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What's After the Movie?
Romantic drama

Four Wives (1939): Cast & Plot

Four Wives (1939) movie poster

Four Wives is a 1939 romantic drama directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Claude Rains as Adam Lemp, Priscilla Lane and John Garfield. It runs 1 hour 39 minutes.

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Four Wives (1939) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 39m (99 min)
Director
Michael Curtiz
Genres
Romance , Drama
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Four Wives About?

The premise of Four Wives without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

In the sequel, Ann grapples with life after her husband’s death, finds affection for Felix, and on the day of her engagement discovers she is pregnant with Mickey’s child, while the former “Four Daughters” have become the “Four Wives,” confronting new marital challenges.

Four Wives Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • marriage engagement
  • second in trilogy
  • rains and garfield
  • albert and p. lane
  • real life sisters playing sisters
  • family drama
  • orchestra conductor
  • music concert
  • pet dog
  • hollywood melodrama
  • aggressive courtship
  • family orchestra
+38 more
  • new love interest
  • rough romance
  • second chance at love
  • music teacher
  • wedding reception
  • young widow
  • young love
  • family life
  • infant
  • physician
  • concert tour
  • live radio broadcast
  • twin girls
  • florist
  • banker
  • obstetrician
  • blood donor
  • research scientist
  • lumberman
  • educational foundation
  • musicians life
  • music composer
  • dead composer
  • reference to baltimore
  • pregnant widow
  • nosy neighbor
  • occupational health
  • irish setter
  • passage of time montage
  • new york city
  • wedding ceremony
  • flashback
  • classical music
  • sequel
  • baby nursery
  • newborn daughter
  • newborn baby
  • premature baby
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Cast & crew

Four Wives Cast & Characters

Claude Rains leads the cast as Adam Lemp, with Priscilla Lane as Ann Lemp Dietz and John Garfield as Mickey Borden. Directed by Michael Curtiz; 37 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Four Wives

· 33 more
Show all 37 cast members
From the director

More from Michael Curtiz

More films directed by Michael Curtiz, best-rated first: Casablanca, Mildred Pierce, Captain Blood and Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Full filmography
Plot

Four Wives Plot Summary

What happens in Four Wives from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 1-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Ann Lemp Borden, recently widowed after her husband Mickey Borden, John Garfield, a down-and-out and unlucky musical genius, is tragically killed in a car accident. She now lives at home again with her father, Aunt Etta May Robson, and next oldest sister Kay Rosemary Lane Lemp. Her two other sisters Emma Gale Page Lemp Talbot and Thea Lola Lane Lemp Crowley are married.

Kay is dating the young doctor Dr. Clint Forrest Jr., Eddie Albert.

Emma and Thea wish to have children.

Ann, engaged to musical composer Felix Dietz, Jeffrey Lynn, suddenly discovers that she is pregnant with Mickey’s child.

A flashback shows Mickey playing an unfinished musical composition that has only a middle…no beginning…no ending.

that has only a middle…no beginning…no ending

Full summary

The whole story of Four Wives, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Details

Four Wives Also Known As

11 alternative titles, including “Quatro Esposas” and “Fire hustruer”.

Also known as
  • Quatro Esposas
  • Fire hustruer
  • Cuatro esposas
  • Lyckans melodi
  • Onnen sävel
  • Quatre jeunes femmes
  • 4 yperohoi syzygoi
  • Modern szimfónia
  • Quatro Noivas
  • Fyra fruar
  • Чотири дружини

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FAQ

Four Wives FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Four Wives, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Four Wives?

Four Wives runs 1 hour 39 minutes (99 minutes).

When was Four Wives released?

Four Wives was released on December 22, 1939.

Who directed Four Wives?

Four Wives was directed by Michael Curtiz.

More films by Michael Curtiz

Who is in the cast of Four Wives?

Four Wives stars Claude Rains as Adam Lemp, Priscilla Lane as Ann Lemp Dietz and John Garfield as Mickey Borden, among 37 credited actors.

Does Four Wives have a post-credit scene?

No. Four Wives has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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