Under Your Spell (film)
| Under Your Spell | |
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| Directed by | Otto Preminger |
| Produced by | John Stone |
| Written by | Frances Hyland Saul Elkins Based on a story by Sy Bartlett and Bernice Mason |
| Starring |
Lawrence Tibbett Wendy Barrie |
| Music by |
Arthur Lange Charles Maxwell |
| Cinematography | Sidney Wagner |
| Edited by | Fred Allen |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
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Release date
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Running time
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62 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Under Your Spell is a 1936 American romantic comedy film with music directed by Otto Preminger. The screenplay by Frances Hyland and Saul Elkins is based on a story by Sy Bartlett and Bernice Mason.
Chicago socialite Cynthia Drexel arranges for New York City opera star Anthony Allen to sing at a private party for a $15,000 fee but, tired of his arduous performance schedule and the silly promotional stunts devised by his agent Petroff, he flees to his hometown in New Mexico, then his secluded cabin in the Sierra Madres. Determined to make him fulfill his commitment, Cynthia pursues him in her private plane, but he refuses to return with her, despite the efforts of her Uncle Bob and his valet Botts to convince him otherwise.
When Cynthia leaves without her suitcase, a now intrigued Anthony returns to Chicago with her belongings. When he arrives at her home, an angry Cynthia criticizes his singing and tells him she has no romantic interest in him as she is engaged Count Raul Du Rienne. Cynthia sues him for breach of contract, but in court Anthony argues he refused to sing for her because she does not appreciate his talent, and the case is dismissed. Outside the courtroom, Uncle Bob tells him her betrothal to Raul is a mistake and all she needs is a good spanking to make her come to her senses. Anthony conceals himself in a doorway, and when Cynthia walks by, he pulls her inside and proceeds to spank her. Petroff calls a press conference at which he announces their union, and the happy couple signs their marriage license.
Otto Preminger had been working as an apprentice at 20th Century Fox for nearly eight months when studio head Darryl F. Zanuck assigned him to the film, a remake of the Spanish language release Las fronteras del amor, which Frank R. Strayer had directed for Fox two years earlier. Zanuck had opera baritone Lawrence Tibbett under contract, and following the commercial failure of the high-budget Metropolitan in 1935, he was anxious to rid himself of the singer and thought Preminger could serve as his hatchet man. Tibbett was aware of Zanuck's feelings and didn't blame the director, who was anxious to helm a film, for accepting the assignment, and he proved to be amiable both on and off the set.
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