The Sisters (1938)

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The 1938 filmization of Myron Brinig's novel The Sisters stars Bette Davis, Jane Bryan and Anita Louise as Louise, Grace and Helen Elliot. The daughters of turn-of-the-century druggist Henry Travers and his wife Beulah Bondi, the Elliot girls all meet their future husbands at a 1904 ball in honor of… More The 1938 filmization of Myron Brinig's novel The Sisters stars Bette Davis, Jane Bryan and Anita Louise as Louise, Grace and Helen Elliot. The daughters of turn-of-the-century druggist Henry Travers and his wife Beulah Bondi, the Elliot girls all meet their future husbands at a 1904 ball in honor of President Teddy Roosevelt. Special emphasis is given the relationship between Louise and reckless, irresponsible newspaperman Frank Medlin (Errol Flynn). Feeling trapped by his marriage, Medlin turns to drink and philandering. When Frank eventually runs off to Singapore, Louise is too proud to hold her husband by informing him that she's pregnant. Caught up in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake (superbly conveyed with a single interior shot of a collapsing apartment), Louise wanders around dazedly until she finds shelter in an Oakland brothel (though it is not so specified). She loses her baby, but is consoled by her employer Ian Hunter, who falls in love with her. The original book ended with Louise giving up her unhappy marriage for a joyous relationship with her boss; the film ends with Louise being reunited with the suddenly sobered Frank (despite the protests of both Bette Davis and Errol Flynn). A prime example of Hollywood Soap Opera, The Sisters also yielded an amusing reel of outtakes, the best of which shows Bette Davis breaking up Errol Flynn by sighing "I've just had a baby in the ladies' room." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 38 min.
Directed By: Anatole Litvak
Written By: Milton Krims
Genres: Drama, Classics

In Theaters: Oct 14, 1938 Wide
On DVD: Oct 28, 1992

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Cast

            Errol Flynn as Frank Medlin

            Bette Davis as Louise Elliott

            Anita Louise as Helen Elliott

            Ian Hunter as William Benson

            Donald Crisp as Tim Hazelton

            Beulah Bondi as Rose Elliott

            Jane Bryan as Grace Elliott

            Alan Hale as Sam Johnson

            Dick Foran as Tom Knivel

            Henry Travers as Ned Elliott

            Patric Knowles as Norman French

            Lee Patrick as Flora Gibbon

            Laura Hope Crewes as Flora's Mother

            Janet Shaw as Stella Johnson

            Harry Davenport as Doc Moore

            Ruth Garland as Laura Bennett

            John Warburton as Lord Anthony Bittick

            Paul Harvey as Caleb Ammon

            Mayo Methot as Blonde

            Irving Bacon as Robert Forbes

            Arthur Hoyt as Tom Selig

            Granville Bates as Announcer

            Richard Bond as Boy

            Edgar Edwards as Soldier

            Stanley Fields as Ship's Captain

            Mildred Gover as Black Maid

            Susan Hayward as Telephone Operator

            Stuart Holmes as Bartender

            Robert E. Homans as Editor

            Vera Lewis
            
            Mira McKinney
            
            Peggy Moran as Girl

            Frances Morris as Telephone Operator

            Jack Mower as Ship's Officer

            Bob Perry as Referee

            Lee Phelps
            
            Constantine Romanoff as Spectator

            Rosella Towne
            
            Larry Williams as Young Man

            Lotta Williams
            
            Georgia Cooper as Woman

            Loia Cheaney as Maid

            Bessie Wade
            
            Paulette Evans
            
See full cast

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