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Magnificent Doll
Magnificent Doll
Directed by	Frank Borzage
Screenplay by	Irving Stone
Produced by	Jack H. Skirball
Starring	Ginger Rogers; David Niven ; Burgess Meredith
Cinematography	Joseph A. Valentine
Edited by	Ted J. Kent
Music by	Hans J. Salter
Production; company	Hallmark Productions
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	November 28, 1946;
Running time	95 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Magnificent Doll is a 1946 American historical drama film directed by Frank Borzage and starring Ginger Rogers as Dolley Madison and David Niven as Aaron Burr. The supporting cast features Burgess Meredith as James Madison and Grandon Rhodes as Thomas Jefferson. The screenplay was written by Irving Stone (author of Lust for Life and The Agony and the Ecstasy).

Plot

In the late eighteenth century a young widow is wooed by Aaron Burr and James Madison.^[1] At first, she prefers the charming Burr, but when he reveals his ambitions to rule the United States as a tyrant, she decides to marry Madison. After Burr tries to overthrow the government, Dolley prevents him from being hung by an angry mob.

Cast

Ginger Rogers as Dolley Payne Madison
David Niven as Aaron Burr
Burgess Meredith as James Madison
Peggy Wood as Mrs. Payne
Stephen McNally as John Todd
Robert Barrat as Mr. Payne
Grandon Rhodes as Thomas Jefferson
Frances E. Williams as Amy
Henri Letondal as Count D'Arignon
Joseph Forte as Senator Ainsworth
John Hamilton as Mr. Witherspoon (uncredited)
Olaf Hytten as Blennerhassett (uncredited)
Arthur Space as Alexander Hamilton (uncredited)
Larry Steers as Lafayette (uncredited)
Grace Cunard as Woman with a baby (uncredited)

Production

Universal Pictures paid MGM $100,000 to borrow David Niven for the film. Filming took place under the working title of The Life of Dolly [sic] Madison from June to August in 1946 at Universal City and a ranch in Chatsworth, Los Angeles.^[2] During production, Frances E. Williams complained about the lack of black extras and the director hired more black actors.

The sets and costumes cost $1.79 million. Vera West and Travis Banton designed the wardrobe and milliner Lilly Daché designed the hats that Ginger Rogers wore.^[2]^[3]

Promotion

RC Cola promoted the film with ads featuring Ginger Rogers in costume as Dolley Madison.^[4] Rogers also travelled to Ohio to make a personal appearance at the Cincinnati premiere.^[5]

Reception

The New York Times criticized the film for its lack of historical accuracy.^[3] David Niven later described the movie as a "stinker" and stated that he took the role because he needed the money.^[6]

The film lost money at the box office^[2] and became Ginger Rogers' least successful film without Fred Astaire. Shortly after the premiere, Burr's descendent Samuel Burr founded the Aaron Burr Association to "keep alive the memory of Colonel Aaron Burr".^[7]

References

^ "Magnificent Doll (1946)". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
^ ^a ^b ^c Hervé Dumont (2015). Frank Borzage: The Life and Films of a Hollywood Romantic. McFarland. p. 332. ISBN 9781476613314.
^ ^a ^b Jocelyn Faris (1994). Ginger Rogers: A Bio-Bibliography. ABC-CLIO. p. 126. ISBN 9780313369766.
^ "Magnificent Doll". Exhibitors Herald. November 1946. p. 41.
^ Allen J. Singer (2005). Stepping out in Cincinnati: Queen City Entertainment 1900–1960. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9781439631683.
^ Graham Lord (2004). NIV: The Authorized Biography of David Niven. St. Martin's Press. p. 137. ISBN 9780312328634.
^ Heather Neilson (2014). Political Animal. Monash University Publishing. p. 89. ISBN 9781921867682.