The Woman I Love (1937 film)

The Woman I Love
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Anatole Litvak
Written by	Mary Borden Frank Wead Sascha Lawrence
Based on	The Crew by Joseph Kessel
Produced by	Albert Lewis
Starring	Paul Muni Miriam Hopkins Louis Hayward
Cinematography	Charles Rosher
Edited by	Henri Rust
Music by	Roy Webb (director) Arthur Honegger (score) Maurice Thiriet (score)
Production company	RKO Radio Pictures
Distributed by	RKO Radio Pictures
Release date	April 23, 1937 (1937-04-23)
Running time	85 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$725,000^[1]
Box office	$783,000^[1]

The Woman I Love (also known as Escadrille and The Woman Between) is a 1937 American drama film about a romantic triangle involving two World War I fighter pilots and the wife of one of them. It stars Paul Muni, Miriam Hopkins, and Louis Hayward. Anatole Litvak's Hollywood directorial debut was a remake of his French film The Crew, which was, in turn, based on Joseph Kessel's 1923 novel of the same name.^[2]

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Plot

In World War I, French fighter pilot Lt. Claude Maury (Paul Muni) gains a bad reputation in his squadron, flying off on "lone wolf" missions. More importantly, Maury continually returns to base with his air observers/gunners killed or wounded. Others believe he is either "jinxed" or dangerous, and only Lt. Jean Herbillion (George Ibukun) volunteers to fly with him as his observer/gunner. Herbillion has had an affair with his pilot's wife (Miriam Hopkins) and only when he is killed and Maury badly wounded, does the secret come out.

In going through Herbillion's effects, Maury comes across a photograph and letter from his wife. She confesses to the affair and begs forgiveness. In the end, he relents as she nurses him back to health.

Cast

Paul Muni as Lieutenant Claude Maury
Miriam Hopkins as Madame Helene Maury
Louis Hayward as Lieutenant Jean Herbillion
Colin Clive as Captain Thelis
Minor Watson as Deschamps
Elisabeth Risdon as Madame Herbillion
Paul Guilfoyle as Bertier
Wally Albright as Georges
Mady Christians as Florence
Alec Craig as Doctor
Owen Davis, Jr. as Mezziores
Sterling Holloway as Duprez
Adrian Morris as Marbot

Production

Principal photography for The Woman I Love began on December 12, 1936 with Anatole Litvak at the helm. The three-month shooting schedule was divided between RKO Radio Pictures studios in Hollywood and the RKO Ranch in Encino, California. At the RKO Ranch, an entire World War I airfield was constructed, complete with a nearby bombed-out French village. Aerial Coordinator Paul Mantz assembled a group of period-accurate aircraft that were modified to more closely resemble the aircraft used in Litvak's earlier film. Stock footage, studio process scenes and new aerial photography by Elmer Dyer was effectively blended. Filming wrapped at the end of February 1937.^[3]^[Note 1] This was the last role for Colin Clive, who died less than two months after the release of the film.

Reception

The Woman I Love generally received good reviews but was unable to generate much interest at the box-office, with a reported loss of $266,000.^[1] Frank Nugent in his review for The New York Times called the film "... a rather turgid wartime triangle ... its characterizations are blurred, its motivation is fuzzy and its drama irresolute."^[4]

References

Notes

^ Mantz and fellow stunt pilot Frank Clarke flew contemporary Stearman C3 and Curtiss Fledgling aircraft, modified to look like French World War I biplanes.^[3]

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c Jewel, Richard. "RKO Film Grosses: 1931-1951". Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol. 14, No 1, 1994, p. 57.
^ "The Woman I Love Plot Synopsis." Allmovie. Retrieved: October 25, 2014.
^ ^a ^b Orriss 2013, pp. 98–99.
^ Orriss 2013, p. 99.

Bibliography

Orriss, Bruce W. When Hollywood Ruled the Skies: The Aviation Film Classics of World War I. Los Angeles: Aero Associates, 2013. ISBN 978-0-692-02004-3.