DAUGHTERS COURAGEOUS
US, 1939, 107 minutes, Black and white.
Claude Rains, John Garfield, Jeffrey Lynn, Fay Bainter, Priscilla Lane, Rosemary Lane, Lola Lane, Gale Page, Donald Crisp, May Robson.
Directed by Michael Curtiz.
Daughters Courageous is the second in a series of romantic dramas made by Warner Bros at the end of the '30s. The first was Four Daughters, the third was Four Wives. All films were directed by Michael Curtiz.
However, Daughters Courageous does not exactly fit into the series. Rather, it used the same cast and similar story to the other films which are literally sequels.
The film focuses on a New England family, the four daughters of a family, their relationship with their mother and her fiance. The father, absent for 20 years, returns - and he is paralleled with a young delinquent who is in love with one of the daughters. It is very much '30s soap opera material - but done with flair.
The film was written by Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein, writers of many Warner Bros films at the time - most notably Casablanca. The characters were based on characters created by Fannie Hurst (Back Street).
The cast is strong, particularly an unlikely Claude Rains as the wandering father. Fay Bainter is the mother. John Garfield is the delinquent. The Lane sisters and Gale Page are the daughters.
The film seems very dated now - but shows us rather vividly, Hollywood style, what was considered modern in the late '30s.
1. Enjoyable soap opera material, '30s style? American families, relationships, marriage, romance, marriage breakdown? Crises?
2. Black and white photography, Warner Bros production values? New England setting? The strong cast?
3. The title, the focus on the daughters, their experience, relationship with their parents?
4. Nan Masters and her household, her experience of marriage, the 20 years absence of her husband? Her attitudes towards him? Her love for her daughters, her relationship with each of them, their devotion to her? Her birthday? Her management of the household? Relating with their maid? The return of her husband, the turmoil in the house? Her ignoring him? The dependability of Sam, the irresponsibility of Jim? The incidents in the house, the daughter and her relationship with Gabriel, her wanting to break up the romance? The other daughters and their acting, engagements with businessmen etc? The American household? Nan and her experience, the courtesy of Jim on her birthday with the flowers, his intervening in the marriage? His finally going? Her love for Sam?
5. Jim Masters, his absence, his return, his daughters snubbing him - yet finding ways to talk things over with him, listening to his wise advice, his interventions? their not wanting to let the others know? His interest in Gabriel, seeing the parallels with himself, helping him, finally urging him to leave? And their going off together? The comic touches, the serious touches? The motivation for his absence? The credibility of Claude Rains in this role?
6. Gabriel and John Garfield's style, in the town, fishing, love for the daughter, in jail, delinquent? Yet wanting to change, in love with the daughter, gatecrashing? The discussions with Jim, his determination, the plan for the elopement? Jim persuading him to leave - and their going off together?
7. The daughters, their relationship with each other, friendships? Fooling around? Their attitude towards their father's return - ignoring him, yet getting to understand him, appreciating his advice and interventions? Their relationship with Sam and their love for him? Their love for their mother and the concern? The men in their lives - on the beach and humour, in the house and meals, the play and its performance, the fiance who was worried about business deals? American daughters of the period - echoing and embodying the values of the time?
8. The maid, her rousing on people, being the butt of jokes - yet her cranky but lovable interventions in their lives?
9. The men - in the town, their work, putting on the play, business? At the family celebrations? In love with the daughters? Bases for marriage?
10. The perennial elements of this kind of story - marriage, marriage break-up, suffering and enduring, reconciliations, support? The parallels between the generations?
