Barretts of Wimpole Street The (1934)

Directed by Irving G. Thalberg winner Sidney Franklin (The Good Earth (1937)) and co-written by Claudine West (Mrs. Miniver (1942)) & Donald Ogden Stewart (The Philadelphia Story (1940)) among others this historical drama about the romance between poets Elizabeth Barrett (Norma Shearer The Divorcee (1930)) and Robert Browning (Fredric March Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) & The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)) earned Shearer her fourth of six Best Actress Academy Award nominations; the film was also Oscar nominated. Though toned down by the censors the story also features Barrett’s tyrannical father Edward Moulton-Barrett (Charles Laughton The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)) and his near incestuous relationship with his eldest daughter Elizabeth. Also in the cast are Maureen O’Sullivan as Henrietta Barrett’s rebellious daughter that wants to marry Captain Cook (Ralph Forbes) Una O’Connor as Elizabeth’s nurse & servant (check out the way she moves seemingly without any legs under her dress!) Leo G. Carroll as a doctor and Ian Wolfe among many others in the large family.

Elizabeth Barrett is weak and unable to walk about spending most of her time reclining on the settee in her room while refusing to drink the port “medicine” her father Edward insists she does because of its awful taste. Her servant Wilson (O’Connor) who attends to her needs gives her the latest letter in her correspondence with fellow poet Robert Browning. Upon reading it Elizabeth learns that Browning has come to call on her. He is unaware of her condition and she debates whether to let him see her at all. When he does he is quite taken with her – she’s the perfect vision of his (as yet) unrequited love for her. His enthusiastic love for her combined with her refusal to drink the port helps her to rise from the settee and walk once again. Later when her father Edward learns of Browning and Cook’s interest in Elizabeth’s younger sister Henrietta he’ll have none of it. It seems he’s refused to allow his daughters to date wanting instead for them to have love servile devotion really only for him. The film is about how Elizabeth and Henrietta with help from their many brothers conspire to defy their tyrannical father and his wishes.

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