filming. Powell later described finishing the film as "very difficult under the circumstances". Myrna Loy, who had been good friends with Harlow, wrote in her autobiography that she disliked the film because of Harlow's death and that it was "the scapegoat for concurrent despair".
Plot
Charles Lodge (William PowellWilliam Powell
William Horatio Powell was an American actor.A major star at MGM, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the popular Thin Man series in which Powell and Loy played Nick and Nora Charles...
), a freewheeling film director who lives in a car trailer, interrupts the well-ordered life of Margit Agnew (Myrna Loy
Myrna Loy
Myrna Loy was an American actress. Trained as a dancer, she devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. Originally typecast in exotic roles, often as a vamp or a woman of Asian descent, her career prospects improved following her portrayal of Nora Charles...
) when he convinces her younger sister Irene (Florence Rice
Florence Rice
Florence Rice was an American film actress.Florence Davenport Rice was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the daughter of Grantland Rice and Katherine Hollis, who became an actress during the early 1930s and after several Broadway roles, eventually made her way to Hollywood where she acted in almost fifty...
) that she should become an actress. However, Margit is determined that Irene will marry her fiancé of four years, the pliable Waldo (John Beal
John Beal (actor)
-Life and career:Beal was born James Alexander Bliedung in Joplin, Missouri. He originally went to New York to study art but a chance to understudy in a play made him change his mind. He began acting in the 1930s, opposite Katharine Hepburn , among others; one of his notable screen appearances was...
). Fed up with Waldo's easy-going nature, Irene decides that she is infatuated with Charles. Charles pretends to return her feelings so he can stay close to Margit. He agrees to give up Irene if Margit will let him paint her portrait. However, Irene comes unexpectedly to his trailer and Margit, believing he lied about giving Irene up, angrily destroys the painting and has him arrested. Charles arranges for a wedding, planning to marry Margit, but circumstances push him into marrying Irene. During the ceremony Charles and Margit finally admit that they really love each other and Waldo arrives to punch Charles out and take back his fiancée.
Cast
- William PowellWilliam PowellWilliam Horatio Powell was an American actor.A major star at MGM, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the popular Thin Man series in which Powell and Loy played Nick and Nora Charles...
as Charlie Lodge - Myrna LoyMyrna LoyMyrna Loy was an American actress. Trained as a dancer, she devoted herself fully to an acting career following a few minor roles in silent films. Originally typecast in exotic roles, often as a vamp or a woman of Asian descent, her career prospects improved following her portrayal of Nora Charles...
as Margit Agnew - Florence RiceFlorence RiceFlorence Rice was an American film actress.Florence Davenport Rice was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the daughter of Grantland Rice and Katherine Hollis, who became an actress during the early 1930s and after several Broadway roles, eventually made her way to Hollywood where she acted in almost fifty...
as Irene Agnew - John BealJohn Beal (actor)-Life and career:Beal was born James Alexander Bliedung in Joplin, Missouri. He originally went to New York to study art but a chance to understudy in a play made him change his mind. He began acting in the 1930s, opposite Katharine Hepburn , among others; one of his notable screen appearances was...
as Waldo Beaver - Jessie RalphJessie RalphJessie Ralph was an American stage and screen actress, best known for her matronly roles in many classic motion pictures....
as Mrs. Kensington-Bly - Edgar KennedyEdgar KennedyEdgar Livingston Kennedy was an American comedic film actor, known as "the king of the slow burn". A slow burn is an exasperated facial expression, performed very deliberately; Kennedy embellished this by rubbing his hand over his bald head and across his face, in an attempt to hold his temper...
as Spike - Sidney TolerSidney TolerSidney Hooper Toler was an American actor, playwright, and theatre director. Of primarily Scottish ancestry, he was the second non-Asian actor to play the role of Charlie Chan.-Early life and career:...
as Mr. Keough - Mary GordonMary Gordon (actor)Mary Gordon was a Scottish actress, long in the United States, who specialized in housekeepers and mothers, most notably the landlady Mrs. Hudson in the Sherlock Holmes series of movies of the Thirties and Forties...
as Mrs. Keough - Barnett Parker as Mr. Flint
- Katherine Alexander as Claire Lodge, Charlie's ex-wife
- Priscilla LawsonPriscilla LawsonPriscilla Lawson , born Priscilla Shortridge, was an American actress known for her role as Princess Aura in the original Flash Gordon serial ....
as Felice - Bert RoachBert RoachBert Roach was an American film actor. He appeared in 327 films between 1914 and 1951.He was born in Washington, D.C., and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:* Fatty's Magic Pants...
as Shrank