Main Cast: Dorothy McGuire, Robert Young, Herbert Marshall, Mildred Natwick, Spring Byington
Release Year: 1945
Country: US
Run Time: 91 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Plot
This romantic fantasy was based on a popular play by Arthur Pinero. Oliver Bradford (Robert Young) is a young man who returned from World War II with severe facial scars; while he was engaged to be married before he left, he believes that no one could love him now, and he lives on the brink of suicide. Oliver meets Laura Pennington (Dorothy McGuire), a plain young woman who is convinced that her looks will never win her a man. These two lonely people marry, more out of desperation than love, and move into a small cottage which is all that remains of the large estate of Abigail Minnett (Mildred Natwick), who lost the rest of her property in a fire. The cottage has been the site of many happy honeymooners over the years, and inside its walls, Oliver and Laura discover that a magical transformation takes place; he regains the handsome features he once possessed, and she becomes beautiful. The couple find love and happiness with each other, but find that the cottage's magical spell only works as long as they remain at home with each other; the outside world does not recognize the beauty that they have found with each other. The Enchanted Cottage was previously adapted for the silent screen in 1924, with Richard Barthelmess and May McAvoy as the newlyweds. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Those unwilling to give poetic romance its due should steer clear of The Enchanted Cottage, a fragile yet powerfully optimistic melodrama. But those who are willing to enter into Cottage's enchanted world will find themselves delighted and ultimately uplifted. It's all fantasy, of course, although not the "sprites in the wood" type that the title suggests. Rather, Cottage steadfastly promotes the theory that beauty really and truly is in the eye of the beholder. From its startlingly romantic score to its stunning cinematography, Cottage has been put together to create a dream world in which love truly can conquer all, while tugging more than a few heartstrings along the way. It's unabashed melodrama, yet a melodrama that often gets its way through gentle rather than blatant manipulation, and emerges all the more powerful for that. Director John Cromwell does a sterling job of keeping Cottage in line, keeping the tone properly balanced so that no false notes -- which would be fatal -- ever creep in. He's enormously helped by the sensitive and beguiling performances of Robert Young and Dorothy McGuire, and excellent supporting work from Mildred Natwick and Spring Byington. All the players, onscreen and off, create a delicate world that may not be real -- but that most viewers will fervently wish were. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Carroll Clark - Art Director, Albert S. D'Agostino - Art Director, Darrell Silvera - Art Director, Edward Stevenson - Costume Designer, Fred Fleck - First Assistant Director, John Cromwell - Director, Joseph Noriega - Editor, Roy Webb - Composer (Music Score), Constantin Bakaleinikoff - Musical Direction/Supervision, Ted Tetzlaff - Cinematographer, Harriet Parsons - Producer, Darrell Silvera - Set Designer, Harley Miller - Set Designer, Vernon Walker - Special Effects, DeWitt Bodeen - Screenwriter, Herman Mankiewicz - Screenwriter, Arthur Wing Pinero - Play Author
When pilot Oliver Bradford (Robert Young) is disfigured by war wounds, he hides from his family (Spring Byington) and fiancée (Hillary Brooke), renting a cottage from Mrs. Minnett (Mildred Natwick). Laura Pennington (Dorothy McGuire) is a shy, homely maid who tidies up the place. Oliver and Laura gradually fall in love and discover that their feelings for each other have mysteriously transformed them. He appears handsome to her, and she seems beautiful to him. This is only perceived by the two lovers (and the audience), not by others. Laura comes to believe that the cottage is "enchanted" because it was once often rented to honeymoon couples.
Production
Arthur Wing Pinero's 1923 play was soon filmed in 1924 as a timely story involving physical and emotional disabilities following the First World War. RKO Producer Harriet Parsons acquired the rights for her studio for an updated World War II version set in New England. When the film was taken away from her by RKO management to be given to producer writer Dudley Nichols, a strong newspaper editorial column was written by Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper. Hopper set aside her long feud with her arch rival Harriet's mother Louella Parsons, and viciously criticised RKO for taking properties away from a female producer to give to a male. The outcry from the column made RKO change its mind and give the property back to Harriet Parsons.[1] Parsons wrote an outline of the updated story about a disfigured rather than disabled World War II veteran then engaged DeWitt Bodeen for the screenplay, the two becoming lifelong friends. Parsons also selected John Cromwell as director. David O. Selznick lent RKO Dorothy McGuire for the film as MGM provided Robert Young who reteamed with McGuire after her debut in Claudia. Parsons also contributed to the screenplay along with Herman J. Mankiewicz who was requested by Cromwell to touch up Bodeen's screenplay.[2]
Composer Roy Webb wrote a piano concerto for the film that a blinded World War I veteran (played by Herbert Marshall) uses as a tone poem to describe the story of the two protagonists to a gathering of people. Webb was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Music Score in 1945 and performed the concerto in the Hollywood Bowl in the same year. Marshall, who had lost a leg in the First World War, played his blind role with the help of special contact lenses.
Rather than having her character having noticeable physical disabilities, Dorothy McGuire insisted her character show her plainness by no makeup, ill-fitting clothes, and a drab hairstyle. When McGuire was filmed looking appealing to Robert Young her character had similar costumes that were well tailored.[3]
Adaptations to Other Media
The Enchanted Cottage was adapted as a radio play on the September 3, 1945 broadcast of Lux Radio Theater with Robert Young and Dorothy McGuire reprising their film roles, and on the December 11, 1946 broadcast of Academy Award Theater, starring Peter Lawford and Joan Lorring.
