Peter Ibbetson *** (1935, Gary Cooper, Ann Harding, John Halliday, Ida Lupino) – Classic Movie Review 10,575

Directed by Henry Hathaway’s 1935 fantasy romance drama Peter Ibbetson is based on the novel by George du Maurier and a stage version of 1917, the play by John Nathaniel Raphael, and stars Gary Cooper, Ann Harding, Ida Lupino and John Halliday.

Slightly struggling, but valiant Cooper and Harding have a challenge on their hands here as the architect hero Peter Ibbetson and Mary, Duchess of Towers, the boyhood love he re-encounters, in this odd and fey fantasy love affair.

Cooper is jailed for life when he murders the jealous husband, The Duke of Towers (Halliday), but is joined with Harding forever in his dreams.

Peter Ibbetson is surreal and strange enough to have its admirers both then and now, and it is certainly a lovingly filmed curio from another era, with crafted direction, a fine Paramount studio production and superb black and white cinematography by Charles Lang.

The screenplay by Vincent Lawrence, Waldemar Young, Constance Collier, John Meehan and Edwin Justus Mayer is based on George du Maurier’s book and a stage version of 1917.

It was previously filmed in 1921 as Forever.

Also in the cast are Douglass Dumbrille, Virginia Weidler, Dickie Moore, Doris Lloyd, Elsa Buchanan, Christian Rub, Donald Meek, Gilbert Emery, Marcelle Corday, Colin Tapley, and Marguerite Namara.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,575

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com