Hold Back the Dawn (1941)
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- Passed
- 1h 56min
- Drama, Romance
- 26 Sep 1941 (USA)
- Movie
Stopped in Mexico by U.S. Immigration, Georges Iscovescu hopes to get into the country by marrying a citizen.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Charles Boyer | ... |
Georges Iscovescu
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| Olivia de Havilland | ... |
Emmy Brown
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| Paulette Goddard | ... |
Anita Dixon
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| Victor Francen | ... |
Van Den Luecken
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| Walter Abel | ... |
Inspector Hammock
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| Curt Bois | ... |
Bonbois
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| Rosemary DeCamp | ... |
Berta Kurz
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| Eric Feldary | ... |
Josef Kurz
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| Nestor Paiva | ... |
Flores
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Eva Puig | ... |
Lupita
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| Micheline Cheirel | ... |
Christine
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| Madeleine Lebeau | ... |
Anni
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| Billy Lee | ... |
Tony
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| Mikhail Rasumny | ... |
Mechanic
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| Charles Arnt | ... |
Mr. MacAdams
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| Arthur Loft | ... |
Mr. Elvestad
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| Mitchell Leisen | ... |
Dwight Saxon
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Norman Ainsley | ... |
Waiter with Tray (uncredited)
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George Anderson | ... |
Emmy's Doctor (uncredited)
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| Gertrude Astor | ... |
Young Woman in Bar (uncredited)
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| Leon Belasco | ... |
Mr. Spitzer (uncredited)
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| Karin Booth | ... |
Girl at Desk (uncredited)
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| Bobby Callahan | ... |
Child (uncredited)
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| Stephen Chase | ... |
Cop in Patrol Car (uncredited)
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Russ Clark | ... |
Cop in Patrol Car (uncredited)
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| Chester Clute | ... |
Man in Climax Bar (uncredited)
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| Frank Dae | ... |
Horace - Elderly Kiwanis Gentleman (uncredited)
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| Gordon De Main | ... |
Immigration Guard (uncredited)
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| Brian Donlevy | ... |
Movie Actor (uncredited)
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| Donald Douglas | ... |
Joe (uncredited)
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| Jimmie Dundee | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
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William D. Faralla | ... |
Assistant Director (uncredited)
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| Martin Faust | ... |
Gas Station Attendant (uncredited)
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| Edward Fielding | ... |
American Consul (uncredited)
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Antonio Filauri | ... |
Mexican Priest (uncredited)
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| James Flavin | ... |
Immigration Guard (uncredited)
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| John Hamilton | ... |
Mac - Studio Desk Guard (uncredited)
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| Mitchell Ingraham | ... |
Kiwanis Group Member (uncredited)
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| Soledad Jiménez | ... |
Old Peón's Wife (uncredited)
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| Kitty Kelly | ... |
American Lady at Bullfight (uncredited)
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| Veronica Lake | ... |
Movie Actress in 'I Wanted Wings' (uncredited)
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Harold Landon | ... |
Studio Tour Guide (uncredited)
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Reigh Lang | ... |
Child (uncredited)
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| Mala | ... |
Young Mexican Bridegroom (uncredited)
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John Mari | ... |
Corpse (uncredited)
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Francisco Marán | ... |
Mexican Doctor (uncredited)
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| Buddy Messinger | ... |
Hospital Elevator Operator (uncredited)
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| Ella Neal | ... |
Bride (uncredited)
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Mrs. Wilfrid North | ... |
Elderly Kiwanis Gentleman's Wife (uncredited)
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| Jean Phillips | ... |
Nurse at Desk (uncredited)
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June Pickerell | ... |
Mrs. Brown (uncredited)
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Daniel Rea | ... |
Ox-Cart Driver (uncredited)
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| Henry Roquemore | ... |
Clarence - Driver of Car (uncredited)
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Tony Roux | ... |
Third Mechanic (uncredited)
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Plácido Sequeiros | ... |
Old Peón (uncredited)
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| Harry Shannon | ... |
American Immigration Official (uncredited)
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Jesús Topete | ... |
Second Mechanic (uncredited)
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Jay Tucker | ... |
Suicide Victim (uncredited)
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| Carlos Villarías | ... |
Mexican Judge (uncredited)
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Pauline Wagner | ... |
Nurse (uncredited)
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| Richard Webb | ... |
Movie Actor Playing Jeff Young in 'I Wanted Wings' (uncredited)
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| June Wilkins | ... |
Vivienne Worthington (uncredited)
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Sonny Boy Williams | ... |
Sam (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Mitchell Leisen | ||
Written by
| Charles Brackett | ... | (written by) and |
| Billy Wilder | ... | (written by) |
| Ketti Frings | ... | (story "Memo to a Movie Producer") |
| Richard Maibaum | ... | (contributor to screenplay construction) (uncredited) |
| Manuel Reachi | ... | (contributing writer) (uncredited) |
Produced by
| Arthur Hornblow Jr. | ... | producer |
Music by
| Victor Young | ||
Cinematography by
| Leo Tover | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Doane Harrison | ||
Editorial Department
| Richard W. Farrell | ... | assistant editor (uncredited) |
Art Direction by
| Hans Dreier | ||
| Robert Usher | ||
Costume Design by
| Edith Head | ... | (gowns) |
Makeup Department
| Charles Gemora | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Joe Hadley | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
| K. House | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Hedy Mjorud | ... | hair stylist (uncredited) |
| Leonora Sabine | ... | hair stylist supervisor (uncredited) |
| Lavaughn Speer | ... | hair stylist (uncredited) |
| Wally Westmore | ... | makeup supervisor (uncredited) |
Production Management
| Lonnie D'Orsa | ... | production manager (uncredited) |
| Charles Woolstenhulme | ... | unit business manager (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Francisco Alonso | ... | first assistant director (uncredited) |
| Harry Caplan | ... | second assistant director (uncredited) |
Art Department
| Arthur Camp | ... | props (uncredited) |
| Sam Comer | ... | interior decorator (uncredited) |
| Glen Daniels | ... | props (uncredited) |
| George Sawley | ... | set dresser (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| John Cope | ... | sound recordist |
| Harold Lewis | ... | sound recordist |
Stunts
| Jimmie Dundee | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Buddy Messinger | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| S. Burgess | ... | assistant to second camera (uncredited) |
| Ernest Laszlo | ... | second camera operator (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Clayton Brackett | ... | wardrobe (uncredited) |
| Hazel Hegarty | ... | wardrobe (uncredited) |
| Eugene Joseff | ... | costume jeweller (uncredited) |
Location Management
| Norman Lacey | ... | location manager (uncredited) |
| Cullen Tate | ... | location director (uncredited) |
Music Department
| John Leipold | ... | composer: additional music (uncredited) / orchestrator (uncredited) |
| George Parrish | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
| La Prele Jones | ... | script clerk (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Richard Blumenthal | ... | assistant to producer (uncredited) |
| Eleanor Broder | ... | secretary to director (uncredited) |
| Padre Canseco | ... | technical advisor (uncredited) |
| Virginia Keefer | ... | secretary to producer (uncredited) |
| Phyllis Loughton | ... | dialogue coach (uncredited) |
| Estelle Newburgh | ... | secretary to producer (uncredited) |
| Manuel Reachi | ... | technical advisor (uncredited) |
| Ernesto A. Romero | ... | technical advisor (uncredited) |
| Rachel Smith | ... | child welfare worker (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Paramount Pictures (presents)
Distributors
- Paramount Pictures (1941) (United States) (theatrical)
- Paramount Film Service (1941) (Canada) (theatrical)
- Paramount British Pictures (1941) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Paramount Film Service (1941) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Film AB Paramount (1941) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Paramount Films (1944) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- Filmaktieselskabet Paramount (1945) (Denmark) (theatrical)
- Filmaktieselskapet Paramount (1945) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Státní Pujcovna Filmu (1946) (Czechoslovakia) (theatrical)
- MCA/Universal Pictures (1958) (United States) (tv)
- Arrow Academy (2019) (United Kingdom) (Blu-ray)
- Arrow Video (2019) (United States) (Blu-ray)
- The Criterion Channel (2022) (United States) (tv) (streaming)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Western Electric (mirrophonic sound recording)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Romanian gigolo Georges Iscovescu is trying to get into the United States to become a citizen, it the land of opportunity even in his line of work. Because of the visa requirement, he instead travels to Tijuana, Mexico to cross into the States via the land border, not realizing that this situation has its own obstacles, namely the quota system per country, and Romanians have up to an eight year wait. In joining the queue in Tijuana, he ends up at the Hotel Esperanza, which houses many of those in his similar situation, some of those others who have their own story in trying to become American citizens. In running into an old colleague he met in Europe, the former Polish-Australian Anita Dixon now divorced US citizen Mrs. Shaughnessy - she a female version of him - he decides to do what she did to become a US citizen: get married to an American, Mr. Shaughnessy whom she quickly divorced after getting her citizenship. After a few missteps in finding an American to marry, Georges sets his sights on schoolteacher Emmy Brown, a woman naive in the affairs of the heart, she in Mexico with her class on a field trip. What happens between Georges and Emmy is affected by: the presence of Mr. Hammock, a US immigration inspector who is trying to clamp down on marriages of convenience, which are illegal in terms of gaining US citizenship; the presence of Mrs. Shaughnessy, who will do whatever is required to ply her trade with him, the two of them together whom she sees as the perfect match in being the same; and Georges' own ideas of what best to with Emmy. Written by Huggo |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Three great stars in the story of love...coldly conceived from a man's need, and a woman's desire! (print ad - Lubbock Morning Avalanche - Midway Theatre - Lubbock, Texas - June 14, 1944) See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | Add content advisory for parents » |
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | The original script included an early scene where Charles Boyer talks to a cockroach in his room. Boyer dismissed the scene as idiotic and convinced director Mitchell Leisen to delete it; screenwriters Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett were so incensed at Leisen for giving in, they resolved to direct and produce their own movies from then on. See more » |
| Goofs | When Anita is sitting on Georges' lap at the typewriter, a moving shadow of the boom microphone can be seen in the mirror behind them. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Olivia de Havilland (2015). See more » |
| Soundtracks | La Marseillaise See more » |
| Quotes |
Anita Dixon:
All those years with all the others, I've shut my eyes and thought of you. See more » |