The name theodora is a girls name meaning gift of god. With irene dunne, melvyn douglas, thomas mitchell, thurston hall. Irene dunne gives a wonderful performance as theodora lynn in theodora goes wild. When theodora goes to new york to visit her publisher thurston hall, she meets the book s cover artist, michael grant melvyn douglas, who tries to convince her to reveal herself as the real author. Richard boleslawskys theodora goes wild, based on mary mccarthys short story, was released in 1936, the same year that saw frank capras smalltown comedy mr.
A smalltown girl is secretly the author of a scandalous new novel, and when she. The studio went searching through its vaults for lesserknown comedies to put. Goss has been a finalist for many awards and has made it onto the tiptree award honor list. Recognizing her chance to break out in new directions, irene dunne grabs theodora the part and the movie and runs with them for all theyre worth. Theodora is one of the most revivalworthy of the charmingly oldfashioned victorian valentine names, softly evocative but still substantial, as is the reversedsyllable dorothea. Theodora goes wild 1936 richard boleslawski synopsis. Theodora goes wild is a 1936 american romantic comedy film that tells the story of the residents in a small town who are incensed by a risque novel, unaware. Deeds goes to town the two films are linked together in many ways. If theodora goes wild falls just a little bit short of being a truly classic screwball comedy like bringing up baby or my man godfrey, its certainly not for want of trying on the part of the actress assaying the title role. Anna wolkoff was an haute couture fashion designer whose clients included the duchess of windsor, and who was also a spy for the nazis. Theodora goes wild 1936 is a comedy, romance movie starring irene dunne and melvyn douglas.
Theodora goes wild is perhaps the greatest sleeper in film history. My good chum simone will be accompanying me, and undoubtedly she will be dressed beautifully, as always. Theodora teddy altman in greys anatomy theodora goes wild is a 1936 american romantic comedy film theodora dixspeed, from the anne series theodora is a telepathic lesbian character in shirley jacksons the haunting of hill house. Richard boleslawskys theodora goes wild, based on mary mccarthys short story, was released in the same year as mr. Other articles where theodora goes wild is discussed. The romantic romp theodora goes wild 1936 is considered one of the greatest screwball comedies, in which smalltown sunday school teacher theodora lynn irene dunne, oscarnominated goes wild after she is revealed as the author of a racy bestselling novel.
Join facebook to connect with theodora and others you may know. In new york city to meet with her publisher hall, she catches the eye of michael grant, the book. Michael grant, devilmaycare book jacket illustrator, penetrates theodoras incognito and sets out to free her from lynnfield against her will. Theodora goes wild 1936 theodora goes wild 1936 is one of the lesserknown screwball comedies, a fresh, funny and original one that has been unjustly overlooked. Witty, feminist and charming, theodora goes wild is a screwball delight that is criminally neglected. This might change with the rerelease of theodora goes wild, part of columbia pictures excellent choice collection.
But michael has a secret too, and gets a taste of his own medicine. Theodora is the author of a steamy novel written under her pen name. Columbia obviously was dreaming of a distaff edition of mr. Im looking forward to dressing in something from the late 1930s, and having a fun night out. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle. I ran charles and i a 1936 movie called theodora goes wild, which.
Determined to act as she thinks caroline adams should, theodora gets drunk and goes with michael to his apartment. Both features were produced by the same studio, columbia, and both turned out to be unexpected hits at the box office. Volume 2 theodora goes wild, together again, the doctor takes a wife, a night to remember icons of screwball comedy. Theodora goes wild this is a manufactured on demand disc that was created using a dvdr disc. Theodora goes wild 1936 directed by richard boleslawski. Volume 2 theodora goes wild, together again, the doctor takes a wife, a night to remember sony pictures unrated august 4, 2009. When other comedies such as midnight, lady eve, it happened one night, and especially the overrated bringing up baby are touted with 4 star ratings, this relatively unknown gem sweeps them all. During the first half of the film, dunnes character possesses a lack of.
Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Theodora goes wild a comedy of steady tempo and deepening laughter. What they do not know is that caroline adams is indeed a local girl, theodora lynn fivetime academy awardr nominee irene dunne,1939, best actress, love affair, writing under a pseudonym. After six years worth of tragic and noble roles, irene dunne began a new phase in her career as a top comedienne in theodora goes wild. They little suspect that author caroline adams is really theodora lynn, scion of the town. Seeking surreptitious adventure, dunne writes a steamy romance novel in her spare time which becomes a scandalous bestseller. It was borne by several saints and by the beautiful ninth wife of the emperor justinian, who became the. When theodora goes to new york to visit her publisher thurston hall, she meets the books cover artist, michael grant melvyn douglas, who tries to convince. Both were produced by columbia, and both turned out to be hits at the boxoffice.
Theodora visits her publisher in new york, where she meets the book s illustrator michael grant melvyn douglas. The book takes off and she decides to see the big city for. In theodora goes wild, we witness two different sides of irene dunne. When theodora gets a chance to meet sophisticated new yorker michael grant douglas, who did the illustrations for her book, she falls for him. Deeds goes to town when it produced theodora goes wild, the picture which moved into the music hall yesterday. Having said that, i have to admit that while, yes, it was amusing, it was very much of a onenote idea that was stretched very thin. It was also pivotal to the careers of its stars, irene dunne and melvyn douglas, and to the screwball genre itself.
Should she escape her formidable existence in lynnfield or should she retain her secret about the book and continue on with her confining routine. Adams and she has written a sexy bestseller novel and yet no one. The author of a controversially racy bestselling book tries. Theodora goes wild theodorawird wild 1937 gg archives. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Irene dunne takes the hurdle into comedy with versatile grace. While i liked this one a lot more than you did, the fact that it is widely considered among the very top flight of screwball comedies has always seemed inexplicable. Theodora goes wild film by boleslavsky 1936 britannica. As a fan of irene dunnes, and not having managed to catch up with theodora goes wild, i was looking forward to finally getting to see this movie after having read the lavish praise heaped on it on this site. Michael vows to set her free from prudish lynnfield, yet harbours his own secret a classic screwball comedy featuring some of the stars of the era, theodora goes wild was nominated for two oscars. Orson welles both starred in and directed the campbell playhouse, a radio drama 193840 produced by welles and john houseman.
She plays a prim smalltown schoolteacher, raised in an oppressive environment by two maiden aunts. Theodora goes wild film theodora lynn irene dunne is a sunday school teacher and former church organist in lynnfield, connecticut, raised by two spinster aunts, mary elisabeth risdon and elsie. Theodora goes wild is a 1936 american romantic comedy film that tells the story of the residents in a small town who are incensed by a risque novel, unaware that the book was written under a pseudonym by a member of the towns leading family. Only her uncle in new york knows her wicked secret. Theodora goes wild is a columbia pictures release, running at just over an hour and a half. Dunne gloriously shines in theodora goes wild, a 1936 classic that changed her image from a serious actress to a skilled comedian. Caroline adams is really theodora lynn, who wrote the book under a. The four go out to dinner, during which michael teases theodora about her apparent lack of worldliness. Theodora goes wild 1936 approved 1h 34min comedy, romance 12 november 1936 usa the author of a controversially racy bestselling book tries to hide her celebrity status from her provincial smalltown neighbors, whod be scandalized if they knew. Living in a small, straightlaced new england town, she doesnt dare tell anyone that she is the writer of the hottest novel of the day. Richard boleslawski directs theodora goes wild 1936, irene dunnes first leading role in a straight comedy. It stars irene dunne and melvyn douglas and was directed by richard boleslawski.
The book tells the story of a littleknown yet significant espionage episode, most of which took place between may 1939 and may 1940. Theodora meets stevensons wife ethel and also michael grant, the sophisticated artist who designed her book s cover. The town of lynnfield is up in arms over the local newspaper running excerpts of a scandalous new novel by caroline adams, the sinner. This show originated from otrr library and was uploaded october 15, 2014. The smalltown prudes of lynnfield are up in arms over the sinner, a sexy bestseller.
I predict by the end of the evening we will be in cahoots. The episodes include adaptions of classic novels and plays, as well as radio versions of the eras popular films. She plays theodora, the author of a slightly racy novelbut she keeps her authorship secret for fear of scandalizing her neighbors, whose small town is the subject of the book. So youve written a bestselling scandalous novel, the. When theodora goes to new york to visit her publisher thurston hall, she meets the book s cover. Theodora has been able to keep these two parts of her life separate, only her uncle john lynn knowing about her book, and her editor arthur stevenson knowing of her real identity as the straightlaced theodora lynn. This is emma bown, and she is in the trailer for the book, here. Theodora goes wild is a film that took some time to work its magic on me. Theodora goes wild 1936tiny, priggish lynnfield, connecticut is shocked to discover that a scandalous best seller about smalltown life has been written pseudonymously by their very own theodora lynn dunne.
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