Jan de Hartog’s text for two, The Fourposter, was done on stage by the married couple of Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy.
The film version featured Rex Harrison and Lilli Palmer, who were married at the time.
The story dissects a marriage from the wedding night in 1890 to the death of the wife in the 1930s. The scenes are played in the couple’s boudoir, near the fourposter bed they’d received as a wedding present. The passing years, and the triumphs and tragedies of the couple, are represented by transitional animation sequences.
A musical version of The Fourposter titled I Do I Do opened on Broadway in 1966, starring Mary Martin and Robert Preston.
Oscar Nominations: 1
Cinematography: Hal Mohr
Oscar Awards: None
Oscar Context:
The winner was Burnett Guffey for From Here to Eternity.
Running time: 103 minutes.
Directed by Irving Reis
Written by Jan de Hartog