Forever Amber (1947)

17% of critics liked it
(6 reviews)
64% of users liked it
(153 ratings)

They said it couldn't be done, but they did it: Kathleen Winsor's "notorious", bestselling bodice-ripper Forever Amber actually made it to the screen in 1947 with full censorial approval. Of course, it was necessary to tone down the more erotic passages of Winsor's novel, but the end result pleased… More They said it couldn't be done, but they did it: Kathleen Winsor's "notorious", bestselling bodice-ripper Forever Amber actually made it to the screen in 1947 with full censorial approval. Of course, it was necessary to tone down the more erotic passages of Winsor's novel, but the end result pleased fans of the book and bluenosed nonfans alike. A last-minute replacement for British import Peggy Cummins, Linda Darnell steps into the role of 17th century blonde bed-hopper Amber as though she'd been born to play it. Feeling suppressed by her Puritan upbringing, Amber heads to London, finding considerable success as a courtesan (that's the polite word for it). The first real love of her life is dashing soldier Bruce Carlton, who leaves her pregnant and penniless when he marches off to war. Subsequent amours include the sadistic Earl of Radcliffe (a superbly loathsome performance by comic actor Richard Haydn), handsome highwayman Black Jack Mallard (John Russell) and privateer Captain Rex Morgan (Glenn Langan). Surviving the Plague and the Great London Fire with nary a hair out of place, Amber ends up in the arms of no less than King Charles II (wittily portrayed by George Sanders), but true love, as personified by Bruce Carlton, will always elude her. Taking no chances, 20th Century-Fox sent out Forever Amber with a spoken prologue, heard over the opening credits, which explained that the film in no way endorsed its heroine's libertine behavior, and that she would be amply punished for her sins before fadeout time (that prologue has thankfully been removed from current prints). A model of restraint by today's standards, Forever Amber was sufficiently titillating in 1947 to post an enormous profit, far in excess of its $4 million budget. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 20 min.
Directed By: Otto Preminger
Written By: Jerome Cady, Philip Dunne, Ring Lardner, Jerry Cady
Genres: Drama, Romance, Classics

In Theaters: Oct 22, 1947 Wide
On DVD: Oct 5, 1994
Studio: 20th Century Fox Film Corporat

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Here is a $4 million (and claimed to be more) picture that looks its cost.
Bosley Crowther, New York Times
The film runs for two hours and twenty minutes, which is just about an hour too long considering its repetitious nature and the fact that it is pretty trashy stuff.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
It's a lush Fox production, photographed in Technicolor by the great Leon Shamroy and directed by a wholly uninterested Otto Preminger.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Disappointing adaptation of Kathleen Winsor's lurid best-seller novel.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
While the production was surprisingly lavish (the budget was something around $6.5 million), the film suffers from its inability to detail the eroticism of the story due to 1940s censorship.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Preminger's direction lacks the sophisticated lightness of touch that Mitchell Leisen brought to the in some ways similar Kitty.

Read all 6 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Mason W

A very well done period piece starring the beautiful Linda Darnell.
jay n

Linda is ravishing and the costumes are incredibly sumptous, they had to cut the guts out of the novel but on its own terms a fun ride.

Cast

            Jane Ball as Corinne Carlton

            Linda Darnell as Amber St. Clair

            Edmund Breon as Lord Redmond

            Cornel Wilde as Bruce Carlton

            Richard Greene as Lord Almsbury

            Leo G Carroll as Matt Goodgroome

            Robert Coote as Sir Thomas Dudley

            George Sanders as Charles II

            Jessica Tandy as Nan Britton

            Anne Revere as Mother Red Cap

            Natalie Draper as Countess of Castlemaine

            Richard Haydn as Lord Radcliffe

            Alma Kruger as Lady Redmond

            Glenn Langan as Capt. Rex Morgan

            Alan Napier as Landale

            John Russell as Black Jack Mallard

            Margaret Wycherly as Mrs. Song

            Robert Adler
            
            Leonard Carey as Dead Caller

            Ellen Corby as Marge

            James Craven as Messenger

            Cyril Delevanti as Cobbler

            Vernon P. Downing as Fop

            Edith Evanson as Sarah

            Robert Greig as Magistrate

            Victoria Horne as Quaker

            Boyd Irwin as Lord Rossmore

            Ian Keith as Tybalt

            Skelton Knaggs as Blueskin

            Lillian Molieri as Queen Catherine

            Ottola Nesmith as Mrs. Chiverton

            Tempe Piggott as Midwife

            Will Stanton as Dead-Eye

            Houseley Stevenson Sr. as Mr. Starling

            Tom Stevenson as Groom

            Gilchrist Stuart
            
            Norma Varden as Mrs. Abbott

            Cecil Weston as Woman

            Frederic Worlock as Actor

            Richard Bailey as Bob Starling

            Tim Huntley as Ivers

            Peter Shaw as Deacon

            Pati Behrs as Makeup Artist

            David Ralston as Drunken Pop

            David Murray
            
See full cast