Forever Amber (1947)

Written by Kathleen Winsor, Jerome Cady

Directed by Otto Preminger

Running Time: 150 minutes (approx)

Production Year: 1947

Rating: PG Certificate

Filmed in Colour

Adapted from Kathleen Winsor's rollicking novel. Cromwell is dead and Charles II - played by GEORGE SANDERS - is on the throne in this lavish costume drama. CORNEL WILDE and his noble friend RICHARD GREENE, on their way to London to claim rewards from the king for services rendered, stop at a country inn where Darnell sets her cap at Wilde and asks him to take her with him to London. When he refuses, Darnell runs away from the home of her lowly foster-parents and takes up residence at a tavern where she knows Wilde will stay.

Her cunning plan works when Wilde makes her his mistress but trouble is round the corner when under the patronage of Charles he becomes a privateer and goes off on an expedition, leaving Darnell with his money. Losing this in a swindle and hauled into debtors prison a highwayman prisoner, JOHN RUSSELL, helps her to escape with him and she begins works as his decoy. When Russell is killed, Darnell becomes the mistress of Captain GLENN LANGAN, who places her in the theatre where she enjoys the King's protection. Her son, by Wilde, is born and when he returns from sea, he kills Langan in a duel before heading off again leaving Darnell free to marry elderly Earl RICHARD HAYDN. For Darnell her career upward continues eventually becoming the King's mistress until Wilde returns from his success in America, their son electing to return to the New World while Darnell finds herself jilted by the King and without a position at Court.

Time magazine described the film as, "an account of Slut's Progress" and this is indeed a fabulous opulent epic drama from low life to high life and down again.

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Cast

Linda DarnellAmber
Cornel WildeBruce Carlton
Richard GreeneLord Almsbury
George SandersKing Charles II
Glenn LanganCaptain Rex Morgan
Richard HaydnEarl of Radcliffe
Jessica TandyNan Britton
Anne RevereMother Red Cap
Johnny RussellBlack Jack Mallard
Mary AndersonCorinne Carlton
Robert CooteSir Thomas Dudley
Leo G. CarrollMatt Goodgroome
Natalie DraperCountess of Castlemaine
Margaret WycherlyMrs. Song
Alma KrugerLady Redmond

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