Idiot's Delight

Be the first to write a review

Overview

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 ...
See more details below
DVD (Pan & Scan)
$16.19
BN.com price
(Save 10%)$17.99 List Price
Other sellers (DVD)
  • All (16) from $13.39   
  • New (14) from $13.39   
  • Used (2) from $19.46   
Note: This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. This disc is expected to play back in DVD Video "play only" devices and may not play back in other DVD devices including recorders and PC drives.

More About This Product

Overview

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.
Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler
The sight of a platinum blonde Norma Shearer takes some getting used to -- but then so does most of Shearer in Idiot's Delight. For whatever reason, Shearer never really "gets" the character. She provides the extravagance that the character calls for, but without the fun or satire, and she often seems to be acting in a vacuum; there may be other characters onscreen with her, but she rarely really connects with them. As a result, there's very little chemistry between her and Clark Gable, a serious problem. Gable, luckily, doesn't need her. His performance is a small gem, played with a light touch when appropriate and at full guns when needed. And the chance to see the King performing "Puttin' On the Ritz" is fascinating. He doesn't really do it well, but he does it like Gable, and that's more than enough. Robert Sherwood's play has been significantly altered, but the alternations are not all improvements, especially in terms of the characters played by Burgess Meredith and Edward Arnold. Things have become a little too pat, and the ending rankles, but there's still enough in Idiot to make it worth the occasional viewing.
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • Release Date: 3/23/2009
  • UPC: 883316125342
  • Original Release: 1939

    • Rating:

  • Source: Warner Archives
  • Presentation: Pan & Scan
  • Sound: Dolby Digital Mono
  • Language: English
  • Time: 1:46:00
  • Format: DVD

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Norma Shearer Irene Fellara
Clark Gable Harry Van
Edward Arnold Achille Weber
Charles Coburn Dr. Waldersee
Joseph Schildkraut Capt. Kirvline
Burgess Meredith Quillery
Laura Hope Crews Mme. Zuleika
Peter Willes Mr. Cherry
William Edmunds Dumptey
Fritz Feld Pittatek
Virginia Grey Shirley Laughlin
Lorraine Krueger Bebe
Paula Stone Beulah Tremeyne
Virginia Dale Francine, Les Blondes
Joan Marsh Elaine Messiger
Bernadene Hayes Edna Creesh
Gertrude Bennett Woman with Powders
Clem Bevans Jimmy Barzek
Hobart Cavanaugh Frueheim, the Theater Manager
Jimmy Conlin Stagehand
Frank Faylen Ed
Richard "Skeets" Gallagher Donald Navadel
Bud Geary Ambulance Driver
Eddie Gribbon Cop
William Irving Sandro
Charles Judels Greek Restaurant Owner
Evelyn Knapp Nurse
Mitchell Lewis Indian
Francis McDonald Flight Captain
Claire McDowell Mother
Buddy Messinger Usher
Robert Middlemass Hospital Commandant
Adolph Milar Fellara
Rudolph Myzet Czech Announcer
Frank Orth Benny Zinssar
Garry Owen Newsstand Man
Paul Panzer Greek Chef
Emory Parnell Fifth Avenue Cop
Pat Paterson Mrs. Cherry
Lee Phelps Train Announcer
Edward Raquello Chiari
George Sorel Major
Harry Strang Sergeant
Bernard Suss Auguste
Frank M. Thomas Bert
E. Alyn Warren Clerk, Grand Hotel
Bonita Weber Woman with Catsup
Joe Yule Comic
Technical Credits
Clarence Brown Director
Adrian Costumes/Costume Designer
William H. Daniels Cinematographer
Cedric Gibbons Art Director
Gus Kahn Songwriter
Robert J. Kern Editor
George King Choreography
George King Choreography
Wade B. Rubottom Art Director
Robert E. Sherwood Screenwriter
Herbert Stothart Score Composer, Musical Direction/Supervision
Hunt Stromberg Producer
Edwin B. Willis Set Decoration/Design
Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review
( 0 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(0)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously