Daisy Kenyon

Daisy Kenyon

1947 US Theatrical Poster
Directed by Otto Preminger
Produced by Otto Preminger
Written by Elizabeth Janeway
Screenplay by David Hertz
Based on Daisy Kenyon (novel)
Starring Joan Crawford
Henry Fonda
Dana Andrews
Music by David Raksin
Cinematography Leon Shamroy
Edited by Louis R. Loeffler
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release dates
  • December 25, 1947 (1947-12-25) (U.S.)
Running time
 99 min.
Country United States
Language English
Budget $1.852 million
Box office $1,750,000 (US rentals)[1]

Daisy Kenyon is a 1947 American film noir romantic-drama by 20th Century Fox starring Joan Crawford, Henry Fonda, and Dana Andrews in a story about a post-World War II romantic triangle.[2] The screenplay by David Hertz was based upon a 1945 novel by Elizabeth Janeway. The film was directed and produced by Otto Preminger. Daisy Kenyon has been released to DVD. The movie features cameo appearances by Walter Winchell, Leonard Lyons, John Garfield and Damon Runyon.[3]

Plot

Daisy Kenyon (Joan Crawford) is a Manhattan commercial artist having an affair with an arrogant and overbearing but successful lawyer named Dan O'Mara (Dana Andrews), who is married and has two children. He breaks a date with Daisy one night and she goes out with a widowed war veteran named Peter Lapham (Henry Fonda).

O'Mara and his wife Lucille (Ruth Warrick) fight constantly: about his job, the upbringing of their two daughters, about his cheating. That same night, Dan turns up at New York's Stork Club with his wife and older daughter where Daisy and Peter are waiting to be seated. Daisy and Peter leave immediately. At the end of the date, Peter announces that he loves Daisy, and then leaves. Peter stands her up for their next date, but later he comes by unannounced and proposes to Daisy. She realizes that he is still in love with his late wife.

After a brief and hesitant courtship Daisy marries Peter, although she is still in love with Dan. Daisy supports Peter's post-war career. Peter is moody, sometimes quiet and withholding, sometimes wildly exuberant. Peter knows that Dan used to be in Daisy's life. Daisy feels like she's gotten over Dan. Dan's wife, finally fed up with his cheating, wants a divorce, using full custody of the children as leverage to hurt Dan.

Dan asks Peter and Daisy to allow him to reveal the full details of his former relationship with Daisy during the divorce proceedings. Peter states that he won't stand in Daisy's way, that when they first met he needed her, but that he doesn't anymore. He leaves. The trial begins, but Dan can see how much it's hurting Daisy, so he stops the proceedings. He asks Peter to sign divorce papers, even though Daisy did not request them.

Daisy goes away to think. She gets into a car accident. Dan and Peter are waiting for her at the cottage. She asks Dan to leave. Daisy realizes she no longer loves Dan and remains with Peter.

Cast

Reception

T. M. P. in the New York Times noted, "Miss Crawford is, of course, an old hand at being an emotionally confused and frustrated woman, and she plays the role with easy competence." Otis L. Guernsey, Jr. in the New York Herald Tribune commented, "Preminger accomplishes no mean feat in guiding these people in and out among the interweavings of their own complexes, and he does wonders in varying the action of similar scenes."[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Top Grossers of 1948", Variety 5 January 1949 p 46
  2. ↑ "Daisy Kenyon". FilmAffinity. filmaffinity.com. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  3. ↑ "Daisy Kenyon". AFI. afi.com. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  4. ↑ Quirk, Lawrence J.. The Films of Joan Crawford. The Citadel Press, 1968.

External links

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