
Desire
Seen it?1936 | 95 min | Romance, Crime, Comedy, Drama
Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- If you count yourself among people who root for the clever crook and history and war-film fans, this one's for you. The fun is in the planning, the double-crosses and the moment it all goes sideways. Same wavelength as The Lavender Hill Mob or Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. It puts you in the middle of the fighting, and doesn't let you forget the cost.
- The mood
- Funny with heart, romantic.
- The pace
- Gives its people room to develop, at 1 hr 35 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1936: an older pace and style.
- Skip it if romance makes you roll your eyes.
Madeleine steals a string of pearls in Paris and uses American engineer Tom, who is driving on his vacation to Spain, to get the pearls out of France. But getting the pearls back from him proves to be difficult without falling in love.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
100% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 10K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Frank Borzage
- Marlene DietrichMadeleine de Beaupré
- Gary CooperTom Bradley
- John HallidayCarlos Margoli
- William FrawleyMr. Gibson
- Ernest CossartAristide Duvalle
- Akim TamiroffAvilia
- Alan MowbrayDr. Maurice Pauquet
- Zeffie TilburyAunt Olga
- George MacQuarrieClerk With Gun
- Robert Emmett O'ConnorCustoms Official