DEVOTION

US, 1946, 107 minutes, Black-and-white.
Ida Lupino, Olivia De Havilland, Nancy Coleman, Sydney Greenstreet, Arthur Kennedy, Dame May Whitty, Victor Francen, Montagu Love.
Directed by Curtis Bernhardt.

Devotion is a Hollywood biography of the Brontë sisters and their brother, Branwell. While obviously filmed in Hollywood studios, Devotion is an attempt to recreate the Yorkshire village of Howarth where they lived, the inns, the streets as well as the rectory where the father was the priest and Arthur Nicholls was his assistant. It is in the 19th century.

There are also scenes in a school in Brussels where Emily and Charlotte Brontë went for a short time to further their education. There are also scenes in London when Charlotte goes to meet the press on the release of Jane Eyre and she meets with Thackeray.

The film is highly emotional. Ida Lupino has a very good role as Emily, devoted to her brother, loving her sister, Charlotte, but finding her flighty, loving the younger sister, Ann. After initially misjudging him, she is devoted to the assistant priest, Arthur Nicholls, played by Paul Henreid. She loves the moors and in fact and in the imagination wanders Wuthering Heights. Olivia de Hafilland plays Charlotte, more emotional, more ambitious, enjoying time in Brussels, relishing the time in London. Nancy Coleman plays Ann, the younger sister who stays at home

Arthur Kennedy has a colourful role as Branwell, an artist, an alcoholic, clashing with his sisters, and dying young – as did Emily. Nicholls is the object of unrequited love by Emily, he himself loving Charlotte, and eventually marrying (after the time span of the film).

Sidney Greenstreet enjoys himself portraying Thackeray.

Devotion was directed by Curtis Bernhardt who had come from the continent and directed a number of dramas and melodramas at Warner Bros and MGM. It has a score by the celebrated Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

The film was completed in 1943, the time of Olivia de Havialland’s court case against Jack Warner about her contract, her winning and his punishing her by her giving her third billing and not releasing the film until 1946 (ironically the year she was to win her first Oscar for To Each His Own).

There was a French version of the Brontë Sisters in 197989 which included Isabelle Adjani as Emily, Marie-France? Pisier as Charlotte and Isabelle Huppert as Ann.

1. A version of the life of the Brontë sisters, their brother Branwell, life in the vicarage, in the town, their pursuit of writing, the revelation of who they were as women authors?

2. Warner Brothers production, Hollywood sets, black and white photography, costumes and decor, re-creation of the period, the settings in Yorkshire, the vicarage, the town, the moors and the mountains, the contrast with the school in Brussels, London, publishing, society? The musical score?

3. The title, in relation to each of the sisters, Branwell, their father, Mr Nicholls?

4. Audience knowledge of the Brontës, their home life, sheltered lives, their imaginations, the writing, their poems and publication, their pseudonyms, the publication, acclaim? Audience appreciation of Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre?

5. The atmosphere in the vicarage, the strict father, the death of his wife, the aunt and her management the house? His belief in Branwell, disappointment with his drinking and irresponsibility? Love of his daughters, encouraging them? Mr Nicholls and his appointment, his presence in the house? The father initially reluctant?

6. Emily, older, quiet, going out on the moors, imagination, passionate imagination? Her concern about Branwell, helping him? Finding Charlotte flighty, reliance on Ann? The first encounter with Mr Nicholls, thinking him drunk with her brother? The apology? Her writing, not wanting to go to Brussels, Mr Nicholls advising her to go? The love for Charlotte, worried about Charlotte’s flirtation with the headmaster? The teaching the children music, the performance of Chopin? Not going to the fair? The return, Branwell and his illness, Charlotte’s return, Charlotte understanding of her love for Mr Nicholls? Imagining the horsemen on Wuthering Heights?

7. Charlotte, younger, extroverted, her writing, her ambitions, with Mr Nicholls, talking about his kiss, not sensitive about Emily and her love for Mr Nichols? Her eagerness to go to Brussels, enjoying the education, the life, infatuation with the principal, flirting with him, going to the fair and the rides, the kiss in the dark, her reaction? The news that her brother was sick, the need to return, her going to ask the principal’s advice, the encounter with his wife, his stern rebuke of her and appeal to her conscience?

8. Ann, the younger sister, a talent in poetry and in writing? Staying at home, writing the letters to Brussels?

9. Branwell, his place in the family, his drinking, at the taverns, his reputation, sketching people and wanting money? Arthur Nicholls helping him home, Emily and her hostile reaction, her apology?

10. Nichols’ liking to Emily but not loving her? His attraction to Charlotte and her reactions? Mr Brontë and his not wanting an assistant, the discussions, finally accepting him?

11. Mr Brontë, clergy, this status in the village and in the church in those days? Miss Branwell and her helping with the management and bringing up of the
girls?

12. Mr Nicholls, his character, kindly, devoted, with all the members of the family, buying the painting secretly, the money to educate the sisters? His leaving, going to London? His realisation of Emily’s love but unable to respond? Charlotte and her visit to him in London? His love for her? His return?

13. The London sequences, the publishers, the Bell Brothers, the press arriving, Thackeray and his reputation, his presence, realising who Charlotte was, hosting her, his praise of Wuthering Heights? Dickens passing by and Thackeray looking down on him? Not wanting to go to East London, his escorting Charlotte to see Arthur Nicholls? The literary world of London in the mid-19th century?

14. Charlotte’s return, Emily’s illness, the realisation of the truth? Charlotte and her future? Emily and her imagining herself on Wuthering Heights and the dark horsemen coming to take her?