West Point Widow (1941)

81 mins | Drama | 20 June 1941

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HISTORY

The working titles of this film were Nurses Don't Tell and Little Miss Muffet. According to HR news items, Harold Wilson was initially to be the associate producer, Stirling Hayden was initially cast in the lead, and Queenie Vassar was cast in the film. Vassar's appearance in the final film has not been confirmed. This film marked Robert Siodmak's American directorial debut. American-born Siodmak established his reputation as a director in France, but came to Hollywood at the beginning of World War II. In a 1951 NYT interview, Siodmak said about West Point Widow, "This picture isn't good enough to be known as a Siodmak picture." ...

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The working titles of this film were Nurses Don't Tell and Little Miss Muffet. According to HR news items, Harold Wilson was initially to be the associate producer, Stirling Hayden was initially cast in the lead, and Queenie Vassar was cast in the film. Vassar's appearance in the final film has not been confirmed. This film marked Robert Siodmak's American directorial debut. American-born Siodmak established his reputation as a director in France, but came to Hollywood at the beginning of World War II. In a 1951 NYT interview, Siodmak said about West Point Widow, "This picture isn't good enough to be known as a Siodmak picture."

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SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Box Office
14 Jun 1941
---
Daily Variety
6 Jun 1941
---
Film Daily
11 Jun 1941
p. 4
Hollywood Reporter
13 Jan 1941
p. 6
Hollywood Reporter
28 Jan 1941
p. 3
Hollywood Reporter
3 Feb 1941
p. 4
Hollywood Reporter
14 Feb 1941
p. 5
Hollywood Reporter
17 Feb 1941
p. 3
Hollywood Reporter
21 Feb 1941
p. 10
Hollywood Reporter
7 Mar 1941
p. 16
Hollywood Reporter
6 Jun 1941
p. 3
Motion Picture Herald
14 Jun 1941
---
Motion Picture Herald Product Digest
17 May 1941
p. 135
New York Times
11 Sep 1941
p. 21
Variety
11 Jun 1941
p. 14
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
Dial dir
Asst dir
PRODUCERS
Assoc prod
WRITERS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dir of photog
ART DIRECTORS
Art dir
Art dir
FILM EDITOR
SET DECORATOR
Set dec
COSTUMES
Cost
SOUND
Phil Wisdom
Sd rec
Sd rec
SOURCES
LITERARY
Based on the short story "The Baby's Had a Hard Day" by Anne Wormser in Liberty (4 May 1940).
LITERARY SOURCE AUTHOR
DETAILS
Alternate Titles:
Little Miss Muffet
Nurses Don't Tell
Release Date:
20 June 1941
Production Date:
17 Feb--early Mar 1941
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Paramount Pictures, Inc.
20 June 1941
LP10549
Physical Properties:
Sound
Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
81
Length(in feet):
5,704
Length(in reels):
7
Country:
United States
PCA No:
7131
Passed by NBR:
Yes
SYNOPSIS

Nurse Nancy Hull keeps her baby Jennifer a secret from her coworkers and employers at Lexington Hospital, because she fears they will misunderstand the absence of the girl's father. Nancy turns down all invitations until intern Jimmy Krueger invites her to an Army football game. Nancy is thrilled by the game but refuses to invite Jimmy to her apartment afterward. When he goes in uninvited to return her gloves, he discovers her baby and learns that Nancy had been married to Army football star Rhody Graves, Jr. whom she saw play that night. Nancy had the marriage annulled so that Rhody could pursue his career as a cadet at West Point Military Academy, which does not accept married cadets. Although Rhody does not know he is a father, he promised to remarry Nancy upon graduation, and Nancy now happily anticipates the event. Jimmy falls in love with Nancy, but remains only a platonic friend and a father figure for little Jennifer. With the arrival of spring, the hospital workers learn about Jennifer, and mistakenly believe that Jimmy is her father. Hospital director Dr. Spencer meets with Jimmy and refuses to believe that he is not Jennifer's father. Spencer issues an ultimatum that Jimmy marry Nancy by the end of the month or his job will be in jeopardy. With two weeks to go until the West Point graduation, Nancy resigns from the hospital. Jimmy professes his love for her and his belief that Rhody has forgotten her, but Nancy rejects him, so he enlists in the army. Nancy excitedly prepares for Rhody's arrival, but goes into shock when he meets with her ...

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Nurse Nancy Hull keeps her baby Jennifer a secret from her coworkers and employers at Lexington Hospital, because she fears they will misunderstand the absence of the girl's father. Nancy turns down all invitations until intern Jimmy Krueger invites her to an Army football game. Nancy is thrilled by the game but refuses to invite Jimmy to her apartment afterward. When he goes in uninvited to return her gloves, he discovers her baby and learns that Nancy had been married to Army football star Rhody Graves, Jr. whom she saw play that night. Nancy had the marriage annulled so that Rhody could pursue his career as a cadet at West Point Military Academy, which does not accept married cadets. Although Rhody does not know he is a father, he promised to remarry Nancy upon graduation, and Nancy now happily anticipates the event. Jimmy falls in love with Nancy, but remains only a platonic friend and a father figure for little Jennifer. With the arrival of spring, the hospital workers learn about Jennifer, and mistakenly believe that Jimmy is her father. Hospital director Dr. Spencer meets with Jimmy and refuses to believe that he is not Jennifer's father. Spencer issues an ultimatum that Jimmy marry Nancy by the end of the month or his job will be in jeopardy. With two weeks to go until the West Point graduation, Nancy resigns from the hospital. Jimmy professes his love for her and his belief that Rhody has forgotten her, but Nancy rejects him, so he enlists in the army. Nancy excitedly prepares for Rhody's arrival, but goes into shock when he meets with her and explains that he is engaged to marry someone else. Nancy, stunned by disappointment, initially does not tell Rhody about his daughter, but then beseeches the Graves family, insisting that Rhody keep his promise to her. Rhody reluctantly consents until Jimmy enters unannounced and claims that Nancy is crazy and is trying to blackmail the family. Jennifer calls him "daddy" and to the relief of the Graves family, Nancy and Jennifer leave with Jimmy. Jimmy insists that he will be Jennifer's father, and Nancy accepts his proposal.

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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.