An American Tragedy
“The Story of a Girl...Good Enough to Betray...But Not Good Enough to Marry.”
Synopsis
A social climber charms a debutante, seduces a factory worker and commits murder.
Top Cast
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Phillips Holmes
Clyde Griffiths
Sylvia Sidney
Roberta 'Bert' Alden
Frances Dee
Sondra Finchley
Irving Pichel
District Attorney Orville Mason
Frederick Burton
Samuel Griffiths
Claire McDowell
Mrs. Samuel Griffiths
Wallace Middleton
Gilbert Griffiths
Emmett Corrigan
Belknap
Charles Middleton
Attorney Reuben Jephson
Lucille La Verne
Mrs. Asa Griffiths
Al Hart
Titus Alden
Fanny Midgley
Mrs. Titus Alden
Arnold Korff
Judge Oberwaltzer
Russ Powell
Coroner Fred Heit
Ed Brady
Train Brakeman (uncredited)
Richard Cramer
Deputy Sheriff Kraut (uncredited)
Claire Dodd
Gaile Warren (uncredited)
Robert Dudley
Juror (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
New York City, New York
Festival / Special Debut
August 22, 1931
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Josef von Sternberg
- Screenplay & Story
- Samuel Hoffenstein
- Original Score
- John Leipold, Ralph Rainger
- Original Title
- An American Tragedy
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 36m
- Production Studios
- Paramount Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Josef von Sternberg
Samuel Hoffenstein, Theodore Dreiser, Josef von Sternberg
John Leipold, Ralph Rainger
Lee Garmes
Josef von Sternberg
Department Leadership Roster
Josef von Sternberg
Director
Josef von Sternberg
Writer
Josef von Sternberg
Producer
Travis Banton
Costume Design
Lee Garmes
Director of Photography
John Leipold
Original Music Composer
Ralph Rainger
Original Music Composer
Samuel Hoffenstein
Screenplay
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for An American Tragedy.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Legal Films
Courtroom dramas, legal thrillers, legal comedies and films about lawyers.
Pre-Code Hollywood
Pre-Code Hollywood films, 1929 to 1934.
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Frequently Asked Questions About An American Tragedy
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is An American Tragedy about?
A social climber charms a debutante, seduces a factory worker and commits murder.
Who directed An American Tragedy?
An American Tragedy was directed by Josef von Sternberg.
Who stars in An American Tragedy?
The principal cast of An American Tragedy includes Phillips Holmes, Sylvia Sidney, Frances Dee, Irving Pichel, Frederick Burton.
When was An American Tragedy released and how long is it?
An American Tragedy was released in 1931 with a total runtime of 1h 36m.
Who composed the musical score for An American Tragedy?
The original motion picture soundtrack for An American Tragedy was composed by John Leipold, Ralph Rainger.
Is An American Tragedy based on a book or true story?
An American Tragedy is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Theodore Dreiser".
What is the age rating and content advisory for An American Tragedy?
An American Tragedy holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).