Anthony Adverse

Anthony Adverse

Year: 1936

Runtime: 141 mins

Language: English

Director: Mervyn LeRoy

DramaRomanceHistory

Based on Hervey Allen’s novel, this sweeping drama follows Anthony Adverse. After his father Don Luis abandons him at a convent, his grandfather John Bonnyfeather raises him. He falls for Angela Giuseppe, but they are separated. He then embarks on a long, peril‑filled journey across continents, determined to reunite with her at any cost.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Anthony Adverse (1936)

Trace every key event in Anthony Adverse (1936) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Maria's arranged marriage and spa cure

Maria Bonnyfeather becomes the new bride of the aging Spanish Marquis Don Luis, a union arranged for social gain. The marriage cannot be consummated until he is cured of gout at a famous spa.

1773 Château and spa town
2

Denis Moore arrives; the affair begins

Denis Moore, Maria's true love, follows the couple and stays near their château. While Don Luis is away for the cure, Maria and Denis meet in the woods and she reveals she is carrying his child after three months.

a few months after wedding Wooded area near the château
3

Discovery and peril; plan to flee

Don Luis returns cured from the spa, and Maria fears the consequences of her affair. The lovers plan to flee that night to escape the marriage's stigma.

that night Château
4

The pursuit ends in tragedy

Don Luis discovers the lovers and takes Maria away. Denis pursues them to an inn, where Don Luis kills him in a sword duel.

that night Inn
5

Maria dies and Anthony is born

Months after these events, Maria dies giving birth to her son at a chalet in the Italian Alps. The infant Anthony is later placed in a convent's foundling wheel near Leghorn.

months later Italian Alps; convent near Leghorn
6

Foundling pageant and deception

The nuns christen the boy Anthony, and Don Luis lies to John Bonnyfeather that the infant died, shielding the family from stigma. The truth about the child remains hidden for now.

shortly after birth Convent near Leghorn
7

Ten years later: apprenticeship and concealment

Ten years pass and Anthony is apprenticed to Bonnyfeather. Bonnyfeather discovers the boy's true identity but keeps it secret to spare the family from scandal.

ten years after birth Bonnyfeather estate
8

Anthony and Angela fall in love

Anthony meets Angela Guisseppi, the cook's daughter, and they fall in love. Angela dreams of becoming a great singer, while Anthony hopes to serve Bonnyfeather and marry her.

early adulthood Leghorn
9

Lottery, departure, and years later reunion

Angela's father wins the lottery and the family leaves Leghorn, ending their immediate plans. Years later, Anthony finds her again, singing in the opera chorus.

years later Leghorn; later Paris
10

The wedding and Havana mission

Anthony and Angela wed. Soon after the ceremony, Bonnyfeather sends Anthony to Havana to recover his fortune from Gallego & Sons.

soon after wedding Havana
11

Convent note and miscommunication

On the day his ship sails, Angela goes to the convent to meet him, but the note she leaves is blown away and he sails unaware. She continues her career in Rome with her company.

ship departure day Convent near Leghorn; earlier plans toward Rome
12

Africa and corruption

Anthony travels to Africa to take control of Gallego & Sons' slave trading post on the Pongo River. Three years in the slave trade corrupt him, and he takes slave girl Neleta into his bed.

three years Pongo River, Africa
13

Return to Italy; death and inheritance

Anthony returns to Italy to find Bonnyfeather dead. Faith Paleologus, Don Luis's longtime conspirator and now wife, has inherited Bonnyfeather's fortune.

after Africa Bonnyfeather estate
14

Paris, Nolte, and the moral loan

Anthony goes to Paris to claim his inheritance and is reunited with his friend banker Vincent Nolte. He saves Nolte from bankruptcy by loaning him his entire fortune, learning that there is more than money and power.

after inheritance Paris
15

Opera revelation and departure for America

Impresario Debrulle reunites Anthony with Angela, who bears him a son. In the Paris Opera, Angela appears as Mademoiselle Georges and whispers goodbye as Anthony leaves the box. He then returns home to find his son and a letter from Angela, and they sail for America in search of a better life.

during the Paris encounter Paris Opera; voyage to America

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 10:50

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Anthony Adverse

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