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The Barretts of Wimpole Street

Production: March 23, 1934 - Late June 1934;
Premiere: September 14, 1934;
Released: September 21, 1934;
Production/Distribution Companies: Metro Goldwyn Mayer/Metro Goldwyn Mayer;
Runtime: 110 min;
Country: USA;
Language: English;
Color: Black and White;
Sound Mix: Mono (Western Electric Sound System);
Available on VHS;

Cast: Norma Shearer as Elizabeth Barrett, Fredric March as Robert Browning, Charles Laughton as Edward Moulton-Barrett, Maureen O'Sullivan as Henrietta Barrett, Katharine Alexander as Anabel Barrett, Ralph Forbes as Captain Surtees Cook, Marion Clayton as Bella Hedley, Ian Wolfe as Harry Bevan, Ferdinand Munier as Dr. Chambers, Una O'Connor as Wilson, Leo Carroll as Dr. Ford-Waterlow, Vernon Downing as Octavius Barrett, Neville Clark as Charles Barrett, Matthew Smith as George Barrett, Robert Carlton as Alfred Barrett, Allan Conrad as Henry Barrett, Peter Hobbes as Septimus Barrett, Flush as Himself, Lowden Adams as Butler.

Production Credits:
Produced by: Irving G. Thalberg (offscreen);
Directed by: Sidney Franklin;
Writers: Ernest Vajda, Claudine West, Donald Ogden Stewart;
Cinematography: William Daniels;
Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons; Gowns by: Adrian;
Editing: Margaret Booth;
Music: Herbert Stothart;

Awards & Nominations:
Academy Award for Best Actress: Norma Shearer;
Nominated Academy Award for Best Picture of 1934;
Photoplay Award for Medal of Honor (1934): Accepted by Irving Thalberg;

Reviews:

While Norma Shearer is no more my own conception of Elizabeth Barrett than Fredric March is that of the poet Browning, I, nevertheless, found much of interest in their performances in these roles, they were at least vital, and the slight Canadian accent of the one and stronger American accent of the latter did not detract my interest or conviction any more than I think it will from yours.

As a whole, I found The Barretts of Wimpole Street, which is adapted from Rudolf Besier’s play and directed by Sidney Franklin, academically interesting and certainly not a film to be missed.

L.C. in The Picturegoer Weekly, October 27, 1934

Norma Shearer, lovely, fragile Norma Shearer of Smilin’ Through, gives a beautiful and sincere performance that will shine brightly in you memory for years and years to come. To me Norma will always be Elizabeth Barrett-and her first weak steps to the window to see the departure of her future husband will always be one of the most memorable scenes in pictures.

Silver Screen, October 1934

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