Seventh Heaven (1937 film)
Encyclopedia
Seventh Heaven is an American romantic drama film released in 1937
by 20th Century Fox
and directed by Henry King
. The movie stars Simone Simon
and James Stewart
.
The film is a remake
of the 1927
silent film
of the same name, which featured Janet Gaynor
and Charles Farrell
in the same roles as Simon and Stewart. Both versions are based on the play Seventh Heaven by Austin Strong.
), who is criticized by his fellow citizens for being an atheist
. One day, he witnesses a young woman (Simone Simon
) being brutally beaten by her sister (Gale Sondergaard
) among a crowd for not entertaining a senior wealthy man in her sleazy bar. He sympathizes with the girl, Diane, and stops the fight. Later, Father Chevillon (Jean Hersholt
), who is worried about Chico's non-believing thoughts, offers him a deal: he will grant him a street washer job if he takes in Diane and opens his mind about believing in God. Chico agrees, and he prevents Diane's sister from turning Diane in to the police by claiming that she is his wife.
Because Diane has become very suicidal
, Chico shares his optimistic views with her and takes her to his garret, situated above seven flights of stairs. Even though there is no luxury, Diane - used to worse surroundings - thinks of the place as heaven. The same night, Chico and Diane realize that they like each other, though they ignore their feelings.
The next day, they celebrate Chico's new job at his neighbours, the Gobins. Unbeknownst to Chico, Diane received a visit from a gendarme earlier that morning to check the reliability of her 'marriage'. Eccentric neighbour Aristide the Astrologer (J. Edward Bromberg
) chastises Diane for keeping secrets from Chico and confronts her with taking advantage of him, as well as blaming her for ruining his chances of a wealthy life. Upset, Diane leaves and finds comfort in a bar, where she allows a man to seduce her. Chico, meanwhile, has found out about the confrontation and locates her in the bar. There, he beats up the man, takes Diane home and assures her that he is not too good to be with her.
As time passes, Diane loses her timid personality and shows her feelings for Chico, which leads to a loving relationship. They are about to marry, when Chico suddenly receives a draft notice. Before leaving with Gobin (Victor Kilian
), Chico promises her that they are married in the eyes of God and promises to think of her every morning. Shortly after his departure, Diane's sister comes to the garret to lure Diane back to the café, but Diane, now mentally strong because of Chico's love, beats her up until she runs away.
Four years pass, as Chico fights on the front, and Diane works as a nurse. After the war, Gobin and Aristide claim to Diane that Chico was killed in the War
, but she refuses to believe them, until Father Chevillon gives her a medal that Chico give him on the front. Heartbroken, she renounces her belief in God, but in the morning she strongly feels her lover's presence. She rushes home, where she locates a blind but alive Chico. The couple embraces each other and restore their faith.
was originally assigned to portray Chico, but he was cast in Love Is News instead, and had to be replaced due to scheduling conflicts. Don Ameche
withdrew from the role of Father Chevillon for the same reason. John Carradine
shortly replaced him, until eventually Jean Hersholt
was cast.
1937 in film
The year 1937 in film involved some significant events, including the Walt Disney production of the first full-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.- Events :*April 16 - Way Out West premieres in the US....
by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
and directed by Henry King
Henry King (director)
Henry King was an American film director.Before coming to film, King worked as an actor in various repertoire theatres, and first started to take small film roles in 1912. He directed for the first time in 1915, and grew to become one of the most commercially successful Hollywood directors of the...
. The movie stars Simone Simon
Simone Simon
Simone Thérèse Fernande Simon was a French film actress who began her film career in 1931.-Early life:Born in Béthune, Pas-de-Calais France, she was the daughter of Henri Louis Firmin Champmoynat, a French engineer, airplane pilot in World War II, who died in a concentration camp, and Erma Maria...
and James Stewart
James Stewart (actor)
James Maitland Stewart was an American film and stage actor, known for his distinctive voice and his everyman persona. Over the course of his career, he starred in many films widely considered classics and was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one in competition and receiving one Lifetime...
.
The film is a remake
Remake
A remake is a piece of media based primarily on an earlier work of the same medium.-Film:The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source...
of the 1927
1927 in film
-Events:*January 10 - Fritz Lang's science-fiction fantasy Metropolis premieres in Germany.*April 7 - Abel Gance's Napoleon often considered his best known and greatest masterpiece, premiers at the Paris Opéra and would demonstrate techniques and equipment that would not be used for years to...
silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
of the same name, which featured Janet Gaynor
Janet Gaynor
Janet Gaynor was an American actress and painter.One of the most popular actresses of the silent film era, in 1928 Gaynor became the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performances in three films: Seventh Heaven , Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans and Street Angel...
and Charles Farrell
Charles Farrell
Charles Farrell was an American film actor of the 1920s silent era and into the 1930s, and later a television actor...
in the same roles as Simon and Stewart. Both versions are based on the play Seventh Heaven by Austin Strong.
Plot
Set in a 1914 lower class district of Paris, the film focuses on a content sewer worker named Chico (James StewartJames Stewart (actor)
James Maitland Stewart was an American film and stage actor, known for his distinctive voice and his everyman persona. Over the course of his career, he starred in many films widely considered classics and was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one in competition and receiving one Lifetime...
), who is criticized by his fellow citizens for being an atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
. One day, he witnesses a young woman (Simone Simon
Simone Simon
Simone Thérèse Fernande Simon was a French film actress who began her film career in 1931.-Early life:Born in Béthune, Pas-de-Calais France, she was the daughter of Henri Louis Firmin Champmoynat, a French engineer, airplane pilot in World War II, who died in a concentration camp, and Erma Maria...
) being brutally beaten by her sister (Gale Sondergaard
Gale Sondergaard
Gale Sondergaard was an American actress.Sondergaard began her acting career in theatre, and progressed to films in 1936. She was the first recipient of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her film debut in Anthony Adverse...
) among a crowd for not entertaining a senior wealthy man in her sleazy bar. He sympathizes with the girl, Diane, and stops the fight. Later, Father Chevillon (Jean Hersholt
Jean Hersholt
Jean Pierre Hersholt was a Danish-born actor who lived in the United States, where he was a leading film and radio talent, best known for his 17 years starring on radio in Dr. Christian and for playing Shirley Temple's grandfather in Heidi...
), who is worried about Chico's non-believing thoughts, offers him a deal: he will grant him a street washer job if he takes in Diane and opens his mind about believing in God. Chico agrees, and he prevents Diane's sister from turning Diane in to the police by claiming that she is his wife.
Because Diane has become very suicidal
Suicide crisis
A suicide crisis, suicidal crisis, or potential suicide, is a situation in which a person is attempting to kill him or herself or is seriously contemplating or planning to do so...
, Chico shares his optimistic views with her and takes her to his garret, situated above seven flights of stairs. Even though there is no luxury, Diane - used to worse surroundings - thinks of the place as heaven. The same night, Chico and Diane realize that they like each other, though they ignore their feelings.
The next day, they celebrate Chico's new job at his neighbours, the Gobins. Unbeknownst to Chico, Diane received a visit from a gendarme earlier that morning to check the reliability of her 'marriage'. Eccentric neighbour Aristide the Astrologer (J. Edward Bromberg
J. Edward Bromberg
Joseph Edward Bromberg was a Hungarian-born American character actor in motion picture and stage productions dating mostly from the 1930s and 1940s....
) chastises Diane for keeping secrets from Chico and confronts her with taking advantage of him, as well as blaming her for ruining his chances of a wealthy life. Upset, Diane leaves and finds comfort in a bar, where she allows a man to seduce her. Chico, meanwhile, has found out about the confrontation and locates her in the bar. There, he beats up the man, takes Diane home and assures her that he is not too good to be with her.
As time passes, Diane loses her timid personality and shows her feelings for Chico, which leads to a loving relationship. They are about to marry, when Chico suddenly receives a draft notice. Before leaving with Gobin (Victor Kilian
Victor Kilian
Victor Arthur Kilian was an American actor who was blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses in the 1950s....
), Chico promises her that they are married in the eyes of God and promises to think of her every morning. Shortly after his departure, Diane's sister comes to the garret to lure Diane back to the café, but Diane, now mentally strong because of Chico's love, beats her up until she runs away.
Four years pass, as Chico fights on the front, and Diane works as a nurse. After the war, Gobin and Aristide claim to Diane that Chico was killed in the War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, but she refuses to believe them, until Father Chevillon gives her a medal that Chico give him on the front. Heartbroken, she renounces her belief in God, but in the morning she strongly feels her lover's presence. She rushes home, where she locates a blind but alive Chico. The couple embraces each other and restore their faith.
Cast
- Simone SimonSimone SimonSimone Thérèse Fernande Simon was a French film actress who began her film career in 1931.-Early life:Born in Béthune, Pas-de-Calais France, she was the daughter of Henri Louis Firmin Champmoynat, a French engineer, airplane pilot in World War II, who died in a concentration camp, and Erma Maria...
as Diane - James StewartJames Stewart (actor)James Maitland Stewart was an American film and stage actor, known for his distinctive voice and his everyman persona. Over the course of his career, he starred in many films widely considered classics and was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one in competition and receiving one Lifetime...
as Chico - Jean HersholtJean HersholtJean Pierre Hersholt was a Danish-born actor who lived in the United States, where he was a leading film and radio talent, best known for his 17 years starring on radio in Dr. Christian and for playing Shirley Temple's grandfather in Heidi...
as Father Chevillon - Gregory RatoffGregory RatoffGregory Ratoff was a Russian-born American film director, actor and producer. His most famous role as an actor was as producer Max Fabian who feuds with star Margo Channing in All About Eve ....
as Boul, the cab driver - Gale SondergaardGale SondergaardGale Sondergaard was an American actress.Sondergaard began her acting career in theatre, and progressed to films in 1936. She was the first recipient of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her film debut in Anthony Adverse...
as Nana, Diane's sister - J. Edward BrombergJ. Edward BrombergJoseph Edward Bromberg was a Hungarian-born American character actor in motion picture and stage productions dating mostly from the 1930s and 1940s....
as Aristide the Astrologer - John QualenJohn QualenJohn Qualen was a Canadian-American character actor of Norwegian heritage who specialized in Scandinavian roles....
as Sewer Rat - Victor KilianVictor KilianVictor Arthur Kilian was an American actor who was blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses in the 1950s....
as Gobin, a streetwasher - Thomas Beck as Brissac
- Sig RumanSig RumanSig Ruman was a German-American actor known for his comic portrayals of pompous villains.-Life and career:...
as Durand (as Sig Rumann) - Mady ChristiansMady ChristiansMarguerita Maria "Mady" Christians was an Austrian actress who achieved a successful acting career in theatre and film, in the United States until she was blacklisted during the McCarthy period....
as Marie - Rollo Lloyd as Mateot (Matoot in credits)
- Rafaela Ottiano as Madame Frisson
- Georges Renavent as Sergeant Gendarme
- Edward Keane as Gendarme
Production
Tyrone PowerTyrone Power
Tyrone Edmund Power, Jr. , usually credited as Tyrone Power and known sometimes as Ty Power, was an American film and stage actor who appeared in dozens of films from the 1930s to the 1950s, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads such as in The Mark of Zorro, Blood and Sand, The Black Swan,...
was originally assigned to portray Chico, but he was cast in Love Is News instead, and had to be replaced due to scheduling conflicts. Don Ameche
Don Ameche
Don Ameche was an Academy Award winning American actor with a career spanning almost sixty years.-Personal life:...
withdrew from the role of Father Chevillon for the same reason. John Carradine
John Carradine
John Carradine was an American actor, best known for his roles in horror films and Westerns as well as Shakespearean theater. A member of Cecil B DeMille's stock company and later John Ford's company, he was one of the most prolific character actors in Hollywood history...
shortly replaced him, until eventually Jean Hersholt
Jean Hersholt
Jean Pierre Hersholt was a Danish-born actor who lived in the United States, where he was a leading film and radio talent, best known for his 17 years starring on radio in Dr. Christian and for playing Shirley Temple's grandfather in Heidi...
was cast.