IMDb RATING
7.0/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
Based on the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, this classic film follows a family feud between two brothers and an ancient curse that haunts them.Based on the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, this classic film follows a family feud between two brothers and an ancient curse that haunts them.Based on the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, this classic film follows a family feud between two brothers and an ancient curse that haunts them.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 nomination total
Hal Budlong
- Driver
- (uncredited)
Caroline Frances Cooke
- Town Gossip
- (uncredited)
Harry Cording
- Blacksmith Hawkins
- (uncredited)
Kernan Cripps
- Workman
- (uncredited)
Robert Dudley
- Jury Foreman
- (uncredited)
Martin Faust
- Town Gossip
- (uncredited)
Margaret Fealy
- Town Gossip
- (uncredited)
Sibyl Harris
- Mrs. Foster
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaVincent Price was brought in at the last minute to substitute for Robert Cummings, who had become indisposed through illness. Price was cast most likely because he had forged a good working relationship with producer Burt Kelly and Joe May in October 1939 while working on The Invisible Man Returns (1940).
- Crazy creditsThe Foreward is presented as several book pages, being turned by a human hand followed by the Prologue.
FOREWARD: "In the middle of the 17th Century in New England, there lived one Colonel Jeffrey Pyncheon, a powerful leader of the Colonial Government."
"In order to acquire a valuable piece of land, Pyncheon cold-heartedly accused its owner, a simple carpenter named Matthew Maule, of practicing Witchcraft."
"The innocent man was promptly condemned to hang. From the scaffold Matthew Maule had hurled this curse: 'God hath given him blood to drink!'"
"Colonel Pyncheon defiantly built his mansion on the dead man's ground. On the day of its completion he was found dead in his new library... blood trickling from his mouth. His descendants lived on at Seven Gables. Succeeding generations of villagers clung to the belief that 'Maule's Curse' dwelt there with them."
- ConnectionsFeatured in Twice-Told Tales (1963)
- SoundtracksTHE COLOR OF YOUR EYES
(1940)
Music by Frank Skinner
Lyrics by Ralph Freed
Sung by Vincent Price (uncredited)
Featured review
A house worth fighting for
Vincent Price and George Sanders are reasons enough to see any film on their own, and were often high points in their lesser films. Seeing them in the same film together, like in 'The House of the Seven Gables' is even more of a pleasure. The source material is wonderful, wordy but very richly immersive and compelling.
'The House of the Seven Gables' may not be the greatest film in adaptation terms, there is not a whole lot of Hawthorne here, but as a film on its own terms it's well worth your while as long as it's not constantly compared to the book. 'The House of the Seven Gables' did need a longer length, would have given it at least another thirty minutes myself, to do justice to a story that is pretty complex even in the film and give the characters more depth, because parts did feel rushed.
Could have done personally without the abolition subplot, or at least made it less prominent, it was intriguing enough at times but it seemed to be there only to make Jaffrey more loathsome. That wasn't necessary as it is blatantly obvious that he already is even without it. While the acting is very good actually, there are a few individual moments where it is somewhat dodgy. The biggest offender is Jaffrey's final scene, which was wildly over-acted (rather unusual for George Sanders) and overly-melodramatic (even for a melodrama).
However, 'The House of the Seven Gables' has a sumptuous Gothic look throughout, particularly in the photography and lighting, with the house suitably mysterious and imposing and with elegant costumes. It may not have been made on a huge, lavish budget, but it was not that kind of film really, and there is nothing in the production values to betray that the budget was not a large one. The music is like its own character, adding so much to the mood of the film while also being a wonderful score on its own. The song Vincent Price sings (yes it is him singing and he sings pretty beautifully here) is a charming touch.
Direction is efficient and a vast majority of the time is in complete control of the material, with a few parts where the control is lost a little (Jaffrey's final scene especially). The script is thought-provoking and literate, Hawthorne's prose is compressed but the script here is no less interesting. Although rushed and in need of a longer length, the characters lacking depth and one subplot in need of a trim, the story has a rich atmosphere and is very absorbing.
With a few individual scene exceptions, the acting is very good. George Sanders is deliciously caddish, Sanders was an unparalleled master when it came to acting playing cads. Vincent Price has the more rounded character and is more restrained, and all the better for it. Margaret Lindsay is a knockout, her character transformation (of the three leading characters she transforms the most) is beautifully done, and more than holds her own against the two masters.
Overall, well worth your while. Just judge it as a film on its own rather than as an adaptation. 7/10 Bethany Cox
'The House of the Seven Gables' may not be the greatest film in adaptation terms, there is not a whole lot of Hawthorne here, but as a film on its own terms it's well worth your while as long as it's not constantly compared to the book. 'The House of the Seven Gables' did need a longer length, would have given it at least another thirty minutes myself, to do justice to a story that is pretty complex even in the film and give the characters more depth, because parts did feel rushed.
Could have done personally without the abolition subplot, or at least made it less prominent, it was intriguing enough at times but it seemed to be there only to make Jaffrey more loathsome. That wasn't necessary as it is blatantly obvious that he already is even without it. While the acting is very good actually, there are a few individual moments where it is somewhat dodgy. The biggest offender is Jaffrey's final scene, which was wildly over-acted (rather unusual for George Sanders) and overly-melodramatic (even for a melodrama).
However, 'The House of the Seven Gables' has a sumptuous Gothic look throughout, particularly in the photography and lighting, with the house suitably mysterious and imposing and with elegant costumes. It may not have been made on a huge, lavish budget, but it was not that kind of film really, and there is nothing in the production values to betray that the budget was not a large one. The music is like its own character, adding so much to the mood of the film while also being a wonderful score on its own. The song Vincent Price sings (yes it is him singing and he sings pretty beautifully here) is a charming touch.
Direction is efficient and a vast majority of the time is in complete control of the material, with a few parts where the control is lost a little (Jaffrey's final scene especially). The script is thought-provoking and literate, Hawthorne's prose is compressed but the script here is no less interesting. Although rushed and in need of a longer length, the characters lacking depth and one subplot in need of a trim, the story has a rich atmosphere and is very absorbing.
With a few individual scene exceptions, the acting is very good. George Sanders is deliciously caddish, Sanders was an unparalleled master when it came to acting playing cads. Vincent Price has the more rounded character and is more restrained, and all the better for it. Margaret Lindsay is a knockout, her character transformation (of the three leading characters she transforms the most) is beautifully done, and more than holds her own against the two masters.
Overall, well worth your while. Just judge it as a film on its own rather than as an adaptation. 7/10 Bethany Cox
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- TheLittleSongbird
- Jan 19, 2018
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- Förbannelsens hus
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $178,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 29 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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By what name was The House of the Seven Gables (1940) officially released in India in English?
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