1935–1939
- He marches triumphant through the 1930s, topping it with cinema’s biggest prize
- Iconic: Stars in Alfred Hitchcock’s best film and a blueprint for his later success
- Followed with dual role in Britain’s biggest film of the year and stateside smash
- Conscience: Socialist classic and call to conscience brings further recognition
- Rounds off the decade with the Best Actor Oscar for perhaps his defining role
Robert Donat Collectors Guide, Part 2: 1932–1934, 3: 1935–1939, 4: 1942–1947, 5: 1948–1958
Robert Donat and Rosalind Russell in The Citadel
Contents
- The 39 Steps (1935)
- The Ghost Goes West (1935)
- Knight Without Armour (1937)
- The Citadel (1938)
- Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)
- Related articles
The 39 Steps (1935)
Fingered: Godfrey Tearle puts his hand up to the misdeed on this US lobby card
What to say? In my not-so humble opinion, Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest film, so there. Naturally, it merits its own series of articles.
The Ghost Goes West (1935)
The shepherdess and the Laird: Patricia Hilliard and Robert Donat make hay while the sun shines
“Delightful” – The New York Times
Robert Donat stars as Murdoch Glourie, a 200-year-old ghost who refuses to leave his beloved Scottish castle, even when modern-day relative Donald Glourie (also played by Donat) is forced to sell the castle and have it shipped to Florida! By the time Glourie Castle arrives in America, Murdoch has revealed himself to all the wrong people – badly frightening the new owners, endangering a romance between the owners’ daughter (Jean Parker) and Donald, and generally making a nuisance of himself. The Ghost Goes West is hilarious fantasy fun with an imaginative story that the whole family will love! – US Embassy VHS (1985)
“An inspiring spectacle.” – Daily Express
“Scintillating with mischievous and whimsical humour. It is a triumph.”– News Chronicle
The dashing and talented Robert Donat, possibly the best day, brings his trademark elegance and wit to this humorous ghost story which begins in the misty Scottish Highlands and then moves across the Atlantic to America. Donat plays a dual role in the film as Donald Glourie, the debt-ridden owner of a Scottish castle, who shares his run-down home with the eighteenth-century ghost of Murdoch Glourie (also Robert Donat), whose soul is doomed to get no rest until he takes revenge on the rival clan of the Maclaggans to settle an ancient feud.
To clear his debts, Donald sells the castle to an American businessman, Joe Martin (Eugene Pallette). Joe has the castle, complete with ghost, shipped over to Florida and Douals goes along to oversee the job. The ghost wreaks havoc with the castle’s new owners and causes endless complications. The results are hilariously funny and triumphantly entertaining, making the film one of Korda’s greatest successes. – UK Carlton VHS (1991)
Donat stars as the titular apparition in the first English-language film of French director René Clair with a “grown up” Jean Parker, and fourth-billed Elsa Lanchester expectedly making the most of her supporting role. The script of this “joyous satire and gorgeous burlesque” is based on “Sir Tristram Goes West”, a short story by Eric Keown, drama critic for Punch, and first published in the magazine’s May 1935 issue. Unavailable for many years, it’s since been reprinted in Classics of the Supernatural (1995) and The Mammoth Book of Modern Ghost Stories (2007), both edited by Peter Haining. The biggest British film of the year, on its US release it became the subject of a plagiarism lawsuit brought by American writer Wallace Irwin but the outcome is unknown. The, ahem, hauntingly beautiful score is by émigré Russian-German composer Mischa Spoliansky and a specially adapted suite is available:
- Chandos CD/MP3 The Film Music of Mischa Spoliansky (2009) – BBC Concert Orchestra cond. Rumon Gamba (8:31)
The screenplay and finished continuity were published in a tie-in book, while a US radio adaptation with the film’s fourth-billed star followed in 1944.
- Successful Film Writing as Illustrated by The Ghost Goes West (1936) – Seton Margrave
- Screen Guild Theater: The Ghost Goes West, August 21, 1944 – Basil Rathbone, Eugene Pallette and Marsha Hunt
The BBFC passed the film uncut at 89:13 for UK release but the US chopped it to 82 minutes. The BFI Archive doesn’t appear to hold any materials except for a screen test for one Mary Guy-Smith, of whom I can find no other trace.
The countries below have all released the film on DVD (and VHS) with original mono audio, as with its 1985 Embassy Home Video US VHS. But HBO struck again with another inauthentic 2.0 stereo remix by Chace Productions (video) for their 1995 US VHS. The UK disc has a gallery, script and publicity materials, while the rest are barebones.
- UK: Network DVD (2008, reissued 2016)
- Germany: Ascot Elite DVD (2008)
- France: Studiocanal DVD (2005, reissued 20–)
- Spain: Manga DVD (2006), also in 5-DVD Colección Korda, Vol. 1/alt/alt
- Japan: IVC DVD (2001, reissued 2003, 2011)
It’s the copyright of ITV Global until the end of 2030 in the US (its initial 1935 release + 95 years) and 2055 in the rest of the world (Spoliansky’s 1985 death + 70 years). However, that hasn’t stopped a surprising number of international bootlegs emerging, formerly on VHS, now on disc and streaming, and usually of the US edit. For instance, eBay is rife with crappy DVD-Rs, while pressed examples include: Australia (RetroFlicks), Chile (Cinematekka/set), China (Bo ying), Italy (DNA, Golem, Sinister Film), Spain (Regia), UK (Movieology) and the US (Firecake/2on1, Reel Vault).
Knight Without Armour (1937)
US poster (uncut), three sheet, herald, pressbook
Life, split ad | Graham Greene on Knight Without Armour | Screenonline | BFI Archive | fan trailer, TCM
West romances East as screen legends Robert Donat and Marlene Dietrich portray lovers in this gripping romantic thriller produced by film great, Alexander Korda. Set luring the 1917 Russian Revolution, a Secret Service agent (Donat) is sent on an assignment to escort a beautiful young Countess (Dietrich) to an interrogation. Hiding in the woods by day and travelling only by night, they find themselves falling in love. Facing indomitable odds, they decide to make a fateful escape across the frontier. – US HBO LD (1995)
Knight Without Armour is based on sadly short-lived (1900–1954) Brit James Hilton’s eponymous 1933 novel, which was initially published in the US as Without Armor and later had a movie tie-in edition. Hilton’s (literally) storied transatlantic career included also penning the source novels for Lost Horizon; Goodbye, Mr. Chips and Random Harvest; and he co-wrote the screenplays for Greta Garbo’s Camille (1936), Foreign Correspondent, Mrs. Miniver and Forever and a Day. Madeleine Carroll read Hilton’s book while filming The 39 Steps and suggested she and Donat reteam on a film version, but eventually had to drop out due to scheduling and was replaced by Dietrich. Just before shooting began, Donat had a severe attack of asthma and the film was delayed for over a month. Korda wanted to replace him but Dietrich refused and threatened to walk if he did so.
When Scotland Started to Speak (Steps and Knight) – John Ritchie
UK Carlton VHS (1991) artwork by Tom Chantrell; video proof for sale (alt)
Despite its attached star names – in addition to Dietrich, Donat and Korda, it was also directed by Jacques Feyder and scored by Miklós Rózsa – this one’s a relative obscurity. More prevalent on VHS, the soundtrack pattern continues with all-original mono releases, including the first US VHS from Embassy, but wrapping up with a 2.0 stereo Chace remix for its 1997 HBO VHS. Thankfully, all other licensed releases also have original mono, with the French DVD being the most common:
- US: Criterion Channel
- France: Elephant Films DVD (2013)
- Spain: Manga DVD (2007), also in 5-DVD Colección Korda, Vol. 5
- Greece: Modern Times 2on1 DVD w/”Poirot: “The Million Dollar Bond Robbery” (1991) – newspaper giveaway
- Australia: Magna Pacific DVD/alt (2003)
The BBFC passed it uncut at 109:17 but the US chopped it to a more chaste but-still-very saucy 103 minutes; that’s the print found on most bootlegs, such as those from Italy (Sinister Film), Spain (Regasa) and the US (Firecake).
There are three permutations of Rózsa’s fine score available: a suite taken from the film itself, another from 1976 re-recorded by the man himself, and finally a piano rendition of the entire score.
- Disques Cinémusique MP3 Marlene Dietrich Best Movie Themes & Songs (2023) – NWA Suite (7:14)
- Polydor MP3/LP Miklós Rózsa Conducting The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (1976) – NWA Suite (9:39)
- Intrada CD Knight Without Armor: Film Music for Piano (2007) – Daniel Robbins
The Citadel (1938)
French poster; US lobby cards/alt, herald/inner
Picturegoer | Life | LitMed | ReelStreets | trailer (cropped), opening
“Best Picture of the Year.” – New York Film Critics, National Board of Review
Almost half a century after its initial theatrical release, The Citadel is still one of the most powerful films ever made about a doctor’s personal and professional struggles. This adaptation of A.J. Cronin’s best seller earned wide praise and several Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Actor (Robert Donat) and Director (King Vidor). Donat, who won his richly deserved Oscar one year later for Goodbye, Mr. Chips, stars as the idealistic young Dr Manson.
- The Citadel (1937) – A.J. Cronin | Italian, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Starting his career in a Welsh mining village, Manson quickly runs up against the medical establishment when he tries to expose the cause of a severe cough that is disabling many miners. The futility of Manson’s altruistic efforts, and the influence of his more material-minded colleagues, gradually steer him away from his humanitarian goals and into a cushy London practice. His wife (Rosalind Russell) and best friend (Ralph Richardson) try to revive his thwarted compassion, but it takes a shattering crisis to resolve Manson’s future. Rex Harrison and Emlyn Williams co-star in this lavish production, rightfully hailed by The New York Times as “one of the great events of the season!” – US MGM/UA VHS/alt (1987)
- Robert Donat, the ‘Emotion Chart’ and The Citadel – Victoria Lowe
- Top 10 Welsh films: The Citadel/Industry in Welsh Film – BBC Wales Arts
- Prime Video | YouTube Movies
- US: Warner DVD-R (2009) – region 0 NTSC; plays anywhere
- Spain: Warner DVD (2009)
Bootlegs: Italy (A&R Productions) and Spain (Llamentol DVD-R).
- The Campbell Playhouse: The Citadel, January 21, 1940 – Orson Welles and Geraldine Fitzgerald
- Theater of Romance: The Citadel, March 20, 1945 – Claude Rains and Gertrude Warner, also in…
- Hallmark Playhouse: The Citadel, July 22, 1948 – credits
Also see: The Proud Valley
Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)
Mr. Donat’s other best known film also has its own article.
Robert Donat Collectors Guide, Part 2: 1932–1934, 3: 1935–1939, 4: 1942–1947, 5: 1948–1958
Related articles
- Robert Donat Collectors Guide: The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958)
- Robert Donat Collectors Guide: Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)
- Alfred Hitchcock Collectors Guide: The 39 Steps (1935)
- Charters and Caldicott Collectors Guide
- Nova Pilbeam Collectors Guide
