Idiot's Delight (1939)
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Robert E. Sherwood's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Idiot's Delight starred Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne on Broadway. Set in a lavish alpine hotel bordering an Italian air base, the story throws together several disparate people, each in his or her own way affected by the World War that threatens to erupt at a moment's notice. The only person who doesn't seem to have a political or economic stake in world affairs is Harry Van, a two-bit American entertainer who is stranded in the hotel with his travelling all-girl troupe, "Les Blondes." Harry is convinced that the alluring Irene, the foreign-accented "travelling companion" of munitions tycoon Achille Weber, is actually an American girl with whom he'd had a one-night stand years earlier, but Irene laughs off his insinuations. Eventually, Irene turns to Harry for comfort when Weber proves too disgustingly warmongering for her tastes. When war breaks out and the hotel is targeted for bombing, Harry makes sure that everyone gets to safety; he himself stays behind with Irene, with whom he has fallen in love. The two sing a hymn as the hotel is blown to oblivion. When Idiot's Delight was filmed in 1939, Norma Shearer did her best Lynn Fontanne imitation as Irene, while Clark Gable remained Clark Gable in his interpretation of Harry Van (his song-and-dance rendition of "Puttin' on the Ritz" is a classic of sneering insouciance). The film underwent an extensive "MGM-izing": while the pre-European affair between Harry and Irene is never dramatized in the play, the film shows Harry and Irene commiserating in a long prologue set in a seedy vaudeville house--and, in keeping with censorship restrictions, it is made abundantly clear that, while Harry befriends Irene, he does not sleep with her. The munitions manufacturer, here played by Edward Arnold, is depicted as an aberration, and not representative of "honest" business moguls (many of whom were close personal chums of MGM head Louis B. Mayer). And, while the ending of the play does not tell us whether or not Harry and Irene survive the bombing, the film permits the lovers a sun-streamed happy ending.
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Cast
Clark Gable
as Harry Van
as Harry Van
Norma Shearer
as Irene Fellara
as Irene Fellara
Edward Arnold
as Achille Weber
as Achille Weber
Charles Coburn
as Dr. Hugo Waldersee
as Dr. Hugo Waldersee
Joseph Schildkraut
as Capt. Kirvline
as Capt. Kirvline
Burgess Meredith
as Quillery
as Quillery
Laura Hope Crewes
as Mme. Zuleika
as Mme. Zuleika
Peter Willes
as Mr. Cherry
as Mr. Cherry
Pat Paterson
as Mrs. Cherry
as Mrs. Cherry
William Edmunds
as Dumptsy
as Dumptsy
Fritz Feld
as Pittatek
as Pittatek
Virginia Grey
as Shirley Laughlin
as Shirley Laughlin
Lorraine Krueger
as Bebe
as Bebe
Paula Stone
as Beulah Tremeyne
as Beulah Tremeyne
Virginia Dale
as Francine
as Francine
Joan Marsh
as Elaine Messiger
as Elaine Messiger
Bernadene Hayes
as Edna Creesh
as Edna Creesh
Edward Raquello
as Chiari
as Chiari
Frank Orth
as Benny Zinssar
as Benny Zinssar
George Sorel
as Major
as Major
Hobart Cavanaugh
as Frueheim, the Theater Manager
as Frueheim, the Theater Manager
Bernard Suss
as Auguste
as Auguste
William Irving
as Sandro
as Sandro
Harry Strang
as Sergeant
as Sergeant
Emory Parnell
as Fifth Avenue Cop
as Fifth Avenue Cop
Bud Geary
as Ambulance Driver
as Ambulance Driver
Evelyn Knapp
as Nurse
as Nurse
Mitchell Lewis
as Indian
as Indian
Joe Yule
as Comic
as Comic
Gertrude Bennett
as Woman with Powders
as Woman with Powders
Jimmy Conlin
as Stagehand
as Stagehand
Bonita Weber
as Woman with Catsup
as Woman with Catsup
Rudolph Myzet
as Czech Announcer
as Czech Announcer
Adolph Milar
as Fellara
as Fellara
Clem Bevans
as Jimmy Barzek
as Jimmy Barzek
Claire McDowell
as Mother
as Mother
Robert Middlemass
as Hospital Commandant
as Hospital Commandant
Evalyn Knapp
as Nurse
as Nurse
Eddie Gribbon
as Cop
as Cop
Buddy Messinger
as Usher
as Usher
Charles Judels
as Greek Restaurant Owner
as Greek Restaurant Owner
Paul Panzer
as Greek Chef
as Greek Chef
E. Alyn Warren
as Clerk, Grand Hotel
as Clerk, Grand Hotel
Frank Faylen
as Ed
as Ed
Frank M. Thomas
as Bert
as Bert
Garry Owen
as Newsstand Man
as Newsstand Man
Lee Phelps
as Train Announcer
as Train Announcer
Francis McDonald
as Flight Captain
as Flight Captain
Richard 'Skeets' Gallagher
as Donald Navadel
as Donald Navadel
Critic Reviews for Idiot's Delight
All Critics (3) | Fresh (2) | Rotten (1)
WWII + Gable+ Gable singing! Add Norma Shearer for more MGM star power.
February 18, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
An unfulfilling adaptation of Robert E. Sherwood's Pulitzer Prize-winning play.
January 28, 2005 | Rating: C | Full Review…
Audience Reviews for Idiot's Delight
Enjoyable if dated comedy/drama with Norma giving an amusing Garboesque take on her character. Gable's famous performance of Puttin' on the Ritz is memorable because he is so easygoing and game. Good supporting cast and assured direction also contribute to making this a pleasant diversion. Try and see the version with the international and far better ending.
jay nixon
Super Reviewer
Idiot's Delight Quotes
| Harry Van: | Oh, you like my electrical personality, hmm? |
| Irene Fellara: | No, nothing as obvious as that. . . |
| Irene Fellara: | No, nothing as obvious as that. |
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