Because of Him
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Richard Wallace
Deanna Durbin
Charles Laughton
Franchot Tone
Helen Broderick
Stanley Ridges
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Film Details
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Synopsis
After a successful run in a Broadway production of Cyrano de Bergerac , actor John Sheridan looks forward to an extended fishing vacation in Maine. Before leaving the theater, John informs playwright Paul Taylor that he wants an unknown, youthful actress as his co-star in their next production, Strange Laughter . With the help of her friend, Nora Bartlett, waitress Kim Walker then tricks John into signing a letter of introduction to his producer, Charles Gilbert. Upon reading the letter and meeting Kim, Charles offers her the lead in Strange Laughter , but Paul sees Kim as an unproven amateur and vows to keep her out of the play. With his vacation ruined by unseasonable rain, John returns to New York, not knowing that Charles is holding a party in Kim's honor at the actor's apartment. John takes a liking to the young woman and goes along with her deception until they can leave the party. After taking her home, however, John advises the inexperienced Kim to give up acting and return to her hometown in North Dakota. Instead, Nora plants a story with the newspapers that Kim attempted suicide after being rejected by John. In order to restore his public persona, John takes Kim out the next evening, and after she sings "Danny Boy" to him, he is so impressed that he finally agrees to give her the female lead in Strange Laughter . In the meantime, Paul begins to feel responsible for Kim's suicide attempt, believing he gave her "no hope" when he rejected her for the play. Paul offers her the choice role, only to discover that she had already been given it by John. Having fallen in love with the playwright, Kim confesses all, but Paul mistakes her sincerity for more deception. Once rehearsals for the play begin, Paul is so cruel to Kim in his direction that John threatens to leave the production. Paul quits instead, and John takes over the directing chores. The day before Strange Laughter opens, Paul publicly demands that his name be removed from the play's credits. Kim then chases Paul throughout his hotel in a futile attempt to get him to attend the play's final dress rehearsal. On opening night, Nora informs John that Kim is pining for Paul, so John takes her mind off Paul by pretending to be in love with her himself. After hearing critics praise Kim's work between acts, Paul sneaks into the theater and sees the play's conclusion. Seeing him backstage, John changes the play's ending so that Kim and Paul can be reunited on stage.
Director
Richard Wallace
Cast
Deanna Durbin
Charles Laughton
Franchot Tone
Helen Broderick
Stanley Ridges
Donald Meek
Regina Wallace
Charles Halton
Douglas Wood
Lynn Whitney
Ray Walker
Charles Wilson
John Hamilton
Gus Glassmire
James Bush
Gene Garrick
Eve March
John Vosper
George Anderson
Billy Nelson
Jack Rice
Wilton Graff
Mary Field
Ethel May Halls
Gladys Blake
Helen Bennett
Emmett Vogan
John Shay
George Lewis
Billy Wayne
Janet Shaw
George Eldredge
John Kellogg
Jim Nolan
Tommy Quinn
Bert Moorhouse
Eddy Waller
George Chandler
Stephen Wayne
Robert Homans
Ralph Dunn
Perc Launders
Mary Mcleod
Rebel Randall
Mabel Forrest
Gwen Donovan
Jimmy Kelly
Teddy Infuhr
Charles Sherlock
Charles Sullivan
Phil Garris
Beatrice Roberts
Jean Trent
Karen Randle
Joan Fulton
Mary Currier
Mary Newton
Max Wagner
Crew
Travis Banton
Edmund Beloin
Edmund Beloin
Bernard B. Brown
Howard Christie
Robert Clatworthy
Carmen Dirigo
Oliver Emert
Edgar Fairchild
R. A. Gausman
John B. Goodman
Nanette Grant
Lorenz Hart
Sig Herzig
William Holland
Felix Jackson
Jean Kenney
Ted J. Kent
Joe Lapis
Hal Mohr
Jack P. Pierce
Ronald K. Pierce
Len Powers
Al Proctor
Richard Rodgers
Miklos Rozsa
Francesco Paolo Tosti
Frederick E. Weatherly
George John Whyte-melville
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Film Details
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Notes
Deanna Durbin and Charles Laughton had previously appeared together in the 1941 Universal release It Started with Eve . Because of Him was Universal's second teaming of Durbin and Franchot Tone, who had appeared together in the 1943 release His Butler's Sister . Hollywood Reporter news items include Robert Forrest and Jaqua Lynn in the cast, but their appearance in the released film has not been confirmed.
