Production
Nunnally Johnson read the Arnold Bennett book in 1928, and was surprised no one had turned it into a film. As it turned out, Johnson was incorrect. The book had been made into a film twice in the United Kingdom, and by Paramount Pictures in the United States in 1933 under the title His Double Life. According to Johnson's wife, "Holy Matrimony was the picture Nunnally most enjoyed ... it was his favorite-size story, small, and the cockney wife that Gracie Fields played was Nunnally's dream wife."
Rights to the book were purchased by 20th Century Fox in September 1942, and Monty Woolley was immediately cast to star in the picture. On February 2, 1943, Fox announced the Gracie Fields would co-star in the picture and that the title was being changed from its working title of Buried Alive to the more audience-friendly Holy Matrimony. Fox announced on March 29 that Una O'Connor and Eric Blore had been added to the cast as well. The studio also said that Richard Fraser would co-star in the picture, but he did not appear in the final cut of the film.
Principal photography occurred in April and May 1943. As the picture was shooting, Johnson quit his job at Fox to become an independent producer. Internal studio previews of the film were so positive that Fields was offered a full contract at Fox in June 1943.
The motion picture premiered in Los Angeles, California, on August 27, 1943, and in New York City on September 15, 1943.
Read more about this topic: Holy Matrimony (1943 Film)
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