Line #2 Film/TheConstantNymph


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/poster_constant_nymph_the_02.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Wherein Hollywood expects us to believe Joan [[DawsonCasting looks 14...]]]]
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4	''The Constant Nymph'' (1943) is a Creator/WarnerBros romantic drama from UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHollywood starring Creator/JoanFontaine, Creator/CharlesBoyer, Alexis Smith, and Creator/CharlesCoburn.
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6	Lewis Dodd (Boyer) is a failed composer, and after a negative review, he goes to heal his wounds by visiting his friend and musical mentor Albert Sanger. His home is located in the Swiss Alps, and with him are his daughters to keep him company. These include: Paula (Joyce Reynolds), Tessa (Fontaine), and Toni (Brenda Marshall). They all love Lewis very much, but Tessa has a special place for him in her heart even though she’s only 14 years old. Lewis, in turn, treats her like he should, as a young girl.
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8	Tragedy strikes when Albert dies, and Lewis writes to the girls’ rich English relatives, the Creightons. Their uncle, Charles Creighton (Coburn), and his daughter, Florence (Smith), come to handle the affairs and take the girls back to London. In those few weeks, [[LoveAtFirstSight Lewis falls in love with Florence, and she with him]], causing much pain to Tessa.
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10	Half a year later, and the marriage between Florence and Lewis is very much on the rocks.
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12	Both Paula and Tessa are put in an English boarding school--eventually running away from it--, and Florence has grown to resent the affection Lewis has for the girls, especially Tessa's deep attachment to Lewis.
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14	All things come to a head with Lewis' new musical piece; much to the chagrin of Florence, Lewis follows Tessa’s advice over her own and so begins an ugly competition.
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16	Creator/PeterLorre has a small supporting role as Fritz, whom Toni marries. Joan Fontaine considered ''The Constant Nymph'' one of her best performances, alongside ''Film/LetterFromAnUnknownWoman'' which is something of a companion piece to this film, as they share many similarities. This film also gave Fontaine her third and final UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination for Best Actress.
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19	!!Tropes:
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21	* AllLoveIsUnrequited: Tessa loves Lewis, but he doesn’t see her in that way. Justified, since she’s only 14 years old. And eventually, [[spoiler: this happens to Florence once Lewis finds out he loves Tessa.]]
22	* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: A heartbreaking one from Tessa to Lewis [[spoiler: where he finally realizes that he loves her.]]
23	* AtTheOperaTonight: ''Tomorrow'', Lewis’ symphony, plays in a London opera house.
24	* BrattyTeenageDaughter: Toni runs away with Fritz, only to come back and reject him, and then eventually marry him.
25	* DawsonCasting: Joan Fontaine -- who turned 26 the year of the film's release -- plays the 14-year-old Tessa.
26	* DeathByDespair: [[spoiler: When Tessa realizes that Lewis’ piece has no melodic line, and therefore, hasn’t learned to feel.]]
27	* DownerEnding: Someone dies. [[spoiler: Tessa dies while hearing Lewis’ symphony, ''Tomorrow'', because he hadn't found true feeling & has been pray to Florence’s influence. Now that Tessa has died, he can create something meaningful. The films ends with the {{Anvilicious}} shot of a fire growing and growing to prove this notion.]]
28	* GenkiGirl: Running around wildly without any shoes, and being full of energy, despite her heart problem, is Tessa’s MO.
29	* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Two examples: first, after Tessa makes her AnguishedDeclarationOfLove to Lewis, [[spoiler: she tells him that they can’t be together because of his marriage, even though they both know love each other very much.]] And a surprising change from Florence, [[spoiler: who realizes that Tessa’s love is true, and she wants Lewis to find happiness, even if it means being with someone else.]] Unfortunately, this reconciliation comes all too late.
30	* TheFilmOfTheBook: Based on the 1924 novel by Margaret Kennedy of the same name.
31	* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: Thinking that she could enter Lewis’ cloud of "misunderstood artist", Florence believes she can change him to be more like her. Lewis, likewise, believes that Florence will understand ''him'' and his ways.
32	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Lewis at times: he’s very sweet to the girls, but can often be a downright jerk to Florence.
33	* LongingLook: Tessa gives countless to Lewis. He doesn’t notice them ''at all''.
34	* LoveTriangle: A rather strange, and even {{Squick}}-worthy one to some, between Lewis, Florence, and Tessa.
35	* MouthyKid: Florence abhors the way the girls seem to be more adult in their way of speaking, but have yet to gain more maturity.
36	* ObliviousToLove: And how! Lewis doesn’t realize the very obvious affection that Tessa shows to him.
37	* OneTrueLove: In a fantasy/dream Tessa has, she tells Lewis that they were made for each other, that she was always going to be with him, but fate made her a few years late in finding him, but young or old, they were meant to be together.
38	* StarCrossedLovers: Tess and Lewis.

Context Film / TheConstantNymph