Desire Me

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This article is about the film. For the 1979 song, see The Doll (band).
Desire Me
Desire Meposter.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJack Conway (uncredited)
George Cukor (uncredited)
Mervyn Le Roy (uncredited)
Victor Saville (uncredited)
Written byMarguerite Roberts
Zoe Akins
Casey Robinson (adaptation)
Based onplay Karl and Anna by Leonhard Frank
Produced byArthur Hornblow Jr.
StarringGreer Garson
Robert Mitchum
Richard Hart
CinematographyJoseph Ruttenberg
Edited byJoseph Dervin
Music byHerbert Stothart (uncredited)
Production
company
Distributed byLoew's Inc.
Release date
  • October 31, 1947 (1947-10-31)
Running time
91 minutes
CountryUS
LanguageEnglish
Budget$4,149,000[1][2]
Box office$2,576,000[1]

Desire Me is a 1947 American drama film starring Robert Mitchum and Greer Garson. It had a troubled production that included numerous directors and rewrites, and was ultimately released without a credited director.[3]

Plot[]

Marise Aubert is in the Paris office of Dr Leclair, discussing her medical condition. The Doctor explains that there is nothing physically wrong with her and that her pain is from her internal struggles.

The movie flashes back to events of the past two weeks. Soldier Jean Renaud arrives suddenly at Aubert's cottage, where he meets Marise. He explains that he was in a Nazi reprisal camp with her husband Paul, who told him everything about her. He tells her that he saw Paul get shot and that he is dead. She tells him to leave but relents as the evening is stormy and allows him to stay.

Marise is shocked to discover that Jean knows practically everything about her. Paul had confided in his friend many times in the camp. Jean has fallen in love with her from these stories, but when he makes romantic advances, Marise orders him to leave but changes her mind because she is so lonely and Jean is from Paul's life. They spend some happy times, fishing, and being together.

A letter from Paul arrives but Jean intercepts it before Marise can see it. Paul is not dead. The letter explains that he is about to be released from a hospital so he can return to her. Jean nearly leaves after he realizes that Paul is alive but stays. Marise agrees to sell Paul's business and leave with Jean, but Paul returns before they leave. Marise learns of Paul's return and rushes home. Jean learns of Paul's return and retrieves an old gun he found in the office of Paul's business and heads to the cottage to confront Paul.

Marise is ecstatic to have him back, but confesses her relationship with Jean. Paul confronts his friend over the betrayal and Jean pulls a gun on him. They struggle, and Jean is killed in a fall from a cliff.

Marise hears the words of the doctor, telling her to return home. Marise leaves the office of the doctor and returns to the cottage where Paul awaits her and they reunite happily.

Cast[]

Production[]

Garson injured her back while filming Desire Me in Monterey on 26 April 1946 when a wave knocked her and co-star Richard Hart from the rocks where they were rehearsing. A local fisherman and extra in the film rescued Garson from the surf and potential undertow. She was bruised and in shock and required by doctors to rest for several days. The injury to her back would require several surgeries over the coming years.[4]

Reception[]

The film earned $1,451,000 in the US & Canada, and earned $1,125,000 elsewhere, but, because of its high production cost, producers suffered a net loss of $2,440,000.[1][2][5]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. ^ a b Scott Eyman, Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Legend of Louis B. Mayer, Robson, 2005 p 398
  3. ^ Desire Me at TCM
  4. ^ Michael Troyan, A Rose for Mrs. Miniver: The Life of Greer Garson, The University Press of Kentucky: Lexington, Kentucky (1999), pp.198–200.ISBN 978-0813120942
  5. ^ "Top Grossers of 1947", Variety, 7 January 1948 p 63

External links[]

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