Mark B
Almost unwatchable: I'm on a quest to watch every Best-Picture winning or nominated film (there are 599 of them, fwiw, 1929's "The Patriot" being lost forever). Sometimes that quest has teed up unexpected gems. "The Best Years of our Lives," for one. "The Awful Truth" for another. And sometimes it tees up absolute horrors, and "Anthony Adverse" might be the worst yet.
Painfully long, agonizingly melodramatic, the film spans a few decades and three continents. Along the way, agreeable orphan Anthony transforms into depressed mini-despot, only to return to form quite quickly after returning to Europe. Frederic March performs adequately, but Claude Rains, Gale Sondergaard and Steffi Duna put on a master class of over-acting, Rains being by far the most malignant. When he and his henchman share a laugh over the birth of Anthony, it makes Mike Myer's Dr Evil look subtle.
This is truly one of the worst films I've ever seen, and my guess is that it made the Oscar-nominee list because of its breadth and ambition, much like "Around the World in 80 Days" a few decades later.
(#441 in my "watch all Best Picture Nominees" bucket list)
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
03/23/24
Full Review
Audience Member
I have not read the largely forgotten book on which this movie is based.
My favorite films are from the early 30's to the mid 40's. The cast in this film is stellar, including some of my favorite leads and supporting actors. I love costume dramas and adventures set in exotic places. However, with all of those factors to prejudice me in favor of Anthony Adverse, I was hugely disappointed.
The plot seems okay. The sets and costumes are excellent. The cast, as I already mentioned, is stellar (in the credits!). The score seems appropriate. The expensive production shows throughout. The reason this film is so unsatisfying is rather puzzling. I think it may be one of those times everybody from the director on down was simply going through the motions. Hard to believe, given the cast. But they all seem so - not just two-dimensional, but - lifeless. Perhaps, as one other reviewer suggests, this film would have been better if de Havilland had been teamed with Errol Flynn instead of Frederic March. I don't remember seeing Flynn ever give a less than energetic performance.
Frederic March, one of America's greats, fails to create a character that I could like, sympathize with or root for with any enthusiasm. In fact enthusiasm is what he seems to lack in this role. Olivia de Havilland is somewhat better, but this is one of her least impressive performances. Gale Sondergaard did very little to receive an academy award. The appearances of Louis Heyward and Anita Louise are entirely too short. I like both, and I would have liked more of them and less of March and de Havilland. Perhaps they should have reversed roles...
Edmund Gwenn delivers a typically endearing performance in a typical Edmund Gwenn role. Henry O'Neill is usually very interesting, because he plays both sides of the fence - both good and bad guys. Here, his father Xavier is far more enjoyable than Pedro De Cordoba's Father Francoise.
The only bright spot in this under-achieving ensemble is Claude Rains. He, too, plays both good and bad guys. Here he is an aristocratic charmer and schemer - despicable and deceitful. He is great! In the scene where he laughs demonically, he sends a chill up my spine. Thank you, Mr. Rains, for delivering a great, under-appreciated performance, in an otherwise deservedly forgotten film.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
02/08/23
Full Review
steve d
The acting is the only thing that held up.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
Full Review
vin w
Excellent sets, locations and atmospherics.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/10/20
Full Review
david l
Anthony Adverse admittedly has a terrific score and solid performances across the board from its great cast, but this is yet another overcooked, bloated book adaptation epic which has no momentum to it whatsoever. It's sluggishly paced, rather dull and weakly plotted and adapted. It's thus a very undeserving Oscar nominee.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Adverse buys and sells slaves in Africa for several years -- seemingly without conscience, and all for money. He personally directs the selling of poor innocent black men and women to whoever can pay and condemns them to a life of servitude to their new masters. This is not a film to be admired. Adverse travels all over the world and Napoleon Bonaparte is even thrown in, but nothing can forgive his years of slave trading and the black stain on his mind and heart.
Rated 0.5/5 Stars •
Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars
02/16/23
Full Review
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