Juarez

Juarez

Director: William Dieterle Cast: Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Erich Wolfgang Korngold
, Paul Muni
Paul Muni
, Brian Aherne
Brian Aherne
, Bette Davis
Bette Davis
William Dieterle
Juarez

Juarez

Director: William Dieterle Cast: Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Erich Wolfgang Korngold
, Paul Muni
Paul Muni
, Brian Aherne
Brian Aherne
, Bette Davis
Bette Davis
William Dieterle

DVD (Full Frame)

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Overview

Juarez was originally designed to concentrate almost exclusively on the tragedy of Hapsburg Emperor Maximillian, whose attempts to establish a puppet government in Mexico on behalf of Napoleon III ended in disaster and death. But when Paul Muni decided that he wanted to play Zapotec-Indian-turned-Mexican President Benito Pablo Juarez, the film's emphasis perceptibly shifted -- and Bette Davis, cast as Empress Carlotta, was shunted to second billing rather than first. Muni's makeup and costuming convincingly transforms him into Juarez incarnate. But unlike his other historical impersonations (Pasteur, Zola), Muni's Juarez is a one-note characterization: stoic, uncompromising, and v-e-e-r-y slow of speech. Far more exciting dramatically is Bette Davis as Empress Carlotta, whose highly stylized descent into madness is a tour de force both for the actress and for director William Dieterle. Claude Rains and Gale Sondergaard, as Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie, in essence repeat their diabolical characterizations from Anthony Adverse (1936), while John Garfield is singularly miscast as Pofirio Diaz. The best performance is delivered by Brian Aherne, whose kindly, honorable Emperor Maximillian is less a despot than a misguided political pawn. When Aherne, about to be executed at Juarez' orders, requests that his favorite Mexican song "La Paloma" be played as he is led before the firing squad, audience sympathies are 100% in Maximilian's corner--which was not quite what the filmmakers intended. Based largely on Bertita Harding's book The Phantom Crown (the film's original title), Juarez takes every available opportunity to parallel its title character's fight against foreign intervention with the then-current European situation. To protect their investment in Juarez Warner Bros. purchased outright a like-vintage Mexican film on the same subject, The Mad Empress, suppressing the latter film's release in the United States.

Product Details

Release Date: 11/01/2011
UPC: 0883316382547
Original Release: 1939
Rating: NR
Source: Warner Archives
Region Code: A
Presentation: [Full Frame]
Sound: [Dolby Digital Mono]
Language: English
Time: 2:00:00
Sales rank: 6,153

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Paul Muni Benito Pablo Juarez
Brian Aherne Maximilian von Habsburg
Bette Davis Carlotta von Habsburg
John Garfield Porfirio Diaz
Claude Rains Napoleon III
Donald Crisp Marechal Bazaine
Gale Sondergaard Empress Eugenie
Joseph Calleia Alejandro Uradi
Gilbert Roland Col. Miguel Lopez
Henry O'Neill Miguel Miramon
Pedro de Cordoba Riva Palacio
Montagu Love Jose de Montares
Harry Davenport Dr. Samuel Basch
Walter Fenner Achille Fould
Alexander Leftwich Drouyn de Lhuys
Robert Warwick Maj. DuPont
John Miljan Mariano Escobedo
Irving Pichel Carbajal
Walter Kingsford Prince Metternich
Monte Blue Lerdo de Tejada
Louis Calhern LeMarc
Vladimir Sokoloff Camilo
Georgia Caine Countess Battenberg
Gennaro Curci Senor de Leon
Billy Wilkerson Tomas Mejia
Hugh Sothern John Bigelow
Fred Malatesta Senor Salas
Carlos de Valdez Tailor
Frank Lackteen Coachman
Walter O. Stahl Senator del Valle
Frank Reicher Duc de Morny
Holmes Herbert Marshall Randon
Egon Brecher Baron von Magnus
Manuel Diaz Pepe
Mickey Kuhn Augustin Iturbide
Lillian Nicholson Josefa Iturbide
Noble Johnson Regules
Grant Mitchell Mr. Harris
Charles Halton Mr. Roberts
Martin Garralaga Negroni
William Edmunds Italian Minister
Gilbert Emery Ambassador
Nigel de Brulier Actor

Technical Credits
William Dieterle Director
Henry Blanke Producer
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