The Howards of Virginia (1940)

 "...Grant meets the exigencies of a difficult role with more gusto than persuasion."

With Paul Kelly.

The Howards of Virginia - Review is taken from 'The Films of Cary Grant' by Donald Deschner (1973):

"Elizabeth Page's best seller of last year, The Tree of Liberty, comes to the screen as The Howards of Virginia.  Although using only a portion of the 985-page novel, Columbia still seems to have tackled a larger canvas than it could paint effectively, with the result that this cavalcade of Colonial and Revolutionary America, while ambitious, expensive, and generally interesting, comes to life all to infrequently. 

Adapted by Sidney Buchman  and directed by Frank Lloyd, the Howard saga is most effective in the sequences that recreate frontier life and manners as seen through the eyes of the woman who loves her husband while rebelling against his democratic ideas.  These sequences are impressive in their homely humor and realism, though much footage otherwise wasted inevitably pulls the emotional punches in the story of Matt's relationship with his wife and children.  

Obviously miscast, Cary Grant meets the exigencies of a difficult role with more gusto than persuasion.  Martha Scott follows her impressive screen debut in Our Town with a sincere if more conventional characterization.  That this history has been staged with exceptional fidelity, is due in part to the fact that its Williamsburg sequences were filmed on location in the historic city which was reconstructed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. as a $20,000,000 project to perpetuate America's past."

- Newsweek

New Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36 -
Number 37 - The Howards of Virginia (Lobby Card Style)

Part Of

For more, see also:

Quote From Today - 19 September 2022

On This Day - 19 September 2021

On This Day - 19 September 2020

Quote From Today... The Howards of Virginia (1940)

"Frozen, at that!"

With Paul Kelly.

The Howards of Virginia was Cary Grant's 37th full length feature film.

Captain Jabez Allen: Is that all!

Matt Howard: Aye. And they cost me the two dollars Norton sent me!

Captain Jabez Allen: Jehoshaphat's elbow! A dollar for a potato.

Matt Howard: Frozen, at that!

On This Day...The Howards of Virginia (1940)

The Howards of Virginia was Cary Grant's 37th full length feature film  and was released today, back in 1940.

Cary Grant plays Matt Howard, whose friendship with Thomas Jefferson (Richard Carlson) leads him into a life of aristocracy, politics and family.

"Obviously miscast, Cary Grant meets the exigencies of a difficult role with more gusto than persuasion."
- Newsweek

"The Howards of Virginia, based on Elizabeth Page's The Tree of Liberty, defies anyone not to believe in the struggles of the colonists before and during the revolution."

- Philip T. Hartung, The Commonweal.

The source material was The Tree of Liberty, a 985 page novel, by Elizabeth Page. On its release in Britain, the film title was changed to the book title. 

With Paul Kelly.

With Alan Marshal, Martha Scott and Cedric Hardwicke.

Cast:

Matt Howard                 Cary Grant

Jane Peyton-Howard     Martha Scott

Fleetwood Peyton         Cedric Hardwicke

Roger Peyton                Alan Marshal

Thomas Jefferson          Richard Carlson

Captain Jabez Allen      Paul Kelly

Tom Norton                  Irving Bacon

Aunt Clarissa                Elizabeth Risdon

Mrs. Norton                  Ann Revere

James Howard at 12     Richard Alden

Peyton Howard at 18    Phil Taylor

Mary Howard at 17       Rita Quigley

Dicey                             Libby Taylor

Patrick Henry                Richard Gaines

George Washington      George Huston

Peter Cushing made an appearance as Leslie Stephens.

Behind the Scenes:

Some scenes were filmed on location at Williamsburg, the historic city which was reconstructed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. as a $20,000,000 project to perpetuate America's past.

On location with some fans.

Lobby Cards:

A newspaper advertisement.

Directed by Frank Lloyd.

Produced and distributed by Columbia.

Running time: 117 minutes.

What's In a Name...Change?

So we know that Cary Grant was a name change from Archie Leach.

But did you know that there have been other name changes connected with Cary Grant?

Six films of Cary Grant had title changes for the UK market.

When You're In Love (1937) had the title changed to, For You Alone.

The Amazing Quest of Ernest Bliss (The Amazing Adventure 1937) had its title changed to Romance and Riches.

Holiday (1938) was changed to a much longer title, Free to Live, Unconventional Linda.

The Howards of Virginia (1940) reverted to the title of the novel it was based on, 

The Tree of Liberty.

(Novel artwork)

The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer (1947) became titled Bachelor Knight.

 

I Was a Male War Bride (1949) was re-titled to, You Can't Sleep Here.

Cary Grant Style No.2 - Debon..Hair and Clean Cut?

Cary Grant had a  clean cut look that said...sophisticated, refined, classy and debonair!

This look he carried off in almost all of his films...almost!

Wardrobe and costumes may have changed to fit the role or the era but very rarely did that classic Cary Grant look.
Here are the few exceptions...

The Last Outpost (1935):
As a British Officer, Michael Andrews, sporting a moustache.

With Gertrude Michael.

With Martha Scott.

The Howards of Virginia (1940):

As Matt Howard in an American Revolution role, complete with low ponytail.

I Was A Male War Bride (1949):

Captain Henri Rochard, found himself going to extraordinary lengths...horse hair wig!

With Ann Sheridan.

.

With Ginger Rogers.

Monkey Business (1952):

A short haired and youthful, Professor Barnaby Fulton

Father Goose (1964):

As a South Pacific island resident, Walter Ekland...some what disheveled.

With Leslie Carron.