*Jean Megulesco's JOHNNY BELINDA (1948) Jane Wyman & Lew Ayres Belgian Poster

Description

Vintage original 14 x 18.5 in. Belgian poster
from the classic 1940's drama,
JOHNNY BELINDA
, released in 1948 by Warner Bros. and
directed by Jean Negulesco
.
In post-war Cape Breton, a doctor's (Lew Ayres) efforts to tutor a deaf/mute woman (Jane Wyman) are undermined when she is raped and the resulting pregnancy causes scandal to swirl.
The design features beautiful artwork depicting a large close shot of Belinda McDonald (
Jane Wyman
) in a serene pose with a white shawl wrapped around her head and shoulders along with a second image of her being menaced by a man. As Miss Wyman won the Academy Award for her role before the film was released in Belgium, the poster gives a nod to her Oscar win with an image of the famous gold statuette near her name. Printed for the film's original theatrical release in Belgium, this vintage original poster is unrestored and folded as originally issue. It is in fine+ condition with a horizontal and vertical fold through the center with an additional two light horizontal folds above the center fold; a light trim at the top (as the poster would measure 22 in. in height); and random signs of wear along the edges. The original import tax stamps are affixed on the bottom right corner. The beautiful color tints are rich and vibrant without any signs of fading.
Johnny Belinda
became only the second film to be nominated for all the top 6 Academy Awards (as of then): Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Director.
Jane Wyman's Oscar acceptance speech is reportedly the shortest on record for Best Actress
: "I won this award by keeping my mouth shut and I think I'll do it again."
Widely considered to be the first Hollywood film to openly tackle the subject of rape.
Jane Wyman became the first person, actor or actress since the silent era to win an Oscar without uttering a word, after sound was created, just before
The Jazz Singer
(1927) was filmed & released, 21 years earlier, in 1927.
Stephen McNally, who played the hideous "Locky McCormick" character role, in the theatrical film, also played the saintly doctor in the Broadway production, just to prove he could play a friendly or a diabolical (evil) character role.
With 12 nominations, the most nominated film of its year. Max Steiner received an Oscar nomination for his score, one of 10 that he provided for movies in 1948. Other notable films from that banner year that benefited from his input included two for John Huston,
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
(1948) and
Key Largo (1948).