''Girls' Dormitory'' is a 1936 American

romance film Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their journey ...

directed by

Irving Cummings Irving Caminsky (October 9, 1888 – April 18, 1959) was an American movie actor and director. Career Born in New York City, Cummings started his acting career at age 16 in ''Diplomacy''. His Broadway, performances included ''In the Long ...

based upon the 1934 play ''Mature'' by

Ladislas Fodor Ladislas Fodor (1898–1978) was a Hungarian novelist, playwright and screenwriter. Plays *''A Church Mouse'' (''A templom egére''); a comedy in three acts, adapted by James L. A. Burrell (1928) *''Jewel Robbery'' (''Ékszerrablás a Váci utcá ...

, and adapted for the screen by

Gene Markey Eugene Willford "Gene" Markey (December 11, 1895 – May 1, 1980) was an American writer, producer, screenwriter, and highly decorated naval officer. Biography Early life Markey was born in Michigan in 1895. His father, Eugene Lawrenc ...

Plot

Set in the fictional Montreaux School for Girls in Switzerland, the main focus of the film is Dr. Stephen Dominick, the school's popular director who is secretly admired by teacher Professor Anna Mathe and the 19-year-old French student Marie Claudel. At a

state fair A state fair is an annual competitive and recreational gathering of a U.S. state's population, usually held in late summer or early fall. It is a larger version of a county fair, often including only exhibits or competitors that have won in th ...

, the girls draw lots to see who gets to ask Dr. Dominick for a dance. Marie wins and nervously asks Dr. Dominick. Because he thinks it is inappropriate to dance with a student, he refuses, causing Marie to burst out in tears and run away. Thereby, she is late for the bus, returning to the boarding school. A week later, Professor Augusta Wimmer, a strict, unlikable woman, goes through the personal belongings of her students and finds a discarded love letter. Dr. Dominick and Professor Mathe are assigned to find out who wrote the letter, and conclude Marie is responsible due to the handwriting. Upon confronting her, she denies having written the letter, fearing Dr. Dominick will find out about her crush on him. Some of the uptight, old-fashioned teachers, including Professor Wimmer, suspect that while she was gone at the fair, she visited the supposed boyfriend the letter was addressed to. Because the strict rules at the school include not being allowed to date, Marie risks being suspended two days before graduation. In tears, Marie admits to Professor Mathe that she wrote the letter to Dr. Dominick. Anna doesn't tell Dr. Dominick this, but lets him know the girl is innocent. They both sympathise with her and try to prevent further punishment. But the other teachers persist with their persecution and insist that her mother is summoned. Desperate, Marie decides to run away, into a storm. Dr Dominick pursues her, and manages to catch up with her at some remote mountain hut. There, he fetches blankets for her and as he sits by her, she confesses her feelings for him. He admits to returning them. The next day, back at school, he proposes marriage and she accepts. Shortly afterwards Marie overhears a conversation in which Professor Mathe admits to being in love with Dr. Dominick and that she will leave the school because she is heartbroken. Trying to prevent this, Marie lies to Dr. Dominick by saying that she lied to him about being in love with him, claiming that she only told him she loved him so she would be able to graduate. Soon after graduation, Marie is about to be driven back home by her cousin Vallais from a nightclub where they were having a small celebration party, when she is suddenly visited by Dr. Dominick. He tells her he could never fall in love with Anna, after which they kiss.

Cast

Herbert Marshall Herbert Brough Falcon Marshall (23 May 1890 – 22 January 1966) was an English stage, screen and radio actor who starred in many popular and well-regarded Hollywood films in the 1930s and 1940s. After a successful theatrical career in the Uni ...

as Dr. Stephen Dominick *

Ruth Chatterton Ruth Chatterton (December 24, 1892 – November 24, 1961) was an American stage, film, and television actress, aviator and novelist. She was at her most popular in the early to mid-1930s, and in the same era gained prominence as an aviator, ...

as Professor Anna Mathe *

Simone Simon Simone Thérèse Fernande Simon (23 April 1910 or 1911 – 22 February 2005) was a French film actress who began her film career in 1931. Early life Born in Marseille, France, she was the daughter of Henri Louis Firmin Clair Simon, a French J ...

as Marie Claudel *

Constance Collier Constance Collier (born Laura Constance Hardie; 22 January 1878 – 25 April 1955) was an English stage and film actress and acting coach. She wrote hit plays and films with Ivor Novello and she was the first person to be treated with insul ...

as Professor Augusta Wimmer * J. Edward Bromberg as Dr. Spindler * Dixie Dunbar as Luisa *

John Qualen John Qualen (born Johan Mandt Kvalen, December 8, 1899 – September 12, 1987) was an American character actor of Norwegian heritage who specialized in Scandinavian roles. Early years Qualen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, the son ...

as Toni * Shirley Deane as Fritzi *

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include ''Jesse James'', ' ...

as Count Vallais *

Frank Reicher Frank Reicher (born Franz Reicher; December 2, 1875 – January 19, 1965) was a German-born American actor, director and producer. He is best known for playing Captain Englehorn in the 1933 film ''King Kong''. Early life Reicher was born in Mu ...

as Dr. Hoffenreich *

George Hassell George Jefferson Hassell (July 5, 1888 – February 10, 1928) was an American serial killer and mass murderer who killed his wife and eight children (ranging in age between 1 and 21 years old) on December 5, 1926, in Farwell, Texas. He also ...

as Dr. Willfinger *Lynne Berkeley as Dora *

June Storey Mary June Storey (April 20, 1918 – December 18, 1991) was a Canadian-born American film actress who appeared in 45 films during the 1930s and 1940s. She was leading lady to cowboy singer Gene Autry in 10 films. Early years Storey was bor ...

as Greta *

Christian Rub Christian Rub (pronounced ''Rhoob''; April 13, 1886 – April 14, 1956) was an Austrian-born American character actor. He was known for his work in films of the late 1910s to the early 1950s, and was featured in more than 100 films. Biography ...

as Forester *

Rita Gould Rita Gould (August 8, 1890 – March 15, 1981) was an American singer and actress, born in Odessa. She performed in vaudeville in the 1920s, and in American films in the 1930s and 1940s. She was also known for her costumes and for the hats she m ...

as Professor Emma Kern * Peggy Montgomery as Student *

Lynn Bari Lynn Bari (born Marjorie Schuyler Fisher, December 18, 1919 – November 20, 1989) was a film actress who specialized in playing sultry, statuesque man-killers in roughly 150 films for 20th Century Fox, from the early 1930s through the 1940s. ...

as Student (uncredited)

Reception

The film was

's first American film. The press praised her performance, with ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...

'' noting that "Hers is a performance unprecedented in Hollywood productions. Fresh, bright and alive, her face mirrors expressions with an ease that transcends acting". Writing for ''

The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world. It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''The ...

'' in 1936,

Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...

gave the film a mild mixed review, describing it as "dewy" and "undoubtedly sexy", and ultimately concluding that "its concentrated atmosphere of young innocence defeats its own purpose". Greene praised the acting of Simon and Bromberg, and the directing generally. (reprinted in: )

References

External links

* {{Irving Cummings 1936 films 1930s romance films 20th Century Fox films Films directed by Irving Cummings Films set in Switzerland Films about educators American black-and-white films American films based on plays Films set in boarding schools American romance films 1930s American films

Plot

Cast

Reception

See also

References

External links