The Barretts of Wimpole Street

1957 "The "Many-Splendored" Star In Her Greatest Romance!"
6.5| 1h45m| NR| en
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Director Sidney Franklin's 1957 remake of his own 1934 film, about the romance of poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning.

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Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer British Studios

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Reviews

Hellen I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much
Intcatinfo A Masterpiece!
Baseshment I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.
Justina The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
bkoganbing This version of The Barretts Of Wimpole Street lacks for nothing, it's certainly an improvement over the 1934 version in a technical sense with the wide screen and color. It even has the same musical theme that Herbert Stothart wrote for the earlier version that starred Norma Shearer, Fredric March and Charles Laughton.Jennifer Jones was following in some mighty big footsteps in portraying Elizabeth Barrett. Not only Norma Shearer's, but Katherine Cornell who originated the role in the original Broadway production in 1931 which ran for 370 performances in those Depression years. That is something that should tell you more than anything else about how good this play is. Jen creates her own sense of intelligent regal beauty as the frail poetess who summons up the courage and strength to stand up to her tyrannical father.Charles Laughton was widely quoted as saying that in his portrayal of the issue ridden Moulton Barrett, the censors couldn't censor the gleam in his eye to get past the Code. The Code by 1957 was cracking and John Gielgud used a couple of direct physical moves rather than camera closeups to show his incestuous feelings for his daughter. Gielgud still gives a fine account of himself, though Mr. Laughton set the standard for that role. On stage it was originated by Charles Waldron who moviegoers will best remember from his last part as General Sternwood in The Big Sleep.Bill Travers plays a somewhat different Robert Browning than Brian Aherne on stage and Fredric March on the screen. Both of those men are refined types and Browning is a bit more boisterous in this film than he was in the previous one. Still he's ready to do right by Jones and take her from the tyranny she lives under.Though the 1934 film is an MGM classic, none of the people associated with this version have anything to be ashamed about. This is a story that could be made today. I can see the casting already, Hugh Grant as Robert Browning, Kate Winslet as Elizabeth Barrett, and Tom Wilkinson as Moulton.I'd pay for a ticket to that. Until then we have two very good classic screen versions.
mpgmpg123 I thought this was a very good movie. I always found it amazing that Jennifer Jones was so effective in it as she was hardly a young woman when making this movie. Nevertheless, you hardly notice it and she is really excellent in it. I also thought Gielgeud (I think I am misspelling his name!) and McKenna were also excellent. I love when she is able to tell him after he orders her to get the dog to kill it, "She took Flush with her." It is such a triumph for Barret, for the sister, and of course for Flush too!!! Another reviewer mentioned that they kept thinking of The Heiress in watching this movie. I have thought so too at times. I feel De Haviland would have been great in this role, or actually in a few other of Jones' roles over the years too (Good Morning Miss Dove, Love Letters, and Cluny Brown all come to mind). But Jones was wonderful in each and in this one too. She certainly makes one seek out some of Barret and Browning's poems.
David Fowler Sidney Franklin's 1957 remake of his own 1934 "The Barretts Of Wimpole Street" is virtually perfect and stands head and shoulders above the original which is a very good, very enjoyable film, but which is also extremely saccharin in tone. A fault which this version never falls prey to. Thanks to the talents of all involved especially those of the excellent Jennifer Jones and the genius John Gielgud this version succeeds almost supernaturally in being amazingly affecting without even a hint of the maudlin.The true story of the material is undoubtedly one of the greatest love stories in human memory, and the depth and wonder of that is ably conveyed here. We not only love to see love triumph, but also to see evil defeated. I have rarely been so satisfied on that account by any film as this one. The defeat and humiliation of John Gielgud's tyrannical, incestuous Mr. Barrett is exquisitely portrayed.Both Jones and Gielgud should have received Academy Awards. Compare the two versions and see for yourself.
Spaniel-5 Being owned by two English cocker spaniels my comments are a bit biased.This film is intriguing, not just for the overall story but the way Flush, Elizabeth's cocker, was so much integral part of it. Given the 120 line poem that she wrote about Flush it was pleasing to see that Flush was very much a part of the movie.Sir John Gielgud was a superb actor cast in the role of Elizabeth's tyrannical father. Jennifer Jones performance above par. And of course there was Flush. One very lucky cocker spaniel.