Fresh
You will enjoy it as a straight-away romance, crowded with most engaging characters and smoking with Mr. Boyer's charm.
Bosley Crowther, New York Times
Hold Back the Dawn
Three great stars in the story of love...coldly conceived from a man's need, and a woman's desire!
1941 · 1h 56m · NOT RATED
Drama, Romance
Directed by
Mitchell Leisen
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Hold Back the Dawn
Overview
Romanian-French gigolo Georges Iscovescu wishes to enter the USA. Stopped in Mexico by the quota system, he decides to marry an American, then desert her and join his old partner Anita, who's done likewise. But after sweeping teacher Emmy Brown off her feet, he finds her so sweet that love and jealousy endanger his plans.
Director and cast
- Mitchell Leisen Director
- Charles Boyer as Georges Iscovescu
- Olivia de Havilland as Emmy Brown
- Paulette Goddard as Anita Dixon
- Victor Francen as Van Den Luecken
- Walter Abel as Inspector Hammock
- Curt Bois as Bonbois
- Rosemary DeCamp as Berta Kurz
- Eric Feldary as Josef Kurz
- Nestor Paiva as Fred Flores
- Eva Puig Cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
100%
Tomatometer
Fresh
While Hold Back the Dawn is basically another European refugee yarn, scenarists Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder exercised some ingenuity and imagination and Ketty Frings' original emerges as fine celluloidia.
Variety Staff, Variety
Fresh
This romantic weepie is both moving and effectively stylish.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
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