Cass Timberlane is a 1947 American romantic drama film directed by George Sidney and starring Spencer Tracy, Lana Turner and Zachary Scott. It was based on the 1945 novel Cass Timberlane: A Novel of Husbands and Wives by Sinclair Lewis, which was Lewis' nineteenth novel and one of his last.
| Cass Timberlane | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | George Sidney |
| Written by | Donald Ogden Stewart (Adaptation and Screenplay) Sonya Levien (Adaptation) |
| Based on | Cass Timberlane: A Novel of Husbands and Wives 1945 novel by Sinclair Lewis |
| Produced by | Arthur Hornblow, Jr. |
| Starring | Spencer Tracy Lana Turner Zachary Scott |
| Cinematography | Robert Planck |
| Edited by | John Dunning |
| Music by | Roy Webb |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Loew's, Inc. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 119 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2,733,000[1][2] |
| Box office | $5,186,000 (worldwide rentals)[1][2] |
Plot edit
Judge Cass Timberlane is a middle-aged, incorruptible, highly respected man who enjoys good books and playing the flute. He falls for Ginny, a much younger girl from the lower class in his small Minnesota town. At first, the marriage is happy, but Ginny becomes bored with the small town and with the judge's friends. She leaves him for an affair with a lawyer, Timberlane's boyhood friend. Eventually, disillusioned with her lover, Ginny returns to her husband and becomes his loyal wife. The novel is Lewis's examination of marriage, love, romance, heartache and trust.
Cast edit
- Spencer Tracy as Cass Timberlane
- Lana Turner as Virginia "Ginny" Marshland
- Zachary Scott as Brad Criley
- Tom Drake as Jamie Wargate
- Mary Astor as Queenie Havock
- Albert Dekker as Boone Havock
- Margaret Lindsay as Chris Grau
- Rose Hobart as Diantha Marl
- John Litel as Webb Wargate
- Mona Barrie as Avis Elderman
- Josephine Hutchinson as Lillian Drover
- Selena Royle as Louise Wargate
- Frank Wilcox as Gregg Marl
- Richard Gaines as Dennis Thane
- John Alexander as Dr. Roy Drover
- Cameron Mitchell as Eino Roskinen
- Howard Freeman as Hervey Plint
- Griff Barnett as Herman
- Jessie Grayson as Mrs. Higbee[3]
- Gordon Richards as the Butler (uncredited)
Production edit
David Ogden Stewart, who worked on the script, recalled:
Spencer Tracy was a terribly professional actor who worked on the script and knew it by heart, and Lana’d come onto the set not having the foggiest idea what the thing was about, not knowing the lines or anything. Spencer was very angry during the first couple of weeks. Then it got better, and at the end he said: “That is a good actress.” She got his respect eventually, and I think Cass was quite a good picture. [4]
Cultural references edit
Wolcott Gibbs spoofed the novel in The New Yorker as "Shad Ampersand". The song "Cleo the Cat" by the band Benton Harbor Lunchbox was inspired by the novel Cass Timberlane: A Novel of Husbands and Wives.
Reception edit
Though it received tepid critical reviews, the film was a box office hit, earning $3,983,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $1,203,000 elsewhere, but because of its high production cost, it returned a profit of only $746,000.[1][2]
Home media edit
Cass Timberlane was released to DVD by Warner Home Video on July 6, 2010, via Warner Archives as a DVD-on-demand disc available through Amazon.
In other media edit
Radio edit
Cass Timberlane was presented on Theatre Guild on the Air February 15, 1953. The one-hour adaptation starred Fredric March and Nina Foch.[5]
References edit
- ^ a b c Glancy, H. Mark (1992). "MGM film grosses, 1924-1948: The Eddie Mannix Ledger". Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television. 12 (2): 127–144. doi:10.1080/01439689200260081.
- ^ a b c Glancy, H. Mark (1992). "Appendix". Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television. 12 (S2): 1–20. doi:10.1080/01439689208604539.
- ^ "The Light-Years and Micromillimeters of Our History". Los Angeles Times. 24 February 1999.
- ^ Eyles, Allen; Gillet, John (1986). "David Ogden Stewart: Politically Conscious". In McGilligan, Patrick (ed.). Backstory: Interviews with Screenwriters of Hollywood's Golden Age. p. 343.
- ^ Kirby, Walter (February 15, 1953). "Better Radio Programs for the Week". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 42. Retrieved June 21, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
Further reading edit
- Monder, Eric (1994). George Sidney:a Bio-Bibliography. Greenwood Press. ISBN 9780313284571.
