Hold Back The Dawn (1941)
Director:
Mitchell Leisen
Writers:
Ketti Frings (story), Charles BrackettStars:
Charles Boyer, Olivia de Havilland, Paulette Goddard
Hold Back the Dawn begins with a shabby immigrant (Charles Boyer) wandering onto a Paramount sound stage and telling his life story to director Mitchell Leisen (who actually directed this film). In flashback, we see that Boyer was once a conscienceless gigolo, desperate to flee Nazi-occupied Europe. He makes it to Mexico, where he pretends to fall in love with shy schoolteacher Olivia de Havilland. It is his plan to marry her, thus be able to enter the United States; then he intends to dump her and pursue the woman he really loves. Boyer's regeneration, and the price he pays for his previous callousness, brings Hold Back the Dawn to its tearful conclusion.
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Great and underrated movie
Definitely should have won best film that year! Great story, great acting. Olivia de Havilland should have won for best actress and Boyer should have been nominated and taken best actor award.
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Rare find
I had such a hard time finding finding this wonderful old movie on DVD. It is one of my favorites - Charles Boyer, Olivia DeHaviland, and Paulette Goddard are all excellent! The quality of the DVD is good with nothing left out (some I have received from other vendors chop off some of the beginning and ending studio intro & credits). I also enjoyed the extras.
