Magnificent Doll (1946)

Magnificent Doll - 1946

Our next film is 1946's historical drama "Magnificent Doll", starring Ginger Rogers and David Niven.  This is a telling of the story of Dolley Madison and how she became encased in the history of the United States.

The film's supporting cast includes Burgess Meredith, Peggy Wood, Stephen McNally, Robert Barrat, Grandon Rhodes, and Frances E. Williams.

The film begins with Dolley Madison narrating.  At this particular moment, she is the First Lady of the United States.  She talks a little about some of the events that led up to this moment, including cutting the picture of George Washington from its frame when the British came to burn the White House.  She begins the real portion of her story when she was a young girl.

Dolley's father has come back from war.  She and her mother are overjoyed at his return, but quickly find him changed.  He tells them that he's become a Quaker and that he has arranged Dolley's marriage to a total stranger.  She's furious.

To please her father, they give up all of their rich and worldly things.  She marries John Todd and vows to never love him.

Even after their marriage and their birth of their son, Dolley still cannot bring herself to love him.  Dolley again vows not to love him.  "You're wrong, Dolley," says John.  "Someday you'll come running to tell me you love me."

What John says comes true.  After their son dies, John dies after contracting a fever.  Dolley runs to tell him she loves him, but it is too late.

After the death of John and her father, Dolley and her mother open a boarding house in Philadelphia.  Their maid comes and tells them that their first boarder has arrived.

It turns out to be Aaron Burr, who very quickly sweeps the Widow Todd and her mother off their feet.

He and Dolley spend a lot of time together.  And she's very taken with his charming manner.

After riding together one afternoon, Aaron meets James Madison in the stables, who has just seen Dolley.  He wishes Aaron to introduce them.  Aaron hesitates and walks back to the boarding house with Dolley.

James follows them there, and eventually he becomes another boarder.  Dolley instantly likes him for his easy-going manner.

She still goes about town with Aaron, who takes her to some dangerous places.

She also spends a lot of time with James.  Dolley finds him very agreeable and very easy to talk with.

Dolley even helps James get some members of Congress talking together by hosting her first dinner party.  Everything is a huge success, and James is very grateful to her.

With Aaron, Dolley talks about how much she enjoys politics and how if she was a man she would be fully immersed in it.

With James, Dolley talks about the regrets of her life and how she wishes she was a better wife to John Todd.  James tells her that life is too short to live in regrets and there is still much happiness to be had.

One afternoon, Aaron tells Dolley of his dissatisfaction with the way the government is working.  He wants America to be seen as an empire, and he has plans to be at the head of that empire.  Dolley has horrified at the way he talks and calls it treasonous.

She goes to see James and he shares with her his vision for America.  She loves the way he speaks about the future of the country and finds herself falling in love with him.  She agrees to marry him.

When she returns to the boarding house to tell Aaron, he is furious.  After some forceful remarks, he storms out.

During election season, Aaron makes a move that he hopes will secure him as the head of a new American empire.  Dolley goes to him to plead with him not to do it.  He tells her he won't lift a finger to further his own cause.  However, he says his time will come and when it does, he'll find a way for her to be by his side.  She bids him goodbye and quickly leaves.

Instead of Aaron, Thomas Jefferson is elected president and he names James as his Secretary of State.  He asks Dolley to help with the official hostess duties at the White House.  She takes on the challenge with gusto.

During a White House party, Aaron finds Dolley and tells her that he's ready to make his move.  She begs him again not to do it.

Aaron tries to muster an army big enough to fight government troops.  But when he tells them his plans, they desert him.

He is arrested.  He does the one thing he can think of: send a message that will placed by his servant in Dolley's hands.

Dolley reads the message and then goes to James to ask his advice.  He tells her that he can't tell her what to do.  She must do what she feels to do in her heart.

Dolley decides to go to the prison where Aaron is being held during the trial.  She tries to make him see reason, but he's anxious to get the crowd to hate him so they can thwart the rule of law.  He is found not guilty of treason and is ready to be released.

She goes to the angry crowd and gives them a speech about the rule of law and the importance of it in their young country.

When Aaron comes out of the courthouse a free man, Dolley has the crowd turn their backs on him and not pay him any attention.  No longer having the power to turn public opinion, Aaron walks off in defeat.

Even though she is victorious in her speech with the crowd, Dolley sadly watches as Aaron walks away.

James makes a surprise appearance in support of Dolley.  Dolley reaffirms her love for him.

Cast rundown:

   Ginger Rogers................................Dolley Payne Madison

   David Niven...................................Aaron Burr

   Burgess Meredith............................James Madison

   Peggy Wood...................................Mrs. Payne

   Stephen McNally.............................John Todd

   Robert Barrat..................................Mr. Payne

   Grandon Rhodes..............................Thomas Jefferson

   Frances E. Williams..........................Amy

And that's all for Magnificent Doll.  The film didn't do well at the box office.  Dissatisfied with the way the final scene was written, Ginger Rogers rewrote it herself.  When she presented it to the director and producer, they agreed to use it with no further changes.  The filming of this movie was marred by tragedy.  The night before filming began, David Niven and his wife were at a dinner party.  After the dinner, the guests began playing a game of hide-and-go-seek.  Niven's wife opened a door which she believed was a closet and fell to her death down a set of stairs into the house basement.  Niven felt that his performance in this film was not good, and he always said so.

As always, if you wish to leave a comment, please remember our posting rules.