| Kitty | |
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Theatrical poster to Kitty (1945) |
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| Directed by | Mitchell Leisen |
| Produced by | Mitchell Leisen |
| Written by | Rosamond Marshall (novel) Karl Tunberg Darrell Ware |
| Starring | Paulette Goddard Ray Milland |
| Music by | Victor Young |
| Cinematography | Daniel L. Fapp |
| Editing by | Alma Macrorie |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | 31 March 1946 |
| Running time | 103 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Kitty is a 1945 film, a fictional costume drama set in London during the 1780s, directed by Mitchell Leisen, based on the novel of the same name by Rosamond Marshall (published in 1943), with a screenplay by Karl Tunberg. It stars Paulette Goddard, Ray Milland, Constance Collier, Patric Knowles, Reginald Owen, and Cecil Kellaway as the English painter Thomas Gainsborough. Another major artist depicted is Sir Joshua Reynolds, played by Gordon Richards.[1]
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In a broad interpretation of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion story line, the film tells the rags-to-riches story about a young guttersnipe, cockney girl from the slums of 18th century London.
Kitty (Goddard) is found working on the streets picking pockets by the painter Thomas Gainsborough (Kellaway) and agrees to sit for a portrait for him. She then attracts the attention of wealthy playboy Sir Hugh Marcy (Milland) who, upon finding out her real social status, uses her for revenge against a former colleague to whom he owes the loss of his job in the foreign office by having Kitty pose as a lady of fashion. What Sir Hugh does not count on is the attraction Kitty develops for him.
The film was nominated for one Oscar for Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White (Hans Dreier, Walter H. Tyler, Sam Comer, Ray Moyer). [2]
Director Leisen worked very hard with the set and costume designers to create a historically correct picture of 18th century England. The California portrait painter Theodore Lukits served as technical adviser for the film's artistic scenes and painted the portrait of Mrs. Gainsborough that is seen in the film. Lukits knew Ray Milland, the film's star, because he had painted his wife's portrait in 1942.
As of early 2010, the film is not available on DVD and considered rather rare, although on February 4, 2010, the film was premiered on Turner Classic Movies.