Arch of Triumph (1948 film)
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| Arch of Triumph | |
|---|---|
 Original Spanish poster for Arch of Triumph |
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| Directed by | Lewis Milestone |
| Produced by | David Lewis |
| Written by | Erich Maria Remarque (novel) Lewis Milestone Harry Brown Irwin Shaw (uncredited) |
| Starring | Ingrid Bergman Charles Boyer Charles Laughton |
| Music by | Louis Gruenberg |
| Cinematography | Russell Metty |
| Editing by | Duncan Mansfield |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) |  February 17, 1948 |
| Running time | 120 minutes 133 min (restored version) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English German |
| Budget | USD 5,000,000 |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Arch of Triumph is a 1948 US war romance film made by Enterprise Productions and distributed by United Artists. The film was directed by Lewis Milestone and adapted from the 1945 Erich Maria Remarque novel Arch of Triumph.
The film stars Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer and Charles Laughton with Louis Calhern.
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[edit] Background and production
The film's name is a reference to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, where the film is set. The rough cut of the film was four hours long, and in reducing it to two hours several actors were cut. Irwin Shaw spent five months writing the screenplay, but then quit when Lewis Milestone wanted him to add a love story. Milestone then rewrote the script, which was then used for the film. Ingrid Bergman's salary for the part was $175,000 + 25% of net profits.
The MPAA's head of the Production Code Administration at the time, Joseph Breen, made the film's studio tone down the violence in the script. The scene where Ravic kills Haake also included him stuffing Haake in the car's trunk, stripping him naked, burying him and burning his clothes, was cut from the film. Breen also objected to the murder going unpunished, but relented.
The film was remade as a made-for-television film, Arch of Triumph, in 1985 with Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Ravic.
[edit] Plot
Pre-World War II Paris is crowded with illegal refugees, trying to evade deportation. One of them is Dr. Ravic (Charles Boyer), who under a false name practices medicine illegally, helping other refugees. He saves Joan Madou (Ingrid Bergman) from committing suicide after the sudden death of her lover. They become involved, but he is deported and she becomes the mistress of a wealthy man, Alex (Stephen Bekassy). All this time Ravic seeks revenge against the Nazi officer Haake (Charles Laughton), with war eventually declared between France and Germany.
[edit] Cast
- Ingrid Bergman - Joan Madou
- Charles Boyer - Dr. Ravic
- Charles Laughton - Ivon Haake
- Louis Calhern - Boris Morosov
- Roman Bohnen - Dr. Veber
- J. Edward Bromberg - Hotel manager at the Verdun
- Ruth Nelson - Madame Fessier
- Stephen Bekassy - Alex
- Curt Bois - Tattooed waiter
- Art Smith - Inspector
- Michael Romanoff - Capt. Alidze
