Miss Barrett

Original title: The Barretts of Wimpole Street

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Charles Laughton, Fredric March, and Norma Shearer in Miss Barrett (1934)

Elizabeth Barrett's tyrannical father has forbidden any of his family to marry. Nevertheless, Elizabeth falls in love with the poet Robert Browning.Elizabeth Barrett's tyrannical father has forbidden any of his family to marry. Nevertheless, Elizabeth falls in love with the poet Robert Browning.Elizabeth Barrett's tyrannical father has forbidden any of his family to marry. Nevertheless, Elizabeth falls in love with the poet Robert Browning.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

2.2K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 6 wins & 2 nominations total

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Concerned about the public's reaction, the disturbing subplot about Father Barrett's incestuous designs on his daughter was toned down by the studio. However, Charles Laughton famously remarked that they couldn't censor the "gleam" in his eye.

Goofs
It's stated in the beginning that it is 1845, but in the first scene Henrietta sings 'Little Brown Jug', which was written in 1869.

Quotes
Elizabeth Barrett: What's another disaster to one who has known little but disaster all her life? But you're a fighter. You were born for victory and triumph. Oh, and if disaster ever came to you through me...
Robert Browning: Yes, a fighter. But I'm sick of fighting alone. I need a comrade in arms to fight beside me.
Elizabeth Barrett: But not one already wounded in battle.
Robert Browning: Wounded but undaunted, unbeaten, unbroken. What finer comrade could a man ask for?

Connections
Featured in And the Oscar Goes To... (2014)

Soundtracks
Wilt Thou Have My Hand
(1934) (uncredited)
Music by Herbert Stothart
Words by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Performed by Norma Shearer (piano and vocal)
Reprised by her, Maureen O'Sullivan, Katharine Alexander, Vernon Downing,
Neville Clark, Matthew Smith, Robert Carleton, Allan Conrad and Peter Hobbes

User reviews39

Featured review

9/10

Wonderful acting throughout

The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934). Fine performances in this film adaptation of the play. Poet Elizabeth Browning (Norma Shearer), sick and shut in, corresponds with, and later meets the younger poet Robert Browning (Fredric March), who helps give her strength to live life, and gives physical form to a love between them already established through reading each other's poems. Wonderful performance by Charles Laughton as Elizabeth's strict, menacing, religious father, who delivers as much incestulous-glint into his eyes and creepy closeness as 1930's sensibilities would allow. Also, a very nice job by a young Maureen O'Sullivan, although her very voice draws me out of the film and leaves me expecting Tarzan to burst in at any moment. Finally, Uma O'Connor is my most favorite supporting character actress of all time.