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Hilda Crane
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Philip Dunne
Written by	Philip Dunne
Produced by	Herbert B. Swope, Jr.
Starring	Jean Simmons Guy Madison Jean-Pierre Aumont Evelyn Varden Peggy Knudsen
Cinematography	Joseph MacDonald
Edited by	David Bretherton
Music by	David Raksin
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date	May 2, 1956 (1956-05-02) (United States)
Running time	87 mins.
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$1,140,000
Box office	$1 million (US rentals)

Hilda Crane (also known as The Many Loves of Hilda Crane) is a 1956 American drama film made by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Philip Dunne and produced by Herbert B. Swope, Jr. from a screenplay adapted by Dunne from the play by Samson Raphaelson. The music score was by David Raksin and the cinematography by Joseph MacDonald. The film was made in Technicolor and Cinemascope.

The film stars Jean Simmons, Guy Madison, and Jean-Pierre Aumont, with Evelyn Varden and Peggy Knudsen.

Plot

In the five years since she left Winona, her hometown, Hilda Crane has been divorced twice and acquired quite a dubious reputation. She returns from New York to a scolding mother, who hopes Hilda will have the good sense to marry successful builder Russell Burns and finally settle down.

A former professor and lover, Jacques DeLisle, is still holding a grudge because Hilda left him for an athlete. Although she doesn't love Russell, she resists and resents Jacques' aggressive romantic advances. She accepts a proposal of marriage from Russell, who intends to build her a new house.

Warned by a friend about Russell's possessive mother, including her way of feigning a heart condition, Hilda declines a $50,000 bribe from Mrs. Burns to leave town. She leaves the old woman slumped in a chair and proceeds to the church for the wedding. Mrs. Burns was not pretending this time, however, and has died.

Months later, still living in her mother-in-law's house, Hilda has begun to drink while Russell becomes indifferent to her and morose. A day comes when Hilda's mother castigates her again and she can take no more. Hilda swallows a bottle of sleeping pills, intent on committing suicide. But she survives, and is cheered by Russell's promise to restore their love and start building their new house.

Cast

• Jean Simmons - Hilda Crane
• Guy Madison - Russell Burns
• Judith Evelyn - Mrs. Crane
• Evelyn Varden - Mrs. Burns
• Gregg Palmer - Dink
• Richard Garrick - Dr. Francis
• Jim Hayward - Mr. Small
• Don Shelton - Caterer
• Helen Mayon - Maid
• Jay Jostyn - Minister
• Peggy Knudsen - Nell Bromley
• Jean-Pierre Aumont - Jacques De Lisle
• Marie Blake - Clara

Original Play

The film was based on a play by Samson Raphelson. The play itself was based on seven stories Raphaelson had written which were published in Good Housekeeping.

Raphaelson said the play started out "to be a study of the tragic interplay between a mother and a daughter." He wanted to do something that explored a woman torn between wanting independence and being a mother and wife. He struggled to write it over ten years, until he met a woman who was similiar to the sort of woman he wanted to write about, and based the play on her. He wrote that the play became "a story of how marriage and love and death happened, at least in this case, to stem from the fumbling, painful efforts of a woman and her mother to understand each other and themselves."

The play was meant to have been presented by the Theatre Guild in 1949. Joan Fontaine had originally been sought to play the part and was meant to appear in it following her making September Affair.) However she pulled out saying she did not want to be separated from husband William Dozier. Margaret Sullavan was approached but turned it down saying the play "needed a lot of work". She changed her but but then pulled out again. Ingrid Bergman turned it down and June Havoc was considered. Herman Schumlin and Peter Glenville were sought to direct.

Eventually after a year of being unable to get the right star the Theatre Guild pulled out and Arthur Schwartz, a composer, decided to present it. Jessica Tandy took the lead role, her first on Broadway since Streetcar Named Desire. Raphaelson had directed his own plays in the past but they were comedies and this one was a drama so he sought an outside director "who knows more about it than I do". Tandy's husband Hume Cronyn was hired to do the job.

The original play had its first performance on Broadway on November 1, 1950 at the Coronet Theatre, in a production directed by Hume Cronyn and designed by Howard Bay. Also in the cast were John Alexander, Beulah Bondi, Frank Sundstrom, Evelyn Varden, and Eileen Heckart. Of the stage cast, only Evelyn Varden appears in the film.

The New York Times called it "well written... and admirably acted... but there is no getting away from the fact the heroine is a tiresome, irritating egotist." It closed after Dec 31.

Production

In September 1955, the play was among six properties that 20th Century Fox purchased from the Charles Feldman Group (the others included The Wayward Bus, Lonely Steeple, Tender Mercy, Bernadine and Heaven Knows, Mr Allison).

In November 1955 20th Century Fox announced it had purchased the film rights and that the movie would be written and directed by Phillip Dunne. The film would be produced by Herbert Swope, his first film since coming from television.

The film was initially announced for Susan Hayward'. In December the role went to Jean Simmons. Dunne was the screenwriter on three previous 20th Century Fox epic films which star Simmons, The Robe (1953), Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) and The Egyptian (1954).

Filming started January 4, 1956.

Reception

According to Dunne the film was neither a critical or financial success.

See also

• List of American films of 1956

References

1. Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1. p250
2. 'The Top Box-Office Hits of 1956', Variety Weekly, January 2, 1957
3. ^ SCHWARTZ WILL DO RAPHAELSON PLAY: JOINS PLAY AT BOOTH By SAM ZOLOTOW. New York Times (1923-Current file); New York, N.Y. 05 July 1950: 27.
4. 'HILDA CRANE'--SYMBOL OF THE MODERN WOMAN: FEATURED IN "TICKETS, PLEASE!" By SAMSON RAPHAELSONElleen Darby-Graphic House. New York Times 29 Oct 1950: 97.
5. Water-front Story Suited to Two Stars Hopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times 2 June 1949: B8.
6. Joan Fontaine Will By-Pass New York Play; Opuls to Direct Garbo Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 19 July 1949: B5.
7. 'Next Marriage for Life,' Sullavan Says Hopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times 13 Nov 1949: D1.
8. Drama: Keel to Don Cowboy Togs in 'Carnival' Los Angeles Times (1923-1995); Los Angeles, Calif. 03 June 1950: 10.
9. NEWS AND GOSSIP OF THE RIALTO By LEWIS FUNKE. New York Times 23 July 1950: X1.
10. AT THE THEATRE By BROOKS ATKINSON. New York Times 2 Nov 1950: 38.
11. CITY TROUPE OPENS WITH SHAW TONIGHT: Edna Best, John Archer Star in 'Brassbound's Conversion,' the First Winter Program Bill Provisions for Extension 'Hilda Crane' Posts Notice By SAM ZOLOTOW. New York Times 27 Dec 1950: 39.
12. SIX BOOKS BOUGHT FOX FOR FILMS: Purchase From the Feldman Group Includes 'Wayward Bus' by John Steinbeck Special to The New York Times 10 Sep 1955: 11.
13. REMARQUE NOVEL WILL BE FILMED: Universal to Produce 'A Time to Live and a Time to Die' -- Rains to Star in 'Lisbon' By THOMAS M. PRYORSpecial to The New York Times. 1 Nov 1955: 26.
14. SUSAN HAYWARD GETS DRAMA ROLE: She Will Star in Fox Movie of Samson Raphaelson's Play, 'Hilda Crane' THOMAS M PRYOR Special to The New York Times. New York Times (1923-Current file); New York, N.Y. 08 Nov 1955: 37.
15. KATZ, PASTERNAK PLAN MOVIE UNIT: Co-Founder of Theatre Chain and Producer to Set Up Own Film Company By THOMAS M. PRYORSpecial to The New York Times. New York Times (1923-Current file); New York, N.Y. 17 Dec 1955: 18.
16. MOVIES: PHILIP DUNNE: A CHAPTER FROM A CINEMATIC LIFE Dunne, Philip. Los Angeles Times 21 Dec 1980: s58.

External links

• Hilda Crane at IMDb
• Hilda Crane film clip on YouTube

• 1956 films
• 1950s drama films
• 20th Century Fox films
• American drama films
• English-language films
• American films based on plays
• Screenplays by Philip Dunne
• Films directed by Philip Dunne
• Films scored by David Raksin
• American films