Arch of Triumph (1948 film)

Arch of Triumph

Film poster
Directed by Lewis Milestone
Produced by David Lewis
Written by Lewis Milestone
Harry Brown
Based on Arch of Triumph 
by Erich Maria Remarque
Starring Ingrid Bergman
Charles Boyer
Charles Laughton
Music by Louis Gruenberg
Cinematography Russell Metty
Edited by Duncan Mansfield
Production
company
Enterprise Productions
Distributed by United Artists (USA)
MGM (Europe)
Release dates
  • February 17, 1948 (USA)
Running time
 120 minutes
133 min (restored version)
Country United States
Language English
German
Budget USD 5,000,000[1][2]

Arch of Triumph is a 1948 American war romance film starring Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer and Charles Laughton. It was directed by Lewis Milestone and is based on the 1945 novel Arch of Triumph by Erich Maria Remarque, which he wrote during his nine-year exile in the United States.

Synopsis

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.

Cast

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 quit when Lewis Milestone wanted him to add a love story. Milestone then rewrote the script himself together with Harry Brown. Ingrid Bergman's salary for the part was $175,000 + 25% of net profits.

William Conrad, in just his fourth film, has a small important (uncredited) role, as a policeman.

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 — this 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.

See also

References

  1. ↑ HOLLYWOOD DEALS: Prospects Brighten for United Artists -Budget Runs Wild and Other Matters By THOMAS F. BRADYHOLLYWOOD.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 01 Feb 1948: X5.
  2. ↑ Balio, Tino (2009). United Artists: The Company Built by the Stars. University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0-299-23004-3. p217

External links