Seventh Heaven (1937)

Perfect cast and a good story

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

The movie's only flaw is also a virtue: It's jammed with characters, stories, warmth and laughs.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

A remarkable movie about life and love,a wise poor cleaner drains underground who are in clash with God's existence and help a young prostitute that is about to goes to the jail saying to police officer that actually she is your wife and take her to own home and to cheat the police a while,along these few days together something grow up between them...a tale about true love and how it convert the people to another path,Simone Simon as Diane and James Stewart made a unmatched performance and a powerful set design to be a real Paris at this period of time,sweet and amazing story to all mankind!! Resume: First watch: 2017 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 9

SEVENTH HEAVEN (20th Century-Fox, 1937), directed by Henry King, is a sentimental love story of two ordinary but unlikely people in the poor district of Paris. Originated on stage in 1922 before becoming a popular 1927 silent screen Fox Film adaptation starring Janet Gaynor, directed by Frank Borzage, Gaynor's performance won her the first Academy Award ever awarded to an actress. It also marked Gaynor's initial teaming opposite Charles Farrell, with SEVENTH HEAVEN the most associated of their twelve collaborations together. Basically following the same pattern as the 1927 carnation, this new edition not only borrows heavily on the underscoring to the "Seventh Heaven" theme song, but makes every effort by using a new assortment of actors to physically resemble those from the original cast, particularly its leading players consisting of Simone Simon resembling Gaynor in both pint size and hairstyle, and James Stewart matching Farrell's height and straight-forward manner. While this latest SEVENTH HEAVEN benefits with the use of sound, history did not repeat itself with at least an Academy Award nomination for Henry King as Best Director and/or Simone Simon (best known as Irene in Val Lewton's RKO Radio 1942 classic, CAT PEOPLE) as Best Actress.Plot Summary: "Paris, 1914. On the lower left slope of Montmarte Hill lies the sinister square called 'The Sock.' Its wretched inhabitants, crowded like rats, live between Heaven and Hell. For their evil street is stopped suddenly by a church.". Chico (James Stewart), who addresses himself as a "remarkable fellow," is a sewer worker. He is also an "athiest" working by a nearby church. Down the road is the Cafe De Trou Dans Le Sac run by Nana (Gale Sondergaard) who uses her younger sister, Diane (Simone Simon) to entice and entertain men to keep the place open. Because Durand (Sig Rumann), one of the customers, forces himself on her, Diane breaks away by throwing wine in his face. After Durand threatens to close the place, Nana forces her anger on Diane by running after and whipping her continuously down the streets until breaking down unconsciously. She is then saved from further beating by Chico who chases Nana away. Diane's attempt to kill herself with Chico's knife fails as he intervenes in saving her life again. As Diane is about to be arrested, Chico steps in once again by telling the officer that she is "his wife." Knowing the suspecting policeman will be checking out his story, Chico allows Diane to move into his seventh floor walk up flat acting as his wife until the officer arrives to see his story is "true." During the course of time, Chico becomes a man of position of street washer while Diane gains confidence in herself, losing all fear she once had. Love soon takes its toll, but before they can get married, war is declared, leading to a lengthy separation and unexpected occurrences.Other than Simon and Stewart, SEVENTH HEAVEN features an assortment of capable players including Jean Hersholt as a good natured priest; John Qualen as the buck-tooth thief called the "Sewer Rat"; Thomas Beck as Brissac, a young soldier; Victor Kilian as Gobin, Chico's street cleaning neighbor, with Mady Christians Marie, Gobin's wife; and Gregory Ratoff. Gale Sondergaard makes an impressive wicked sister, a role originated on the silent screen by Gladys Brockwell.Having Simone Simon the same nationality as Diane benefits greatly, though the casting of James Stewart, on loan out assignment from his home studio of MGM, appears to be a case of miscasting. Although he does his best with in his performance, Stewart doesn't seem to be suitable in the role. Had Stewart's character been explained as an American taking up residence in France might have helped, but to accept him as someone named Chico does not. Fortunately Stewart makes no attempt in using a French accent or any sort of accent in this French setting. Charles Boyer might have worked, but his advanced age might have made his performance opposite the youthful Simon quite awkward, though casting of this very nature had been done numerous times. 20th Fox's own Tyrone Power seems the logical choice, but sources claim he was on loan to MGM in exchange for Stewart to co-star opposite Norma Shearer in the epic, MARIE ANTOINETTE (1938).Basically a scene by scene remake, with few alterations and shortening of specific ones, resulting to 100 minutes over the original's two hours, SEVENTH HEAVEN wouldn't be the same without the tender moment during the war sequence having Diane and Chico communicate daily silently to each other from their hearts, wherever they are. On a personal level, the reproduction sets of Paris is first rate while Henry King's direction keeps the pace moving. Only its closing minutes which could have been handled differently, doesn't seem to ring true to life.For anyone who's seen the original SEVENTH HEAVEN would no doubt watch this edition for comparison. Those who have never seen the original would simply accept this SEVENTH HEAVEN for what it is, judging for themselves whether or not this rarely seen love story holds up whenever it turns up on the Fox Movie Channel. (***)

A very moving and excellent movie version of the Seventh Heaven play that was the "talkie" remake of the silent version made 10 years earlier. James Stewart (Chico) and Simone Simon (Diane) play the street cleaner and prostitute whose paths cross and develop a special bond with each other. The movie presents a much gritty view of life in the 1914 Paris streets before World War I and has so many deep messages about life. The Chico character is an atheist who became cynical when his prayers were not answered. He helps Diane when she is beaten by her prostitute sister for not being sociable with potential clients. To prevent her from being arrested, Chico takes her in as his wife to live in his apartment. The climb is up 7 flights of steps, but the apartment becomes their own heavenly abode. As their feelings deepen between the two, Chico eventually proposes marriage to Diane. However, World War I intervenes and Chico must leave Diane to go to war. The two vow to think about each other at 11 AM every day. As the war comes to a close, Chico is injured in a gas attack and is reported to have died by his comrades and a priest (Jean Hersholt whose name is attached to the Humanitarian Academy Award given out every year during the Oscar award show). Another injured war veteran also is introduced during the time that Diane is working in the war hospital and appears to be the "other man" character who tries to win her over. As the end of the war is imminent, Diane refuses to believe that Chico was killed in the war. She, in turn, almost becomes an atheist when she feels that God could have let him die and to have abandoned her. She receives another revelation at 11 AM on November 11, 1918 as the armistice news is celebrated and races back to climb up the seven flight of stairs past all of the revelers to get back to her home. The ending of the movie could have been with a sad ending. But even if it did, the love that tied the two of them would still have resonated strongly at the end. Chico had given Diane a new outlook on life and she could have carried on in the future for the both of them.The movie had many closeups of Simone with the type of lighting that you would expect to showcase her beauty. It looked like you were seeing a photographer shifting the lights in the background when a closeup was called for. She has such an angelic face. Jimmy Stewart may have not fit the French sanitary worker role exactly since he spoke with no French accent. But, his acting fit the role of the street cleaner perfectly and you could see how his later movie roles in "Shop Around the Corner" and "It's a Wonderful Life" were an extension of his role in this movie.The movie was made just two years before World War II began. It showed the horror of battle in the trenches and is a sad reminder of the upcoming war that would soon envelop Europe again.This movie version provides many simple messages about life in general and also affirms the daily life struggles of the lower classes. Everyone has their own heaven if they look hard for it. Sometimes you have to look deep into your own heart. The most poignant scene in the movie for me is right after the policeman comes to visit Chico's apartment to verify his story that Diane and he were married. After he is satisfied when checking the apartment and leaves, Diane then knows that the charade about being married is over and that it is time for her to leave. She tidies up the kitchen area one more time and then takes a last look at the room as she heads out the door. Priceless moment. Highly recommended even though it is a little known movie.

I agree with the previous review. I've only seen this movie once but it has stuck with me. This is a movie about a sewer worker (a very young Jimmy Stewart) who aspires to work as a street sweeper. This is the epitome of jobs in his viewpoint. He is determined to achieve this goal as he considers himself "quite a remarkable fellow". He also falls in love with a young woman who is entranced with this remarkable fellow. He eventually achieves both of his goals.