''The Age of Innocence'' is a 1934 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Philip Moeller Philip Moeller (26 August 1880 – 26 April 1958) was an American stage producer and director, playwright and screenwriter, born in New York where he helped found the short-lived Washington Square Players and then with Lawrence Langner and Hel ...

and starring

Irene Dunne Irene Dunne (born Irene Marie Dunn; December 20, 1898 – September 4, 1990) was an American actress who appeared in films during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She is best known for her comedic roles, though she performed in films of other gen ...

, John Boles and

Lionel Atwill Lionel Alfred William Atwill (1 March 1885 – 22 April 1946) was an English stage and screen actor. He began his acting career at the Garrick Theatre. After coming to the U.S., he subsequently appeared in various Broadway plays and Hollywood f ...

. The film is an adaptation of the 1920 novel ''

The Age of Innocence ''The Age of Innocence'' is a 1920 novel by American author Edith Wharton. It was her twelfth novel, and was initially serialized in 1920 in four parts, in the magazine '' Pictorial Review''. Later that year, it was released as a book by D. App ...

'' by Edith Wharton, set in the fashionable New York society of the 1870s. Prolific on Broadway, Philip Moeller directed only two films: this, and the 1935 '' Break of Hearts'' with Katharine Hepburn. The novel was also adapted in a 1924 silent film version starring Beverly Bayne and a 1993

film version A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...

that starred Michelle Pfeiffer. A 1928 Broadway stage adaptation starred Katharine Cornell.

Premise

At his 1875 engagement party, the wealthy Newland Archer ( John Boles) is surprised to meet his childhood friend Ellen (

), beautiful and grown up and now Countess Olenska. Olenska is the cousin of his fiancee May (

Julie Haydon Julie Haydon (born Donella Donaldson, June 10, 1910 – December 24, 1994) was an American Broadway, film and television actress who received second billing as the female lead in the Ben Hecht–Charles MacArthur 1935 film vehicle for Noël ...

) and is considered scandalous by the strait-laced society of the time. Newland, however, treats her well and sends her two dozen yellow roses. Olenska turns to Newland for advice about a possible divorce.

Cast

as Countess Ellen Olenska * John Boles as Newland Archer *

as Julius Beaufort *

Helen Westley Helen Westley (born Henrietta Remsen Meserole Manney; March 28, 1875 – December 12, 1942) was an American character actress of stage and screen Early years Westley was born Henrietta Remsen Meserole Manney in Brooklyn, New York on March 28, ...

as Granny Manson Mingott *

Laura Hope Crews Laura Hope Crews (December 12, 1879 – November 12, 1942) was an American actress who is best remembered today for her later work as a character actress in motion pictures of the 1930s. Her best-known film role was Aunt Pittypat in ''Gone ...

as Augusta Welland *

as May Welland *

Herbert Yost Herbert Yost (also credited as Barry O'Moore and Bertram Yost; December 8, 1879October 23, 1945) was an American actor who in a career that spanned nearly half a century performed predominantly on stage in stock companies and in numerous Broadw ...

as Howard Welland *

Teresa Maxwell-Conover Teresa Maxwell-Conover (born Teresa Ryan; September 26, 1884 – September 1968) was an American actress in Broadway productions in the early 20th century. She was in motion pictures until the early 1940s, and was sometimes credited as Theresa ...

as Mrs. Archer * Edith Van Cleve as Jane Archer *

Leonard Carey Leonard Carey (25 February 1887 – 11 September 1977) was an English character actor who very often played butlers in Hollywood films of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. He was also active in television during the 1950s. He is perhaps best known f ...

as Jasper, the Butler *

Harry Beresford Harry J. Beresford (4 November 1863 – 4 October 1944) was an English-born actor on the American stage and in motion pictures. He used the professional name Harry J. Morgan early in his career. Career Harry Beresford began his acting career i ...

as Museum Guard (uncredited) *

Herbert Bunston Herbert Bunston (15 April 1874 – 27 February 1935) was an English stage and screen actor. He is remembered for his role as Dr. John Seward in the Broadway and film versions of ''Dracula''. Bunston was born in Charmouth and briefly attended ...

as W.J. Letterblair (uncredited)

Reception

The film was a box-office disappointment.Churchill, Douglas W
The Year in Hollywood: 1934 May Be Remembered as the Beginning of the Sweetness-and-Light Era ''(gate locked)''
''New York Times'' ew York, N.Y30 Dec 1934: X5. Retrieved December 16, 2013.

References

External links

* * * * * 1934 films 1930s historical drama films American historical drama films American black-and-white films 1930s English-language films Films scored by Max Steiner Films based on American novels Films based on works by Edith Wharton Films set in the 1870s Films set in New York City Remakes of American films Sound film remakes of silent films RKO Pictures films 1934 drama films 1930s American films {{historic-film-stub