All of Me (1934 film)

All of Me
All of Me
Directed by	James Flood
Written by	Thomas Mitchell; Sidney Buchman
Based on	play "Chrysalis" by Rose Porter
Produced by	Louis D. Lighton
Starring	Fredric March; Miriam Hopkins; George Raft
Cinematography	Victor Milner
Edited by	Otho Lovering
Music by	Karl Hajos
Production; company	Paramount Pictures
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	February 1, 1934;
Running time	70 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

All of Me is a 1934 American pre-Code drama film directed by James Flood and starring Fredric March, Miriam Hopkins, and George Raft. The film was written by actor Thomas Mitchell and Sidney Buchman from Rose Porter's play Chrysalis.

Plot

A professor tires of the direction his life is going and wants to move west, but his girlfriend doesn't understand why he is so dissatisfied.^[1]

Cast

Fredric March as Don Ellis
Miriam Hopkins as Lydia Darrow
George Raft as Honey Rogers
Helen Mack as Eve Haron
Nella Walker as Mrs. Darrow
William Collier, Sr. as Jerry Helman
Gilbert Emery as Dean
Blanche Friderici as Miss Haskell
Edgar Kennedy as Guard
Jason Robards, Sr. as Man in Speakeasy
Barton MacLane as First Cop
Kitty Kelly as Lorraine
Dennis O'Keefe as Policeman (uncredited)
Guy Usher as District Attorney (uncredited)

Production

The film was based on a play by Rose Porter called Chrysalis. It debuted in summer theatre in 1932.^[2]

In April 1933 Paramount announced the cast would include Raft, March and Hopkins.^[3] The following month Sylvia Sidney joined the cast and the movie was going to be called Desire.^[4]

Raft was fighting with Paramount and for a while it seemed he may leave the studio but in June they confirmed he would make the film after The Bowery.^[5]

Carole Lombard replaced Sidney.^[6] Then she dropped out and was replaced by Helen Mack.

Filming took place in October and November 1933 under the title Chrysalis.^[7]

Reception

Reviews were poor and the film was a box office flop.^[8]

The Los Angeles Times said it had "an almost hopeless plot."^[9] Filmink magazine said "a contemporary critic wondered if the reels had been accidentally swapped around and it feels like that when you watch the movie today."^[10]

References

^ All of Me at IMDb
^ "SUMMER THEATRES TO GIVE NEW PLAYS: "Chrysalis", by Rose Porter, to Open Tonight at the Country Playhouse in Westport.New York Times". July 18, 1932. p. 9.
^ "News and Reviews of the Stage, Screen and Music". Los Angeles Times. Apr 28, 1933. p. 13.
^ "PROJECTION JOTTINGS". New York Times. May 21, 1933. p. X3.
^ "Philip Merivale Finally Starts Talkie Career". Los Angeles Times. June 24, 1933. p. A7.
^ "EN ROUTE TO THE SCREEN". New York Times. Jul 30, 1933.
^ "COMING PICTURES". New York Times. Oct 22, 1933. p. X3.
^ Everett Aaker (2013). The Films of George Raft. McFarland & Company. p. 45.
^ Schallert, Edwin (Jan 20, 1934). "INTRICATE PLOT MARKS PICTURE: "All of Me" Takes Players Through Wordy Maze". Los Angeles Times. p. 7.
^ Vagg, Stephen (February 9, 2020). "Why Stars Stop Being Stars: George Raft". Filmink.