1934·Drama·1h 49m
7.1
★
Remarkable poet Elizabeth Barrett is slowly recovering from a crippling illness with the help of her siblings, especially her youngest sister, Henrietta, but feels stifled by the domestic tyranny of her wealthy widowed father. When she meets fellow poet Robert Browning in a romantic first encounter, her heart belongs to him. However, her controlling father has no intention of allowing her out of his sight.
Directed by Sidney Franklin
london, england
abusive father
poet
biography
based on play or musical
family relationships
church
free will
overbearing father
pre-code
self confidence
father daughter conflict
overprotective father
domineering father
literary figure
loss of legs
father daughter relationship
hopelessly in love
cruel father
IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch
Cast
Norma Shearer
Elizabeth Barrett
Fredric March
Robert Browning
Charles Laughton
Edward Moulton-Barrett
Maureen O'Sullivan
Henrietta Barrett
Katharine Alexander
Arabel Barrett
Ralph Forbes
Captain Surtees Cook
Ian Wolfe
Harry Bevan
Marion Clayton Anderson
Bella Hedley
Leo G. Carroll
Dr. Ford-Waterlow
Ferdinand Munier
Dr. Chambers
Una O'Connor
Wilson
Vernon Downing
Octavius Barrett
Crew
Sidney Franklin
Director
Donald Ogden Stewart
Screenplay
Margaret Booth
Editor
William H. Daniels
Director of Photography
Irving Thalberg
Producer
Cedric Gibbons
Art Direction
Adrian
Costume Design
Douglas Shearer
Sound Director
Herbert Stothart
Music
Popular Reviews
4 reviews
Erik Olsson
6.0★ · 03/05/25
Despite the impressive cast and fairly intriguing subtext, this is the type of thing that would work much better on stage than an early sound film. Rather would watch The Heiress.
Despite the impressive cast and fairly intriguing subtext, this is the type of thing that would work much better on stage than an early sound film. Rather would watch The Heiress.
JMadson
3.4★ · 10/29/21
Norma Shearer is great in this movie, and everyone around her is fine. The story and movie though is otherwise incredibly dull besides the last 15 minutes, if you can get to it.
Norma Shearer is great in this movie, and everyone around her is fine. The story and movie though is otherwise incredibly dull besides the last 15 minutes, if you can get to it.
Cami
7.0★ · 05/27/21
Oh I so adore the romance between Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning. What a couple! If I was alive back in the 1840s I would have totally been shipping them. I would have definitely been a fan girl and they would have been my OTP. I love that this movie heavily featured Flush, although physically the actor didn’t resemble that much to real life Flush and his relationship with Browning wasn’t true to reality either (poor Flushie was very jealous of the poet and even bit him twice). Anyways, I really liked Norma Shearer and Frederic March together and I think the screenplay was beautiful during their scenes. Apart from that, the other characters were so over the top and stiff. It was hard to enjoy. Charles Laughton was great but I hated his character. This love story should really be revisited through a modern lens, and maybe include their years in Italy. It’s truly so iconic.
Oh I so adore the romance between Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning. What a couple! If I was alive back in the 1840s I would have totally been shipping them. I would have definitely been a fan girl and they would have been my OTP. I love that this movie heavily featured Flush, although physically the actor didn’t resemble that much to real life Flush and his relationship with Browning wasn’t true to reality either (poor Flushie was very jealous of the poet and even bit him twice). Anyways, I really liked Norma Shearer and Frederic March together and I think the screenplay was beautiful during their scenes. Apart from that, the other characters were so over the top and stiff. It was hard to enjoy. Charles Laughton was great but I hated his character. This love story should really be revisited through a modern lens, and maybe include their years in Italy. It’s truly so iconic.
J
5.0★ · 03/28/23
J
5.0★ · 03/28/23