Main Cast: Ray Milland, Marlene Dietrich, Murvyn Vye, Dennis Hoey
Release Year: 1947
Country: US
Run Time: 95 minutes
Plot
Based on a novel by Yolanda Foldes, this confusing romantic adventure concerns a love affair and international espionage. Told in flashback, British officer Ralph Denistoun (Ray Milland) recounts the story to American journalist Quentin Reynolds. Before WWII, British Intelligence officers Ralph and Richard (Bruce Lester) were held captive by Nazis who wanted to know about Prof. Otto Krosigk's (Reinhold Schunzel) secret formula. Ralph and Richard escape, deciding to look for Krosigk separately with the plan to meet up again in Stuttgart. Then Ralph meets gypsy woman Lydia (Marlene Dietrich) in the forest. She disguises him, gives him golden earrings to wear, and leads him through the forest. Ralph eventually fights the gypsy leader Zoltan (Murvyn Vye) and wins his respect. He joins the band of gypsies and heads to Stuttgart where he meets Richard and reads the horrible fate in his palm. He then meets Krosigk, who gives him the secret formula. He is then able to escape, but promises to return for Lydia. The story ends with Lydia and Ralph meeting again in the forest after the war is over. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Review
Seen today, Golden Earrings is a fairly unbelievable little film, made even odder by the presence of ultra-chic Marlene Dietrich in a totally unglamorous role. It's not necessarily a bad movie, mind you, once one gets past the fact that that really is Dietrich beneath the ridiculous two tons of greasepaint and the jet-black wig. But neither is it a movie one would really go out of one's way to catch (Dietrich diehards excepted, of course.) The story is far-fetched and at times ludicrous, the stereotypes are rampant, a single line of dialogue is used to cover the atrocities committed by the Nazis against gypsies, and the dialogue in general is not particularly good. But where else can one see a bedraggled Dietrich scratching herself or plucking a fish head from s boiling pot and downing it in one gulp? The actress throws herself into the role and is surprisingly effective; it's not necessarily the greatest performance, but it reveals that she could stretch herself in interesting ways when challenged. Ray Milland is fine in his role, though he and Dietrich lack the spark together that the film demands of them, and Mitchell Leisen's direction is professional if not overly inventive (although the shot of the entrance to the gypsy camp deserves some mention). ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Quentin Reynolds - Himself; Reinhold Schünzel - Prof. Otto Krosigk; Ivan Triesault - Maj. Reimann; Martha Bamattre - Wise Old Woman; Mme. Louise Colombet - Flower Woman; John Dehner - S.S. Man; Leslie Denison - Miggs; Vernon P. Downing - Club Member; Tony Ellis - Dispatch Rider; Eric Feldary - Zweig; Arno Frey - Major; Frederick Giermann - Sergeant; John Good - S.S. Lieutenant; Henry Guttman - Peasant; Maynard Holmes - Private; Roberta Jonay - Peasant Girl; Bruce Lister - Byrd; Howard Mitchell - Naval Officer; Fred Nurney - First Agent; John Peters - Lieutenant Colonel; Otto Reichow - Agent; Gordon Richards; Henry Rowland - Peiffer; Hans Schumm - Policeman; Larry Simms - Page Boy; George Sorel; Bob Stephenson; Hermine Sterler - Greta Krosigk; Hans Von Morhart - S.S. Trooper; Gisela Werbiseck - Dowager; Jack Wilson - Hitler Youth Leader; William Yetter, Jr.; James H. Horne; Frank Johnson - Waiter; Mitchell Leisen; Harry Anderson - German Farmer; Caryl Lincoln - Farmer's Wife; Pepito Pérez; Peter Seal - Chief of Police; Harold de Becker - Telegraph Boy; Gordon Arnold - Gypsy Boy; Carmen Beretta - Tourist; Robert Cory - Doorman; Margaret Farrell - Woman; Jon Gilbreath - Soldier; Walter Rode; Leo Schlesinger - Soldier; Henry Vroom - S.S. Guard; Al Winters - Elite Guard Colonel; Jack Worth - Nazi Party Official
