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HISTORY

The working titles of this film were As It Was Before and As Before, Better than Before. According to HR, Universal purchased the rights to the Luigi Pirandello play as a starring vehicle for actor Charles Boyer. In Apr 1944, Universal begin negotiations with David O. Selznick to borrow actress Ingrid Bergman for a planned Bruce Manning production to star Boyer and Bergman. NYT reported in Jul 1945 that Universal later attempted to sell the film rights to the novel to M-G-M for $250,000, but the deal failed due to a European rights problem. H. J. Salter's musical score for this film was nominated for an Academy Award in 1945, but lost to Miklos Rozsa's work on David O. Selznick production Spellbound (See Entry). Rita Hayworth and Charles Korvin starred in a Lux Radio Theatre production of This Love of Ours on 4 Feb 1946. The Luigi Pirandello play was filmed again by Universal in 1956 as Never Say Goodbye, starring Rock Hudson and Cornell Borchers and directed by Jerry Hopper. ...

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The working titles of this film were As It Was Before and As Before, Better than Before. According to HR, Universal purchased the rights to the Luigi Pirandello play as a starring vehicle for actor Charles Boyer. In Apr 1944, Universal begin negotiations with David O. Selznick to borrow actress Ingrid Bergman for a planned Bruce Manning production to star Boyer and Bergman. NYT reported in Jul 1945 that Universal later attempted to sell the film rights to the novel to M-G-M for $250,000, but the deal failed due to a European rights problem. H. J. Salter's musical score for this film was nominated for an Academy Award in 1945, but lost to Miklos Rozsa's work on David O. Selznick production Spellbound (See Entry). Rita Hayworth and Charles Korvin starred in a Lux Radio Theatre production of This Love of Ours on 4 Feb 1946. The Luigi Pirandello play was filmed again by Universal in 1956 as Never Say Goodbye, starring Rock Hudson and Cornell Borchers and directed by Jerry Hopper.

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SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Box Office
3 Nov 1945
---
Daily Variety
24 Oct 1945
p. 3, 9
Film Daily
1 Nov 1945
p. 8
Hollywood Reporter
19 Apr 1944
p. 6
Hollywood Reporter
8 Jun 1945
p. 15
Hollywood Reporter
24 Sep 1945
---
Hollywood Reporter
24 Oct 1945
p. 9
Hollywood Reporter
6 Nov 1945
p. 6
Motion Picture Herald Product Digest
29 Sep 1945
p. 2662
Motion Picture Herald Product Digest
3 Nov 1945
p. 2703
New York Times
22 Jul 1945
---
New York Times
1 Nov 1945
p. 20
Variety
24 Oct 1945
p. 12
CAST
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
Poni Adams
George Renavent
Richard Ryan
+
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
Dir
by arr with David O. Selznick
Dial dir
Asst dir
PRODUCERS
Assoc prod
WRITERS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dir of photog
ART DIRECTORS
John B. Goodman
Art dir
Art dir
FILM EDITOR
Film ed
SET DECORATORS
Set dec
COSTUMES
Miss Oberon's cost
Gowns
MUSIC
Mus score
SOUND
Dir of sd
[Sd] tech
Re-rec and eff mixer
MAKEUP
Jack P. Pierce
Dir of makeup
Hairstylist
PRODUCTION MISC
Research dir
Research dir
SOURCES
LITERARY
Based on the play Come prima meglio di prima by Luigi Pirandello (1923).
LITERARY SOURCE AUTHOR
DETAILS
Alternate Titles:
As before better than before
As It Was Before
Release Date:
2 November 1945
Premiere Information:
New York opening: 31 Oct 1945
Production Date:
early Jun--mid Aug 1945
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Universal Pictures Co., inc.
25 October 1945
LP13644
Physical Properties:
Sound
Western Electric Recording
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
90
Length(in feet):
8,111
Country:
United States
PCA No:
11202
SYNOPSIS

Noted French research scientist Dr. Michel Touzac travels to Chicago for a medical convention, and once there, is convinced by his colleagues to go to Hinky Joe's, a nightclub, where the Great Joseph Targel, a sketch artist, is performing. Though he doesn't recognize her at first, Michel is surprised to discover that his wife Karin, whom he had left behind in France, is working as Targel's musical accompanist. Karin later attempts suicide, and Michel performs an experimental operation which saves her life. As Karin lays in bed, Michel browses through her diary, which prompts him to recall their first meeting in Paris, when Michel, a young intern, was called to the theater to tend to Karin's sprained ankle: After a brief courtship, Michel and Karin marry, and she gives up her career in the theater. A few years after the birth of their daughter Susette, the jealous Michel overhears two older women gossiping in a bakery, accusing the beautiful Karin of infidelity. Michel then follows Karin to the home of Uncle Robert, a blind gentleman, but before he can confront the two, he is diverted by a friend. After learning that Karin goes to Bob's every afternoon, Michel publicly accuses her at Susette's birthday party of adultery. Karin then strikes Michel and rushes upstairs, only to come down later that evening to discover that Michel has left and taken Susette with him. The diary ends with an entry stating that after months of searching for her daughter, Karin gave up hope and moved to America. As Karin begins her recovery from the suicide attempt, Michel has her moved to the Rossmore Resort, a ...

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Noted French research scientist Dr. Michel Touzac travels to Chicago for a medical convention, and once there, is convinced by his colleagues to go to Hinky Joe's, a nightclub, where the Great Joseph Targel, a sketch artist, is performing. Though he doesn't recognize her at first, Michel is surprised to discover that his wife Karin, whom he had left behind in France, is working as Targel's musical accompanist. Karin later attempts suicide, and Michel performs an experimental operation which saves her life. As Karin lays in bed, Michel browses through her diary, which prompts him to recall their first meeting in Paris, when Michel, a young intern, was called to the theater to tend to Karin's sprained ankle: After a brief courtship, Michel and Karin marry, and she gives up her career in the theater. A few years after the birth of their daughter Susette, the jealous Michel overhears two older women gossiping in a bakery, accusing the beautiful Karin of infidelity. Michel then follows Karin to the home of Uncle Robert, a blind gentleman, but before he can confront the two, he is diverted by a friend. After learning that Karin goes to Bob's every afternoon, Michel publicly accuses her at Susette's birthday party of adultery. Karin then strikes Michel and rushes upstairs, only to come down later that evening to discover that Michel has left and taken Susette with him. The diary ends with an entry stating that after months of searching for her daughter, Karin gave up hope and moved to America. As Karin begins her recovery from the suicide attempt, Michel has her moved to the Rossmore Resort, a private sanitarium in Wisconsin, where he tells her that Susette thinks that her mother is dead. Despite her hatred for Michel, Karin agrees to return home with him, where she is presented to the teenage Susette as Michel's "new" wife Florence. Susette rejects her new mother, however, having grown up idolizing the "dead" Karin so much that she had built a shrine to her. In an attempt to bring Karin and Susette together, Miss Tucker, the housekeeper, leaves the Touzac household, but her departure only drives another wedge between mother and daughter. Later, Targel visits the Touzacs and asks the unhappy Karin to return to the stage with him. During Susette's birthday party, Bob arrives and tells Karin that he and Michel became close friends after Michel learned that he was merely taking piano lessons from her. Bob also tells Karin that he later moved to America with Michel and Susette, where he regained his eyesight through an operation, and that Michel has never stopped loving her. Upon the conclusion of her birthday party, Susette asks Targel to draw a portrait of her mother, but upon hearing Karin speak of her mother, Susette becomes upset and threatens to leave home. Though still in love with Michel, Karin decides that it is best for all if she is the one to leave. As Michel tries to stop Karin, Susette overhears him call Karin by her real name and finally realizes that she is her real mother. Susette then stops Karin from leaving by calling out, "Mother, mother."

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Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

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The American Film Institute is grateful to Sir Paul Getty KBE and the Sir Paul Getty KBE Estate for their dedication to the art of the moving image and their support for the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and without whose support AFI would not have been able to achieve this historical landmark in this epic scholarly endeavor.