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To Each His Own (film)
Encyclopedia
To Each His Own is a 1946 American drama film. It was directed by Mitchell Leisen
, and stars Olivia de Havilland
, Mary Anderson, Roland Culver
, and John Lund
in his first on-screen appearance, where he played dual roles as father and son. The screenplay was written by Charles Brackett
and Jacques Théry. A young woman bears a child out of wedlock and has to give him up.
De Havilland won the Academy Award for Best Actress
. Brackett and Théry were nominated for Best Writing, Original Story
.
The film was remade in India
as the Hindi
hit film Aradhana (1969) which made Rajesh Khanna
a major star.
London, fire wardens Josephine "Jody" Norris (Olivia de Havilland) and Lord Desham (Roland Culver
) keep a lonely vigil. When Jody saves Desham's life, they become better acquainted. With a bit of coaxing, the aging spinster tells the story of her life, leading to a flashback
.
Jody is the belle of her small American hometown of Piersen Falls. Both Alex Piersen (Phillip Terry
) and traveling salesman Mac Tilton (Bill Goodwin
) propose to her. However, she turns them both down. A disappointed Alex marries Corinne (Mary Anderson). When handsome US Army Air Service fighter pilot Captain Bart Cosgrove (John Lund) flies in to promote a World War I
bond drive, he and Jody quickly fall in love, though they have only one night together.
A pregnant Jody is advised (out of town) that her life is in danger and she needs an operation. She agrees, though she would lose her unborn child. However, when she learns that Bart has been killed in action, she changes her mind. She secretly gives birth to their son in 1919. She tries to arrange it so that she can "adopt" the boy without scandal by having him left on the doorstep of a family with too many children already, but the scheme backfires. Corrine loses her own newborn that same day, but is consoled by Jody's. Jody has to love her son, named Gregory or "Gregsy", from afar.
Her father dies, forcing her to sell the family drug store. When Jody asks to become Gregsy's nurse, Corrine turns her down; she has suspected all along that Jody is the boy's real mother. Knowing that her husband never loved her, Corrine is determined to keep the one person who does.
Jody moves to New York City to work for Mac. She discovers to her surprise that he is a bootlegger
, using a cosmetics business as a front. The same day, the place is raided by the police, leaving Mac with nothing but the cosmetics equipment. Jody persuades him to make cold cream
; with her drive and determination, she builds up a thriving business, and they become rich.
In 1924, she forces Corrine to give her Gregsy by threatening to block a desperately needed bank loan for Alex's failing business. After two months, however, the four-year-old (played by Billy Ward) is still so miserably homesick, Jody gives up and sends the boy back.
Heartbroken, Jody leaves the US to immerse herself in work, setting up and running the English branch of her Lady Vyvyan Cosmetics Company. During World War II
, her son (played by John Lund) becomes a pilot in the 8th Air Force. When he gets a leave in London, Jody meets his train and fusses over him. He only knows her as a family friend. Lord Desham, who is attracted to Jody, uses his influence to arrange for the young man to marry his WREN
fiancée without the customary delay. After some broad hints from Desham, Lieutenant Pierson finally realizes why Jody has been so helpful and asks his mother (by that title) for a dance.
Mitchell Leisen
Mitchell Leisen was an American director, art director, and costume designer.-Film career:He entered the film industry in the 1920s, beginning in the art and costume departments...
, and stars Olivia de Havilland
Olivia de Havilland
Olivia Mary de Havilland is a British American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946 and 1949. She is the elder sister of actress Joan Fontaine. The sisters are among the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s.-Early life:Olivia de Havilland...
, Mary Anderson, Roland Culver
Roland Culver
Roland Culver OBE was a British stage, film, and television actor.-Life and career:...
, and John Lund
John Lund
John Lund was an American film actor who is probably best remembered for his role in the film A Foreign Affair , directed by Billy Wilder.-Background:...
in his first on-screen appearance, where he played dual roles as father and son. The screenplay was written by Charles Brackett
Charles Brackett
Charles William Brackett was an American novelist, screenwriter, and film producer.-Biography:Born on November 26, 1892 in Saratoga Springs, New York, Charles William Brackett was the son of New York State Senator, lawyer, and banker Edgar Truman Brackett...
and Jacques Théry. A young woman bears a child out of wedlock and has to give him up.
De Havilland won the Academy Award for Best Actress
Academy Award for Best Actress
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
. Brackett and Théry were nominated for Best Writing, Original Story
Academy Award for Best Story
The Academy Award for Best Story was an Academy Award given from the beginning of the Academy Awards until 1957, when it was eliminated in favor of the Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay, which had been introduced in 1940.-1920s:...
.
The film was remade in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
as the Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
hit film Aradhana (1969) which made Rajesh Khanna
Rajesh Khanna
Rajesh Khanna is an Indian actor of from Hindi films, and has been Hindi film producer and an Indian politician....
a major star.
Plot
In World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
London, fire wardens Josephine "Jody" Norris (Olivia de Havilland) and Lord Desham (Roland Culver
Roland Culver
Roland Culver OBE was a British stage, film, and television actor.-Life and career:...
) keep a lonely vigil. When Jody saves Desham's life, they become better acquainted. With a bit of coaxing, the aging spinster tells the story of her life, leading to a flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
.
Jody is the belle of her small American hometown of Piersen Falls. Both Alex Piersen (Phillip Terry
Phillip Terry
Phillip Terry was an American actor.He was born Frederick Henry Kormann in San Francisco, California, the only child of German Americans, Frederick Andrew Kormann and Ida Ruth Voll .He attended grade school in Glendale, California. His father was a chemical engineer in the oil fields who moved...
) and traveling salesman Mac Tilton (Bill Goodwin
Bill Goodwin
Bill Goodwin was for many years the announcer and regular character of the Burns and Allen radio program, and subsequently The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show on television from 1950-51...
) propose to her. However, she turns them both down. A disappointed Alex marries Corinne (Mary Anderson). When handsome US Army Air Service fighter pilot Captain Bart Cosgrove (John Lund) flies in to promote a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
bond drive, he and Jody quickly fall in love, though they have only one night together.
A pregnant Jody is advised (out of town) that her life is in danger and she needs an operation. She agrees, though she would lose her unborn child. However, when she learns that Bart has been killed in action, she changes her mind. She secretly gives birth to their son in 1919. She tries to arrange it so that she can "adopt" the boy without scandal by having him left on the doorstep of a family with too many children already, but the scheme backfires. Corrine loses her own newborn that same day, but is consoled by Jody's. Jody has to love her son, named Gregory or "Gregsy", from afar.
Her father dies, forcing her to sell the family drug store. When Jody asks to become Gregsy's nurse, Corrine turns her down; she has suspected all along that Jody is the boy's real mother. Knowing that her husband never loved her, Corrine is determined to keep the one person who does.
Jody moves to New York City to work for Mac. She discovers to her surprise that he is a bootlegger
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
, using a cosmetics business as a front. The same day, the place is raided by the police, leaving Mac with nothing but the cosmetics equipment. Jody persuades him to make cold cream
Cold cream
Cold cream is an emulsion of water and certain fats, usually including beeswax and various scent agents, designed to smooth skin and remove makeup. The name derives from the cooling feeling that the cream leaves on the skin...
; with her drive and determination, she builds up a thriving business, and they become rich.
In 1924, she forces Corrine to give her Gregsy by threatening to block a desperately needed bank loan for Alex's failing business. After two months, however, the four-year-old (played by Billy Ward) is still so miserably homesick, Jody gives up and sends the boy back.
Heartbroken, Jody leaves the US to immerse herself in work, setting up and running the English branch of her Lady Vyvyan Cosmetics Company. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, her son (played by John Lund) becomes a pilot in the 8th Air Force. When he gets a leave in London, Jody meets his train and fusses over him. He only knows her as a family friend. Lord Desham, who is attracted to Jody, uses his influence to arrange for the young man to marry his WREN
Women's Royal Naval Service
The Women's Royal Naval Service was the women's branch of the Royal Navy.Members included cooks, clerks, wireless telegraphists, radar plotters, weapons analysts, range assessors, electricians and air mechanics...
fiancée without the customary delay. After some broad hints from Desham, Lieutenant Pierson finally realizes why Jody has been so helpful and asks his mother (by that title) for a dance.