Kings Row 1942)

The movie was adapted from the novel by Henry Bellamann which was published and became a bestseller in 1940. The movie, also, was commercially successful. It was nominated for three Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best B/W Cinematography but lost in all categories to the big wartime movie 'Mrs Miniver', directed by William Wyler.

The film is generally regarded as Ronald Reagan's best role. His dramatic scene where he exclaims: "Where's the rest of me?" is highly charged. Reagan's autobiography, first published in 1965, would be titled "Where's the rest of me?"

'Kings Row' is a high quality movie with a first rate cast, dealing cleverly with difficult adult themes in an entertaining way. Sam Wood's direction is smooth and unobtrusive and the black and white photography is gloriously rich. It is a wonderful film and even today the ending is still powerful and moving.

Plot

The movie focuses on the lives of Drake McHugh, played by Ronald Reagan, and Parris Mitchell, played by Robert Cummings and their relationships with the troubled and neurotic Cassandra 'Cassie' Tower, played by Betty Field, the beautiful Randy Monaghan, played by Ann Sheridan and doctor's daughter, Louise Gordon, played by Nancy Coleman.

We follow the ups and downs of their lives, beset by the social pressures of the day. They have to contend with insanity, sadistic medical practices, murder and inherited insanity and there is still room for an uplifting ending.

Production

Warner Brothers bought the movie rights for $35,000 amidst fierce competition from Twentieth-Century Fox and independent producer, David O. Selznick. The first problem to solve was making a screenplay acceptable to the censors of the day. Casey Robinson, a Warner Brothers contract writer who specialised in adaptations was brought in and did a first class job in creating a screenplay which avoided the worst excesses of the novel, in particular changing the father-daughter incest of the Towers family into inherited insanity.

Casting
Tyrone Power and Rex Downing (who had played Young Heathcliff in 'Wuthering Heights' in 1939) were originally considered for the pivotal role of Parris Mitchell. Power was already a well known leading man but was under contract to Twentieth-Century Fox who refused to lend him to Warner Bros. Eventually producer, Hal Wallis borrowed Robert Cummings from Universal Studios (where Cummings continued to film in 'It started with Eve' whilst making 'Kings Row).

A number of highly regarded actors were considered for the role of Drake McHugh including Robert Preston, Franchot Tone and John Garfield. Ronald Reagan was finally chosen and the role made him a star. It proved to be the highpoint of his career (acting career that is) as he was drafted into the army shortly afterwards and never fully regained the star status which 'Kings Row' gave him.

There were casting difficulties with the female leads, too. The role of Randy Monaghan was turned down by Ginger Rogers before going to the talented Ann Sheridan, one of Warners' top stars of the day. Whilst filming 'Kings Row' Sheridan was also working on another Warner Bros movie, 'The Man Who Came to Dinner'. Several top actresses turned down the role of Cassandra including Ida Lupino, Joan Leslie, and Olivia de Havilland. Filming began and continued for two months until Betty Field finally was offered and accepted the role.