Seventh Heaven

Seventh Heaven is an American romantic drama film released in 1937 by 20th Century Fox, directed by Henry King and starring Simone Simon and James Stewart. The supporting cast features Jean Hersholt, Gregory Ratoff, Gale Sondergaard, and John Qualen. The film is a remake of the classic 1927 silent film of the same name directed by Frank Borzage and starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. Both versions were based on the play Seventh Heaven by Austin Strong. Plot In a rough neighborhood of Paris in 1914, atheistic sewer worker Chico (James Stewart) rescues a young woman named Diane (Simone Simon) being beaten by her sister Nana (Gale Sondergaard) for not being nice to an older man, a patron in the sister's disreputable dance hall. Father Chevillon (Jean Hersholt) is determined to convert Chico. Chevillon learns from Boul, Chico's taxi driver friend, that Chico gave God a chance, but nothing came of it. The priest grants Chico's first prayer, getting him a promotion to street washer. He then gives Chico two religious medals for protection. Chico is amazed to discover that they are made of real silver; a price tag reveals they are worth twelve francs - exactly the cost of two candles he purchased in church for his prayers. Chevillon also gives him responsibility for Diane. Chico scoffs and goes off with his friends to celebrate his promotion, but returns just in time to stop Diane from committing suicide. When a policeman tries to take Diane into custody, Chico claims that she is his wife. Unconvinced, the policeman says he will check up on them, so Chico takes Diane home to his garret, up seven flights of stairs. The first time she sees the place, she says, "it is heaven." Chico gives her his bed and goes to sleep with his neighbor Aristide (J. Edward Bromberg), an astrologer.