Frank Borzage | WatchedThis

Frank Borzage

Frank Borzage

Directing

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Frank Borzage (April 23, 1894 – June 19, 1962) was an Academy Award-winning American film director and actor, known for directing 7th Heaven (1927), Street Angel (1928), Bad Girl (1931), A Farewell to Arms (1932), Man's Castle (1933), History Is Made at Night (1937), The Mortal Storm (1940) and Moonrise (1948). In 1912 Borzage found employment as an actor in Hollywood; he continued to work as an actor until 1917. His directorial debut came in 1915 with the film The Pitch o' Chance. He was a successful director throughout the 1920s, but reached his peak in the late silent and early sound era. Absorbing visual influences from the German director F.W. Murnau, who was also resident at Fox at this time, Borzage developed his own style of lushly visual romanticism in a hugely successful series of films starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, including 7th Heaven (1927), for which he won the first Academy Award for Best Director, Street Angel (1928) and Lucky Star (1929). He won a second Oscar for 1931's Bad Girl. He directed 14 films between 1917 and 1919 alone. His greatest success in the silent era was with Humoresque, a box office winner starring Vera Gordon. Borzage's trademark was intense identification with the feelings of young lovers in the face of adversity, with love in his films triumphing over such trials as World War I (7th Heaven and A Farewell to Arms), disability (Lucky Star), the Depression (Man's Castle), a thinly disguised version of the Titanic disaster in History Is Made at Night, and the rise of Nazism, a theme which Borzage had virtually to himself among Hollywood filmmakers from Little Man, What Now? (1933) to Three Comrades (1938) and The Mortal Storm (1940). His work took a spiritual turn in such films as Green Light (1937), Strange Cargo (1940) and The Big Fisherman (1959). Of his later work only the film noir Moonrise (1948) has enjoyed much critical acclaim. After 1948, Borzage's output was sporadic. In 1955 and 1957, he was awarded The George Eastman Award, given by George Eastman House for distinguished contribution to the art of film. Frank Borzage died of cancer in 1962, aged 68.

Filmography Movies

Acting

Poster for A Mormon Maid
MOVIE

A Mormon Maid

5.0(0.0K)
A Mormon Maid
Tom Rigdon
Poster for In the Sage Brush Country
MOVIE

In the Sage Brush Country

In the Sage Brush Country
Loaded DiceMOVIE
MOVIE

Loaded Dice

9.0(0.0K)
Loaded Dice
The PantherMOVIE
MOVIE

The Panther

The Panther
David Brandt
Poster for In the Land of the Otter
MOVIE

In the Land of the Otter

7.0(0.0K)
In the Land of the Otter
Joe Eagle
The Cup of LifeMOVIE
MOVIE

The Cup of Life

The Cup of Life
Dick Ralston
The Tavern Keeper's SonMOVIE
MOVIE

The Tavern Keeper's Son

7.0(0.0K)
The Tavern Keeper's Son
Juan Capella
The Secret of Lost RiverMOVIE
MOVIE

The Secret of Lost River

The Secret of Lost River
Tom Hornby - Prospector
The Wheel of LifeMOVIE
MOVIE

The Wheel of Life

The Wheel of Life
A Flash in the DarkMOVIE
MOVIE

A Flash in the Dark

A Flash in the Dark

Production

Poster for The Mortal Storm
MOVIE

The Mortal Storm

7.3(0.1K)
The Mortal Storm
Director
Poster for The Mortal Storm
MOVIE

The Mortal Storm

7.3(0.1K)
The Mortal Storm
Producer
Poster for I Take This Woman
MOVIE

I Take This Woman

5.8(0.0K)
I Take This Woman
Co-Director
Poster for A Farewell to Arms
MOVIE

A Farewell to Arms

6.2(0.2K)
A Farewell to Arms
Director
Poster for History Is Made at Night
MOVIE

History Is Made at Night

6.7(0.1K)
History Is Made at Night
Director
Poster for Mannequin
MOVIE

Mannequin

6.0(0.0K)
Mannequin
Director
Poster for Street Angel
MOVIE

Street Angel

7.0(0.1K)
Street Angel
Director
Poster for Moonrise
MOVIE

Moonrise

6.3(0.1K)
Moonrise
Director
Poster for Lazybones
MOVIE

Lazybones

6.8(0.0K)
Lazybones
Director
Poster for His Butler's Sister
MOVIE

His Butler's Sister

7.2(0.0K)
His Butler's Sister
Director

Gallery

Frank Borzage portrait
Frank Borzage portrait