Renowned as ‘The First Lady of The American Theatre,’ Ethel Barrymore was a celebrated American radio, stage and screen actress and a member of ‘Barrymore’ family of actors. She made her first appearance on Broadway with ‘The Imprudent Young Couple.’ One of her greatest successes came with ‘The Constant Wife.’ ‘The Nightingale,’ marked her film debut. She bagged in an ‘Academy Award’ for her performance in ‘None But the Lonely Heart,’ where she played the supporting role. She also earned an ‘Academy Award’ nomination for her role in ‘The Paradine Case.’ Another prominent role played by her was in ‘Portrait of Jennie.’ ‘Johnny Trouble’ marked her last film appearance. Some of her other popular film credits include ‘The Spiral Staircase,’ ‘Deadline-U.S.A,’ ‘Kind Lady,’ ‘Rasputin and the Empress,’ ‘The Farmer’s Daughter,’ and many more.
During depression era, struggling artist Eben Adams meets a young girl, Jennie Appleton, in Central Park. His sketch of Jennie fetches appreciation from art-dealer Miss Spinney, inspiring him to work further. He frequently comes across Jennie who appears to be growing quickly into a beautiful woman he falls in love with. Will he finally learn the truth beyond the mysteries surrounding Jennie?
The Spiral Staircase is an American psychological horror film which revolves around a mute young woman named Helen living in 1906 Vermont, who is employed as a live-in companion for a bedridden woman named Mrs Warren. Her life turns upside down when she finds herself terrorized by a serial killer who has been targeting disabled women.
This technicolour anthology film presents three stories narrated by three passengers on board a cruiser. The relationship between a ballet choreographer and a ballerina with a heart condition is featured in the first. In the second, a boy miraculously converts into a young man and charms his governess. In the third, a failed trapeze artist along with a suicidal woman perform a daring circus act.
Wealthy and aged, Mary Herries, lives in her London home with her housemaid Rose. Having a passion for art and fine furniture, she meets Henry, a young and struggling painter, who talks her into letting him live in her home with his wife and child. Mary realizes her folly when he holds them captive in their bedroom, and announces that he is her nephew and that she has a mental breakdown.
In 1871, Jim Canfield, an innocent wrongly sentenced for murder, escapes Nevada Prison with a group of toughened criminals and leads them to a farming settlement, to avenge the man who framed him. With only women at the settlement while men are off prospecting, Canfield is drawn towards Marcia, fiancée of the man who trapped him. What happens when the man returns?
A woman is trying to solve the mystery behind her friend’s murder, but soon it seems that she might be the next victim.
While traveling from Moscow, writer Fedya becomes fascinated with gambling addict, the stunning Pauline Ostrovsky. When he abandons his own journey and follows her, he also decides to write a character study on gambling addicts. Unfortunately, his love for Pauline leads him down a path of gambling and crime from which he never recovers.
Desperate to cure her hemophilic son Prince Alexei, Czarina Alexandra, resorts to the healer and mystic Rasputin to save him. Although it seems that Rasputin is initially curing the Prince, he conspires to bring about the downfall of the Russian Empire under Czar Nicholas II. Only Prince Paul Chegodieff stands in his way.
This romantic musical film tells the story of vocalist Prudence Budell, who returns from Europe after finishing her training in music. While looking for a male lead for the opera, she meets a truck driver and decides to give him a chance. However, she eventually ends up falling in love with him.
Anthony Keane is an attorney who has agreed to represent Mrs. Paradine, who is being charged of murdering her wealthy husband. Due to her beauty, the lawyer finds himself quite attracted to the woman, although he has been happily married himself for eleven years. He tries to pin the crime of murder on Latour, her servant; however the plan backfires.
Based on the 1947 novel Vespers in Vienna, this American drama film, tells the story of British Colonel Michael Nicobar, who is assigned to a unit in the British Zone of Vienna. His duty is aiding the Soviet authorities repatriate their citizens, though many of them prefer not to return.
Cathy Mallory is a beautiful socialite who falls in love with a blind pianist after being entranced by his music. However due to the fact that she is rich, she discards him. Therefore, in order to win his heart, she starts acting as a poor blind lady.
Told in eight episodes, the film covers different facets of American culture and spirit. It all begins with a professor being asked by a fellow passenger during a train journey if he loves America, to which he responds by counter-asking, “Which America”. The simple question leads to the unfolding of diverse layers of American ethos.
Renowned Broadway producer Jordan Blake, a widower and father of two teenaged children, is courting his heroine Carolina. When he finds that his daughter Barbara had an argument with police and son Jerry has a crush on Carolina, he realizes he had been neglecting his children. On Carolina’s suggestion, he spends time with them, trying to help them grow into better adults.
Katherine Chandler has been an invalid for 27 years, waiting for her missing son John to return. Her life gets even more difficult when she learns that a men’s dormitory is going to be built where she leaves, and she is going to be evicted. However, she refuses to vacate the premises as she believes that her long-lost son will return there, looking for her.
Main Street to Broadway is a musical romance film which tells the story of a playwright going through bad times, who meets a country girl, who is returning home after giving up her aspirations of becoming an actress. Hoping to find inspiration from her, he decides to follow her to her small town.
Camille is a 1926 short silent film which was loosely based on a French novel named La Dame aux Camélias. The film revolves around a group of people drinking real alcohol during prohibition.
Ethel Barrymore Awards
| None But the Lonely Heart | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | 1945 |
