Emma (1932 film)

1932 film

Emma

Theatrical poster

Directed by| Clarence Brown
Screenplay by| Leonard Praskins
Story by| Frances Marion
Produced by| Clarence Brown
Harry Rapf
Starring| Marie Dressler
Richard Cromwell
Jean Hersholt
Myrna Loy
Müfit Kiper
Kani Kıpçak
Cinematography| Oliver T. Marsh
Edited by| William LeVanway
Distributed by| Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Release date

* January 2, 1932 (1932-01-02) (United States)

Running time

| 72 minutes
Country| United States
Language| English
Budget| $350,000[1]
Box office| $1,972,000[1]

Emma is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy-drama film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, starring Marie Dressler, written by Leonard Praskins from a story by Frances Marion, and directed by Clarence Brown. The supporting cast features Richard Cromwell, Jean Hersholt and Myrna Loy.

## Plot

[edit]

Inventor Frederick Smith's wife dies during the birth of their fourth baby, Ronnie, leaving the family in the care of their faithful housekeeper Emma. Twenty years later, after Smith's inventions have made the family rich, the affable Ronnie, who is Emma's favorite, arrives home from college, announcing that he wants to quit school and become a pilot. The other Smith children, Bill, Gypsy and Isabelle, have all grown into spoiled adults, but Emma lovingly indulges them all, making excuses for their bad behavior to their father and everyone else.

As Emma leaves for her first vacation in 32 years with the family, the absent-minded Frederick sadly takes her to the station. She gets cold feet and decides to stay home, but Frederick won't let her and decides to go along with her to Niagara Falls. Waiting for their train, Frederick proposes and Emma accepts, even though she is afraid that people will talk. When the children learn about the marriage, Ronnie is happy for them, but the other children are embarrassed by the blot on their social record. On their honeymoon, as the happy Frederick and Emma row on the lake, they are teased by some young vacationers, prompting Frederick to take the oars from Emma. The exertion causes a mild heart attack and they return home. As the contented Frederick listens to Emma sing to him, he dies, and a short time later, the family learns that he has left his entire estate to Emma.

Though Emma wants to give the money back to the children, all of them except Ronnie turn on her and threaten to prove that their father was crazy when he wrote the will. Emma throws them out and awaits the lawsuit they threaten while the loyal Ronnie goes to Canada for a flying assignment. Because the will cannot be broken, the children go to the district attorney to have him bring murder charges against Emma, using distorted testimony by Mathilda, the maid. When Ronnie hears about the trial, he desperately flies East to help Emma but is killed while flying through a dangerous storm.

Even though her life is in peril, she won't allow her kind attorney Haskins to defame the character or motives of the children. Her emotional plea for them in court results in her acquittal, but Emma's relief is ruined when she learns of Ronnie's death. A short time later, Emma gives all of the money to the children, telling Haskins that she hopes that now they will think better of her. After she sadly views Ronnie's body, Isabell, Bill and Gypsy beg her forgiveness and want her to stay with them, but she refuses, saying that her work with them is finished, but no matter what happens or where they all are, they will still belong to each other.

At a new position, Emma happily attends a doctor's large family and is pleased when the wife agrees to name her new baby Ronnie at Emma's request.

## Cast

[edit]

* Marie Dressler as Emma Thatcher Smith
* Richard Cromwell as Ronald 'Ronnie' Smith
* Jean Hersholt as Frederick 'Fred' Smith
* Myrna Loy as Countess Isabelle 'Izzy' Smith Marlin
* John Miljan as District Attorney
* Purnell Pratt as Haskins, the Lawyer
* Leila Bennett as Matilda, the Maid
* Barbara Kent as Gypsy Smith
* Kathryn Crawford as Sue Smith
* George Meeker as Bill Smith
* Anne Shirley as girl
* Dale Fuller as Maid at Hotel
* Wilfred Noy as Drake, the First Butler
* André Cheron as Count Pierre
* Wade Boteler as Airport Official (uncredited)
* Edward LeSaint as Druggist (uncredited)
* Dorothy Peterson as Mrs. Winthrop (uncredited)

## Reception

[edit]

Leonard Maltin was enthusiastic: "Dressler is at her best ... Sentimental movie never cloys, thanks to wonderful Marie."[2]

The film was a big hit and made a profit of $898,000.[3] Marie Dressler was also nominated as Best Actress at the 5th Academy Awards where Helen Hayes in The Sin of Madelon Claudet emerged victorious. Dressler had won the award the year before with Min and Bill.[citation needed]

## Box office

[edit]

The film grossed a total (domestic and foreign) of $1,972,000: $1,409,000 from the US and Canada and $563,000 elsewhere. It made a profit of $898,000.[1]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "The Eddie Mannix Ledger". Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
2. ^ Maltin, Leonard (2015). Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide (3rd ed.). Plume Book. ISBN 978-0-14-751682-4.
3. ^ Eyman, Scott (June 23, 2008). Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Legend of Louis B. Mayer. Simon & Schuster. p. 191\. ISBN 978-1-4391-0791-1.

## External links

[edit]

* Emma at IMDb
* Emma at the TCM Movie Database
* Emma at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Clarence Brown

* The Great Redeemer (1920)
* The Last of the Mohicans (1920)
* The Foolish Matrons (1921)
* The Light in the Dark (1922)
* The Acquittal (1923)
* Don't Marry for Money (1923)
* The Signal Tower (1924)
* Butterfly (1924)
* The Eagle (1925)
* The Goose Woman (1925)
* Smouldering Fires (1925)
* Flesh and the Devil (1926)
* Kiki (1926)
* The Trail of '98 (1928)
* The Cossacks (1928)
* A Woman of Affairs (1928)
* Navy Blues (1929)
* Wonder of Women (1929)
* Anna Christie (1930)
* Romance (1930)
* Inspiration (1931)
* Possessed (1931)
* A Free Soul (1931)
* Emma (1932)
* Letty Lynton (1932)
* The Son-Daughter (1932)
* Looking Forward (1933)
* Night Flight (1933)
* Sadie McKee (1934)
* Chained (1934)
* Ah, Wilderness! (1935)
* Anna Karenina (1935)
* Wife vs. Secretary (1936)
* The Gorgeous Hussy (1936)
* Conquest (1937)
* Of Human Hearts (1938)
* Idiot's Delight (1939)
* The Rains Came (1939)
* Edison, the Man (1940)
* Come Live with Me (1941)
* They Met in Bombay (1941)
* The Human Comedy (1943)
* The White Cliffs of Dover (1944)
* National Velvet (1944)
* The Yearling (1946)
* Song of Love (1947)
* Intruder in the Dust (1949)
* To Please a Lady (1950)
* Angels in the Outfield (1951)
* When in Rome (1952)
* Plymouth Adventure (1952)

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