Tony (Charles Laughton), a successful but illiterate middle-aged grape farmer, sends the photograph of his handsome young foreman, Joe (William Gargan), instead of his own, hoping to woo and marry Amy (Carole Lombard), a waitress in a San Francisco restaurant. Through a series of letters, the two become close and Tony invites his "future wife" to visit. When the beautiful, young Amy arrives at Tony's Napa, California ranch she falls for the wrong man thinking that Joe is the ... (Full plot summary below)
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Tony (Charles Laughton), a successful but illiterate middle-aged grape farmer, sends the photograph of his handsome young foreman, Joe (William Gargan), instead of his own, hoping to woo and marry Amy (Carole Lombard), a waitress in a San Francisco restaurant. Through a series of letters, the two become close and Tony invites his "future wife" to visit. When the beautiful, young Amy arrives at Tony's Napa, California ranch she falls for the wrong man thinking that Joe is the wealthy Tony. When Tony tries to win her over in broken English, she is at first furious and then charmed. But Tony breaks his legs while showing off to impress Amy, and -- left alone to care for a cripple -- she reluctantly succumbs to Joe's charms and becomes pregnant. Although Tony discovers that he has been cuckolded and that Joe has run off, his anger turns to genuine love and he offers to take Amy back unconditionally for the sake of the child and his own true feelings for Amy.
Leave your thoughts about They Knew What They Wanted.
| User ReviewPaul DClassic love-triangle tragedy, but with Charles Laughton involved there are plenty of light-hearted moments as well. |
| User ReviewTara HCharles Laughton, a great actor, is horribly miscast here, with an Italian accent straight out of a Dolmio advert. Fortunately, Carole Lombard is wonderful - and watch out for a young Tom Ewell in a minor part. The story has potential, but is ultimately too clumsily moralistic. |
| User Reviewjay ndated with laughton giving an over the top performance but carole lombard gives a beautiful one, not exactly balancing it out but still a worthwhile view. |
