British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

Boys from Syracuse, The

Synopsis
Feature film version of the Broadway musical by George Abbott, Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart, itself a free adaptation of The Comedy of Errors. "A musical employing Shakespeare’s plot and Ephesus background with resolutely twentieth-century language and manners and anachronistic gags such as taxi chariots with meters. The screenwriting credit states ‘After a play by Shakespeare...long, long after!'" [McKernan & Terris, op cit].
Language
English
Country
United States
Medium
Film
Technical information
Black-and-white / Sound
Year of release
1940
Duration
67 mins; 6,017 feet

Credits

Director
A. Edward Sutherland
Producer
Jules Levey
Cinematographer
Joe Valentine
Writer
George Abbott
Screenplay
Charles Grayson; Leonard Spigelgass
Music
Lorentz Hart; Richard Rodgers
Art Direction
Jack Otterson
Cast
Allan JonesAntipholus of Ephesus
Allan JonesAntipholus of Syracuse
Joe PennerDromio of Ephesus
Joe PennerDromio of Syracuse
Irene HerveyAdriana
Charles ButterworthSolinus, Duke of Ephesus
Eric BloreDoctor Pinch
Martha RayeLuce
Samuel S. HindsEgeon

Additional Details

Production type
Operas and Musicals
Plays
Comedy of Errors, The
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Doubling of roles

Notes

Notes
The BFI National Archive holds a 16mm viewing copy; a 35mm safety and viewing copy from a nitrate negative are in preparation (2005). The Library of Congress holds master preservation material only, no viewing copy, running at 73 minutes.
Reviews
McKernan, Luke and Olwen Terris. Walking Shadows: Shakespeare in the National Film and Television Archive. London: BFI, 1994 (p. 40).

Production Company

Name

Universal Pictures

Email
enquiriesuk@nbcuni.com
Web
http://www.universalpictures.co.uk/ External site opens in new window
Address
1 Central Saint Giles
St Giles High Street
London
WC2H 8NU

Archive

Name

BFI National Archive

Web
http://www.bfi.org.uk/archive-collections/searching-access-collections/research-viewing-services External site opens in new window
Phone
020 7255 1444
Fax
020 7436 0165
Address
21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN
Name

Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting & Recorded Sound Division

Web
http://catalog.loc.gov/ External site opens in new window
Phone
(20) 707-8572
Fax
(20) 707-237’1
Address
Motion Picture & Television Reading Room
James Madison Building, LM 336
101 Independence Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C.
20540-4690
United States

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