Shining Victory
Encyclopedia
Shining Victory is a 1941
film based on the play, Jupiter Laughs
, by A. J. Cronin
. It stars James Stephenson
, Geraldine Fitzgerald
, Donald Crisp
, and Barbara O'Neil
, and it was the first film directed by Irving Rapper
. Bette Davis
makes a brief cameo appearance as a nurse in the film.
, Dr. Paul Venner, is driven out of Budapest
by another researcher who has taken false credit for Venner's work. After going to London
, Dr. Venner is offered a job in a Scottish sanitarium
where he can continue his research on dementia precox, a disease from which his father had suffered.
Mary Murray, a young, pretty doctor, becomes his laboratory assistant. They fall in love, though she has plans to go to China
to engage in medical missionary
work in a year's time. Paul convinces her to remain with him, and the two become betrothed. A fire breaks out in the lab and Mary tragically dies in an effort to salvage Paul's valuable records. The deeply distressed doctor turns down several posts at prestigious universities in order to realize Mary's dream of helping the sick in China.
The working title of the film was Winged Victory, but this was changed after it was learned that Moss Hart
was writing a play with that title. Hart's Winged Victory
was filmed in 1944.
1941 in film
The year 1941 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.-Top grossing films :-Academy Awards:...
film based on the play, Jupiter Laughs
Jupiter Laughs
Jupiter Laughs is A. J. Cronin's 1940 play in three acts about a doctor and his love interest, who hopes to become a medical missionary. The play was first staged in Glasgow at the King's Theatre and starred Henry Longhurst, Catherine Lacey and James Mason. In 1940, it opened on Broadway at the...
, by A. J. Cronin
A. J. Cronin
Archibald Joseph Cronin was a Scottish physician and novelist. His best-known works are Hatter's Castle, The Stars Look Down, The Citadel, The Keys of the Kingdom and The Green Years, all of which were adapted to film. He also created the Dr...
. It stars James Stephenson
James Stephenson
James Stephenson was a British actor.-Career:British stage actor James Stephenson made his film debut in 1937 at the age of 48 with parts in four films...
, Geraldine Fitzgerald
Geraldine Fitzgerald
Geraldine Fitzgerald, Lady Lindsay-Hogg was an Irish-American actress and a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame.-Early life:...
, Donald Crisp
Donald Crisp
Donald Crisp was an English film actor. He was also an early motion picture producer, director and screenwriter...
, and Barbara O'Neil
Barbara O'Neil
-Early life and career:Barbara O'Neil was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She began her acting career in summer stock. In July 1931 Bretaigne Windust, Charles Leatherbee , and Joshua Logan, the three directors of the University Players, a three-year old summer stock company at West Falmouth on Cape...
, and it was the first film directed by Irving Rapper
Irving Rapper
Irving Rapper was a British film director. His most successful body of work is 10 films he made while under contract with Warner Brothers....
. Bette Davis
Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
makes a brief cameo appearance as a nurse in the film.
Plot summary
A brilliant research psychiatristPsychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
, Dr. Paul Venner, is driven out of Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
by another researcher who has taken false credit for Venner's work. After going to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Dr. Venner is offered a job in a Scottish sanitarium
Sanatorium
A sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis before antibiotics...
where he can continue his research on dementia precox, a disease from which his father had suffered.
Mary Murray, a young, pretty doctor, becomes his laboratory assistant. They fall in love, though she has plans to go to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
to engage in medical missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
work in a year's time. Paul convinces her to remain with him, and the two become betrothed. A fire breaks out in the lab and Mary tragically dies in an effort to salvage Paul's valuable records. The deeply distressed doctor turns down several posts at prestigious universities in order to realize Mary's dream of helping the sick in China.
The working title of the film was Winged Victory, but this was changed after it was learned that Moss Hart
Moss Hart
Moss Hart was an American playwright and theatre director, best known for his interpretations of musical theater on Broadway.-Early years:...
was writing a play with that title. Hart's Winged Victory
Winged Victory (play)
Winged Victory is a play and, later, a film by Moss Hart, originally created and produced by the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II as a morale booster and as a fundraiser for the Army Emergency Relief Fund. Upon recommendation of Lt. Col. Dudley S. Dean, who had been approached with the...
was filmed in 1944.
Cast
- James StephensonJames StephensonJames Stephenson was a British actor.-Career:British stage actor James Stephenson made his film debut in 1937 at the age of 48 with parts in four films...
as Dr. Paul Venner - Geraldine FitzgeraldGeraldine FitzgeraldGeraldine Fitzgerald, Lady Lindsay-Hogg was an Irish-American actress and a member of the American Theatre Hall of Fame.-Early life:...
as Dr. Mary Murray - Donald CrispDonald CrispDonald Crisp was an English film actor. He was also an early motion picture producer, director and screenwriter...
as Dr. Drewett - Barbara O'NeilBarbara O'Neil-Early life and career:Barbara O'Neil was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She began her acting career in summer stock. In July 1931 Bretaigne Windust, Charles Leatherbee , and Joshua Logan, the three directors of the University Players, a three-year old summer stock company at West Falmouth on Cape...
as Miss Leeming - Montagu LoveMontagu LoveMontagu Love , also known as Montague Love, was an English screen, stage and vaudeville actor.Born Harry Montague Love in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, and educated in Great Britain, Love began his career as an artist and military correspondent. His first important job was as a London newspaper...
as Dr. Blake - Sig RumanSig RumanSig Ruman was a German-American actor known for his comic portrayals of pompous villains.-Life and career:...
as Professor Herman Von Reiter - George Huntley, Jr. as Dr. Thornton
- Richard AinleyRichard AinleyRichard Ainley was a stage and film actor, son of Henry Ainley and half-brother of Anthony Ainley.Although according to Allmovie his date of birth was 22 October 1910, The Internet Movie Database places it on 22 December...
as Dr. Hale - Bruce LesterBruce LesterBruce Lester was a South African-born English film actor with over 60 screen appearances to his credit between 1934 and his retirement from acting in 1958. Lester's career divided into two distinct periods...
as Dr. Bentley - Leonard MudieLeonard MudieLeonard Mudie was a British-born character actor whose career ran many decades.His first film appearance was in 1921, and his last on-screen performance was in the Star Trek classic TV series....
as Mr. Foster - Doris LloydDoris LloydHessy Doris Lloyd was an English actress.She appeared in over 150 films between 1920 and 1967, including the 1933 low-budget Monogram Pictures version of Oliver Twist, in which she played Nancy...
as Mrs. Foster - Frank ReicherFrank ReicherFrank Reicher , was a German-born American stage and film actor, director and producer.-Early life:Frank Reicher was born in Munich, Germany, the son of actor Emanuel Reicher and Hedwig Kindermann, a popular German prima donna who was a daughter of the famous baritone August Kindermann...
as Dr. Esterhazy - Hermine Sterler as Miss Hoffman
- Billy BevanBilly BevanBilly Bevan was an Australian film actor. He appeared in 254 American films between 1916 and 1950....
as Chivers - Clare Verdera as Miss Dennis
- Crauford Kent as Dr. Corliss
- Alec Craig as the jeweler
- Louise Brien as a nurse
- Bette DavisBette DavisRuth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
as a nurse