I Loved a Soldier

Summary

I Loved a Soldier (also known as Invitation to Happiness) is an unfinished 1936 American romantic-comedy-drama film directed by Henry Hathaway and produced by Paramount Pictures.[1][2] It stars Marlene Dietrich, Charles Boyer, Walter Catlett, Lionel Stander, and Margaret Sullavan.[3]

I Loved a Soldier
Directed byHenry Hathaway[1]
Written byJohn van Druten[1]
Grover Jones[1]
Lajos Bíró[1]
Alice De Soos[1]
Melchior Lengyel[1]
Produced byBenjamin Glazer[1]
Ernst Lubitsch[1]
StarringMarlene Dietrich[1]
Charles Boyer[1]
Walter Catlett[1]
Lionel Stander[1]
Margaret Sullavan[1]
CinematographyCharles Lang[1]
Edited byUnknown
Music byUnknown
Distributed byParamount Pictures[1]
Release dates
Not release; unfinished
Running time
Unknown
CountryUnited States[1]
LanguageEnglish[1]

The Paramount picture was intended to be a remake of Pola Negri's 1927 Hotel Imperial, which was based on a play by Lajos Bíró. Film shooting began in early January 1936 where the film was officially named Invitation to Happiness.[4] Early on into the shooting, there was an accident with a gun that injured one of the crew members and almost hit Boyer, singeing his toupée.[4] That same day, the movie's title was changed to I loved a Soldier for unknown reasons.[4]

As a result of problems with the script and on-set altercations between Dietrich and Hathaway, producer Ernst Lubitsch suspended production on the film several weeks into shooting.[4] In March, Paramount announced that they and Dietrich were "amicable and friendly" again, and production of the film would continue with Margaret Sullavan as Dietrich's replacement.[4] Recast with new actors, the film was completed in 1939 under the title Hotel Imperial.[4] No footage shot for I Loved a Soldier was used in the final film and no footage of I Loved a Soldier is known to have survived.[1]

Plot edit

The film tells the story of a young servant girl (Marlene Dietrich) who works at Hotel Imperial. One day, she falls in love with a known customer who turns out be a soldier (Charles Boyer), locally known as the ultimate ladies man.[4]

Cast edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "I Loved a Soldier". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  2. ^ "I Loved a Soldier". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  3. ^ "I Loved a Soldier" Archived 2009-02-07 at the Wayback Machine. Marlene Dietrich's Official Website. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Dietrich's Unfinished Film: I Loved a Soldier". Last Goddess. Retrieved 15 September 2014.

External links edit

  • I Loved a Soldier at IMDb