Kings Row is a 1942 American psychological romantic period drama film starring Ann Sheridan, Robert Cummings, Ronald Reagan and Betty Field that tells a story of young people growing up in a small American town at the turn of the twentieth century.
It was directed by Sam Wood and was adapted by Casey Robinson from a best-selling 1940 novel of the same name by Henry Bellamann.Variety film review; December 24, 1941, page 8.Harrison's Reports film review; December 27, 1941, page 208. The musical score was composed by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, and the cinematographer was James Wong Howe. The supporting cast features Charles Coburn, Claude Rains, Judith Anderson and Maria Ouspenskaya.
Plot In the small midwestern town of Kings Row, five children grow up together in the 1890s: Parris Mitchell, a polite, clever little boy who lives with his grandmother; pretty blonde Cassandra Tower, daughter of the secretive Dr. Alexander Tower and a mother that is seen only through the upstairs window; the orphaned but wealthy and fun-loving Drake McHugh who is best friends with Parris; Louise Gordon, daughter of the town physician Dr. Henry Gordon; and the tomboy Randy Monaghan, from the wrong side of the tracks, whose father, Tom, is a railroad worker.
Parris is both friends with and is drawn to Cassandra whom the other children avoid because her family is "strange". They play together regularly. The boys are best friends and Randy plays with them sometimes. When Dr. Tower takes Cassie out of school and she is confined at home, Parris does not see her for many years.
He finally meets her again when she opens the door for him to begin his medical studies under Dr. Tower's tutelage. However, she is very hesitant and says almost nothing. The next morning, Parris' best friend, Drake, says that he intends to marry Louise who is in love with him as well despite the disapproval of her father, Dr. Gordon. Louise, however, refuses to defy her parents and will not marry him. As Parris continues his studies with Dr. Tower, he and Cassie begin a secret romance, seeing each other at Drake's house. But he and Dr. Tower have a good relationship as well. Dr. Tower has interested Parris in psychiatry which he intends to study in Vienna. Parris' grandmother becomes ill from cancer and dies as he is about to go overseas for medical school. Parris wants to marry Cassie after he returns from his training. One night Cassie comes desperately to him, begging him to take her with him. When Parris hesitates, she runs back home.
The next morning, Drake learns that Dr. Tower has poisoned Cassie and shot himself and has left his entire estate to Parris. Parris finds Dr. Tower's notebook which showed that he killed Cassie because he believed he saw early signs that she might go insane like her mother and he wanted to prevent Parris from ruining his life by marrying her, just as Tower's life had been ruined by marrying Cassie's mother.
While Parris is in Vienna, Drake begins to court Randy. Drake's trust fund is stolen by a dishonest bank president and he is forced into a menial position with the railroad. His legs are injured in an accident and amputated by Dr. Gordon. Drake and Randy marry but he is embittered by the loss of his legs and refuses to leave his bed. Parris exchanges letters with Randy and tells her how she might best support Drake emotionally. Parris allows them to move into the Towers' estate. They decide to borrow money and start a business building houses for working families. Parris returns from Vienna to Kings Row to see Drake. But when Parris suggests they build a home in their own development away from the railroad tracks and the sounds of the trains that plague Drake, Drake becomes hysterical and makes Randy swear to never make him leave the room.
When Parris learns that Dr. Gordon has died, leaving the town with no doctor, he decides to stay in Kings Row. Louise reveals that her father amputated Drake's legs because he hated Drake and thought it was his duty to "punish wickedness" which would prevent him from ever marrying his daughter. Parris at first wishes to withhold the truth from Drake, fearing it will destroy his fragile recovery. He considers confining Louise to a mental institution (even though she's not insane) to prevent her and the community learning the truth.
When out walking, he sees what appears to be an apparition of Cassie by the pond the two of them used to go to. It is Elise who has moved into his childhood home with her father. Parris grows close to them both and discusses the problem regarding Louise with Elise. She persuades him to treat Drake like any other patient rather than his best friend. Parris frees Louise to reveal all she knows and tells Drake what happened and why. Drake reacts with laughter and defiance, summoning a renewed will to live. Clear of conscience and reinvigorated as a fledgling psychiatrist, Parris rushes to his former home and into Elise's arms.
Cast
Ann Sheridan as Randy Monaghan Robert Cummings as Parris Mitchell Ronald Reagan as Drake McHugh Betty Field as Cassandra Tower Charles Coburn as Dr. Henry Gordon Claude Rains as Dr. Alexander Tower Judith Anderson as Mrs. Harriet Gordon Ann Todd as Randy Monaghan as a girl Scotty Beckett as Parris Mitchell as a boy Douglas Croft as Drake McHugh as a boy Mary Thomas as Cassandra Tower as a girl Nancy Coleman as Louise Gordon Kaaren Verne as Elise Sandor Maria Ouspenskaya as Madame von Eln Harry Davenport as Colonel Skeffington Ernest Cossart as Pa Monaghan Ilka Grüning as Anna Minor Watson as Sam Winters Emory Parnell as Harley Davis Henry Blair as Willie MacIntosh Julie Warren as Poppy Ross Mary Scott as Jinny Ross Pat Moriarity as Tod Monaghan
Production Wolfgang Reinhardt refused an assignment to produce the film, saying, "As far as plot is concerned, the material in Kings Row is for the most part either censurable or too gruesome and depressing to be used. The hero finding out that his girl has been carrying on incestuous relations with her father... a host of moronic or otherwise mentally diseased characters... people dying from cancer, suicides–these are the principal elements of the story."
The Hays Code
A film adaptation of Bellamann's controversial novel, modeled on his home town of Fulton, Missouri, presented significant problems for movie industry censors who sought to bring the film into conformity with the Hays Code. Screenwriter Casey Robinson believed the project was hopeless because of the Code. Producer Hal B. Wallis said that Robinson felt "I was crazy to have bought so downbeat a property." Wallis urged him to reconsider and Robinson realized that he could turn this into the story of "an idealistic young doctor challenged by the realities of a cruel and horrifying world."
Joseph Breen, director of the Production Code Authority which administered the Hays Code wrote the producers that "To attempt to translate such a story to the screen even though it be re-written to conform to the provisions of the Production Code is, in our judgment, a very questionable undertaking from the standpoint of the good and welfare of this industry."
Breen objected to "illicit sexual relationships" between characters in the movie "without sufficient compensating moral values". He also objected to "the general suggestion of loose sex...which carries throughout the entire script." Breen was further concerned about the characterization of Cassandra as a victim of incest with her father, the mercy killing of the grandmother by Parris and "the sadistic characterization of Dr. Gordon."
Breen said that any screenplay, no matter how well done, would likely bring condemnation of the film industry "from decent people everywhere" because of "the fact that it stems from so thoroughly questionable a novel. He said that the script was being referred to his superior, Will Hays, "for a decision as to the acceptability of any production based upon the novel, Kings Row."
Robinson, Wallis and associate producer David Lewis met with Breen to resolve these issues with Wallis saying that the film would "illustrate how a doctor could relieve the internal destruction of a stricken community." Breen said that his office would approve the film if all references to incest, nymphomania, euthanasia and homosexuality which the novel suggested, be removed. All references to nude bathing were to be eliminated and "the suggestion of a sex affair between Randy and Drake will be eliminated entirely." It was agreed that Dr. Tower would know about the affair between Cassandra and Parris and "that this had something to do with his killing of the girl."
After several drafts were rejected, Robinson was able to satisfy Breen.
Casting Twentieth-Century Fox originally sought to buy Bellamann's novel as a vehicle for Henry Fonda. Philip Reed, Rex Downing, and Tyrone Power were considered for the role of Parris. But then, Warner Bros. Pictures purchased the film rights to the novel, and in April 1941, Robert Cummings was mentioned as the leading favorite if Power could not be borrowed.JIMMIE FIDLER IN HOLLYWOOD Los Angeles Times 26 Apr 1941: A9.
According to producer David Lewis, the first choice was Tyrone Power but he was under contract to Fox, and Daryl Zanuck wanted two commitments from Warner Bros. contract star Errol Flynn in exchange for Power, and Warners were not willing to do that. Sam Wood liked working with Cummings on The Devil and Miss Jones and Lewis felt "He was a little old for the part of Parris Mitchell but, in spite of being known as a comedian, he was a pretty good actor. Eventually we agreed on him."Lewis p 183 Cummings did a screen test and by May had the role.Louella O. Parsons': Close-Ups and Long-Shots Of the Motion Picture Scene The Washington Post 1 May 1941: 12. Cummings was busy working on a film with Deanna Durbin, but Wallis and Wood were willing to postpone shooting for him.Judith Anderson Named for Two Major Roles: Old-timers to Appear Unknown 'Bell' Testee Holt's Daughter Cast Haley to Portray P.A. Drake Set for 'Dinner' Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 16 July 1941: 13. In September, filming was shut down for a week as Cummings was recalled to do reshoots on the Durbin film.SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD New York Times 15 Sep 1941: 13. Lewis later wrote that he liked Cummings' performance if not his make up, adding "Tyrone Power would have brought a great personality to the role of Parris; he would have been a much stronger character than Cummings and the film would have been better as a result."Lewis pp 183-184
Lewis said Wood wanted Ginger Rogers to play Randy "but I knew this was our big chance to make a star of Ann Sheridan, for whom I had the greatest admiration, and I held out for her."Lewis p 183
Ida Lupino, Olivia de Havilland and Ginger Rogers were initially considered for the role of Cassandra. Director Sam Wood pushed hard to cast Lupino, saying that she "has a natural something that Cassie should have." Wood believed that de Havilland, who refused the role, was too mature for the part. Lupino also refused it because of Wallis' emphatic arguments that it was "beneath her as an artist." Bette Davis wanted the part but the studio was against it because they believed that she would dominate the movie. Davis later suggested Betty Field. Among the other actresses considered for Cassandra were Katharine Hepburn, Claudette Colbert, Paulette Goddard, Rosalind Russell, Marlene Dietrich, Susan Hayward, Adele Longmire, Marsha Hunt, Laraine Day, Susan Peters, Joan Leslie, Gene Tierney and Priscilla Lane.
James Stephenson was originally cast as Dr. Tower but died, and was replaced by Claude Rains.Generalship Wanes in Picture Business Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 31 July 1941: 6.