Juarez (1939)
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50% of users liked it
(257 ratings)
Juarez was originally designed to concentrate almost exclusively on the tragedy of Hapsburg Emperor Maximillian, whose attempts to establish a puppet government in Mexico on behalf of Napoleon III ended in disaster and death. But when Paul Muni decided that he wanted to play… More Juarez was originally designed to concentrate almost exclusively on the tragedy of Hapsburg Emperor Maximillian, whose attempts to establish a puppet government in Mexico on behalf of Napoleon III ended in disaster and death. But when Paul Muni decided that he wanted to play Zapotec-Indian-turned-Mexican President Benito Pablo Juarez, the film's emphasis perceptibly shifted -- and Bette Davis, cast as Empress Carlotta, was shunted to second billing rather than first. Muni's makeup and costuming convincingly transforms him into Juarez incarnate. But unlike his other historical impersonations (Pasteur, Zola), Muni's Juarez is a one-note characterization: stoic, uncompromising, and v-e-e-r-y slow of speech. Far more exciting dramatically is Bette Davis as Empress Carlotta, whose highly stylized descent into madness is a tour de force both for the actress and for director William Dieterle. Claude Rains and Gale Sondergaard, as Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie, in essence repeat their diabolical characterizations from Anthony Adverse (1936), while John Garfield is singularly miscast as Pofirio Diaz. The best performance is delivered by Brian Aherne, whose kindly, honorable Emperor Maximillian is less a despot than a misguided political pawn. When Aherne, about to be executed at Juarez' orders, requests that his favorite Mexican song "La Paloma" be played as he is led before the firing squad, audience sympathies are 100% in Maximilian's corner--which was not quite what the filmmakers intended. Based largely on Bertita Harding's book The Phantom Crown (the film's original title), Juarez takes every available opportunity to parallel its title character's fight against foreign intervention with the then-current European situation. To protect their investment in Juarez Warner Bros. purchased outright a like-vintage Mexican film on the same subject, The Mad Empress, suppressing the latter film's release in the United States. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- William Dieterle
- Written By
- Franz Werfel, Bertita Harding
- Genres
- Western, Drama, Romance, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Jun 10, 1939 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Steve Crum, Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers
Warner Brothers spectacle of highest order with Muni never better.
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Cast
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Paul Muni
as Benito Pablo Juarez
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Bette Davis
as Empress Carlota von Habsburg
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Brian Aherne
as Emperor Maximilian von Habsburg
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Claude Rains
as Louis Napoleon
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John Garfield
as Porfirio Diaz
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Donald Crisp
as Marechal Bazaine
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Gale Sondergaard
as Empress Eugenie
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Gilbert Roland
as Col. Miguel Lopez
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Henry O'Neill
as Miguel Miramon
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Walter Fenner
as Achille Fould
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Alexander Leftwich
as Drouyn de Lhuys
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Georgia Caine
as Countess Battenberg
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Robert Warwick
as Maj. DuPont
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Gennaro Curci
as Senor de Leon
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John Miljan
as Mariano Escobedo
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Hugh Sothern
as John Bigelow
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Fred Malatesta
as Senor Salas
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Carlos De Valdez
as Tailor
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Irving Pichel
as Carbajal
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Frank Lackteen
as Coachman
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Walter O. Stahl
as Senator del Valle
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Frank Reicher
as Duc de Morny
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Holmes Herbert
as Marshall Randon
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Walter Kingsford
as Prince Metternich
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Egon Brecher
as Baron von Magnus
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Monte Blue
as Lerdo de Tejada
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Louis Calhern
as LeMarc
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Mickey Kuhn
as Augustin Iturbide
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Lillian Nicholson
as Josefa Iturbide
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Noble Johnson
as Regules
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Martin Garralaga
as Negroni
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Vladimir Sokoloff
as Camilo
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Grant Mitchell
as Mr. Harris
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Charles Halton
as Mr. Roberts
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William Edmunds
as Italian Minister
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Joseph Calleia
as Alejandro Uradi
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Harry Davenport
as Dr. Samuel Basch
- Nigel De Brulier
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Pedro de Cordoba
as Riva Palacio
- Gilbert Emery
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Montagu Love
as Jose de Montares
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Bill Wilkerson
as Tomas Mejia
