Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid

Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid is a 1948 American fantasy film directed by Irving Pichel starring William Powell and Ann Blyth in the title roles. The film was based on the 1945 novel Peabody's Mermaid by Guy and Constance Jones. Sequences were shot at the Weeki Wachee Springs in Florida.[1]

Not to be confused with Mister Peabody, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, or The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show.
Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid
Theatrical Film Poster
Directed byIrving Pichel
Produced byNunnally Johnson
Gene Fowler Jr. (associate producer)
Written byGuy Jones (novel)
Constance Jones (novel)
Screenplay byNunnally Johnson
StarringWilliam Powell
Ann Blyth
Music byRobert Emmet Dolan
CinematographyRussell Metty
Edited byMarjorie Fowler
Production
company
Nunnaly Johnson Productions
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • August 11, 1948 (1948-08-11) (United States)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Much of the story is shown in flashback as Arthur Peabody tells a skeptical doctor about the source of his malaise.

After a bad bout of influenza, Peabody had gone on vacation with his wife Polly to the fictional Caribbean resort of St Hilda. While there, he hears singing coming from a rocky cay offshore and sails his boat to investigate and do a little fishing. To his embarrassment, he reels in a beautiful mermaid whom he names Lenore. Although mute, she is mischievous and childlike and more than a little alluring – so much so that before long Peabody has taught her to kiss. Meanwhile, he hides Lenore in the resort’s deep fish pond.

Confusion ensues as Peabody's wife Polly, who is herself attracted to suave Englishman Mike Fitzgerald, suspects her husband of infidelity with a vacationing singer. Things get more complicated after Polly storms off home without Peabody and police suspect him of murder. A search party pursues him to the cay, where Lenore nearly drowns Peabody by trying to conceal him underwater.

Back at home in Boston, as snow is falling, Peabody is talked into consulting Dr. Harvey and telling his story. In the end, Peabody seems to be persuaded by the doctor that he was hallucinating while undergoing a midlife crisis on the approach of his 50th birthday. There is only Lenore’s comb left to prove the reality of his adventure and this he gives to his wife as a homecoming gift.

Cast
  • William Powell as Mr. Arthur Peabody
  • Ann Blyth as Mermaid
  • Irene Hervey as Mrs. Polly Peabody
  • Andrea King as Cathy Livingston
  • Clinton Sundberg as Mike Fitzgerald
  • Art Smith as Dr. Harvey
  • Hugh French as Major Hadley
  • Lumsden Hare as Col. Mandrake
  • Frederick Clarke as Basil
  • James Logan as Lieutenant
  • Mary Field as Wee Shop Clerk
  • Beatrice Roberts as Mother
  • Cynthia Corley as Nurse
  • Tom Stevenson as Charlie - Waiter
  • Mary Somerville as Lady Trebshaw
  • Dick Ryan Waiter (as Richard Ryan)
  • Robert Hyatt as Little Boy (Bobby Hyatt)
  • Ivan Browning as Sidney (as Ivan H. Browning)

Home release

The film was initially released by on DVD by ATI Corp,[2] and was re-released by Olive Films (under license from Paramount Home Media Distribution) on DVD and Blu-ray on July 8, 2014.[3]

Reception

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

See also

References
  1. Philip Hayward, Making a Splash: Mermaids (and Mer-Men) in 20th and 21st Century Audiovisual Media, Indiana University 2017, pp.56-7
  2. Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid, ATI Corp. - Amazon.com
  3. Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid, Blu-Ray - Amazon.com
  4. "AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  5. "AFI's 10 Top 10" (PDF). Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2016-08-19.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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