The Constant Nymph

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Overview

Warner Bros.' The Constant Nymph was the third filmization of Margaret Dean's 1924 novel; the first two were filmed in Britain in 1928 and 1933 by producer Michael Balcon. The plot was substantially the same in all three versions: A self-centered European musician Charles Boyer is idolized by a young Belgian girl Joan Fontaine with a serious heart condition. Though he is fond of the girl, the composer opts for a wealthy marriage to her socialite cousin Alexis Smith--and lives to regret the move. Peter Lorre, ...
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DVD (Remastered / Pan & Scan)
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More About This Product

Overview

Warner Bros.' The Constant Nymph was the third filmization of Margaret Dean's 1924 novel; the first two were filmed in Britain in 1928 and 1933 by producer Michael Balcon. The plot was substantially the same in all three versions: A self-centered European musician Charles Boyer is idolized by a young Belgian girl Joan Fontaine with a serious heart condition. Though he is fond of the girl, the composer opts for a wealthy marriage to her socialite cousin Alexis Smith--and lives to regret the move. Peter Lorre, taking a respite from villainous roles, is quite effective as a philosophical family friend. Composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold's six-minute symphonic tone poem for Constant Nymph was given class-A treatment in a specially recorded RCA Victor orchestration in 1972.
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler
The Constant Nymph is a good, solid adaptation of the once-famous Margaret Kennedy novel. If it falls short of being a totally memorable film, it still casts enough of a spell to make it worthwhile to seek out this hard-to-find offering. This is especially true of fans for stars Charles Boyer and Joan Fontaine, but is perhaps most true of all for fans of composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold, whose score for Nymph is simply stunning. Korngold's work climaxes in a 6-minute tone poem that is simply beautiful; while it seems doubtful that the music Korngold has composed would be the kind of music Boyer's avant-garde composer would create, it is so good that one doesn't really mind. Boyer is in especially fine form. Often, Boyer let the strength of his personality carry him without concentrating too heavily on actual acting, but in Nymph he displays some impressive chops. Fontaine plays her fragile vulnerability to the hilt, with good results. Even better is Alexis Smith, who finds considerably complexity in what could have been a fairly one-dimensional portrayal. Add in fins support from Peter Lorre and Charles Coburn and sensitive direction from Edmund Goulding, and the result is a very engaging melodrama.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 11/22/2011
  • UPC: 883316374450
  • Original Release: 1943

    • Rating:

  • Source: Warner Archives
  • Region Code: 0
  • Presentation: Remastered / Pan & Scan
  • Language: English
  • Time: 1:52:00
  • Format: DVD
  • Sales rank: 17,811

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Charles Boyer Lewis Dodd
Joan Fontaine Tessa Sanger
Alexis Smith Florence Creighton
Charles Coburn Charles Churchill
Peter Lorre Fritz Bercovi
Brenda Marshall Toni Sanger
Joyce Reynolds Paula Sanger
Dame May Whitty Lady Longborough
Jean Muir Kate Sanger
Montagu Love Albert Sanger
Janine Crispin Marie
Doris Lloyd Miss Hamilton
Joan Blair Lina Kamaroff
André Charlot Dr. Renee
Crauford Kent Thorpe
Marcel Dalio Georges
Eduardo Ciannelli Roberto
Dick Ryan Firil Trigorin
Technical Credits
Edmund Goulding Director
Henry Blanke Producer
Basil Dean Screenwriter
Leo F. Forbstein Musical Direction/Supervision
Tony Gaudio Cinematographer
Margaret Kennedy Screenwriter
Erich Wolfgang Korngold Score Composer
Kathryn Scola Screenwriter
David Weisbart Editor
Carl Jules Weyl Art Director
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