GOOD FAIRY, THE (1935)
In 1930s Budapest, Luisa (Margaret Sullavan) has been raised in an orphanage, delighting the other girls with fanciful fairy tales. When the owner of Budapest's largest movie palace hires Luisa as a glamorous usherette, the innocent and good-natured lamb is sent on her way — and warned of the evils of "the male gender." One evil presents itself in the form of lascivious millionaire Konrad (Frank Morgan), whose advances toward Luisa are rebuffed by the girl, who claims she already has a husband: struggling lawyer Max Sporum (Herbert Marshall), whom she plucked out of the phonebook. Undeterred, Konrad strikes a plan to have Luisa all to himself by sending Max (unaware of his supposed marriage) to a post in South America. Plagued by intense behind-the-scenes drama, including director William Wyler's desire to end his frustrating contract with Universal, screenwriter Preston Sturges' last-minute rewrites and Sullavan's heated arguments with Wyler (go figure that the pair got hitched during production), it's a surprise THE GOOD FAIRY saw the light of day. Thankfully, the day did come, and the charming, playful film was a hit with audiences. DIR William Wyler; SCR Preston Sturges, from the play by Ferenc Molnár; PROD Carl Laemmle Jr. U.S., 1935, color, 98 min. NOT RATED
AFI Member passes accepted.
Run Time: 98 Minutes
Opening Date: Friday, September 02, 2022
Genre: Romantic comedy
