They Knew What They Wanted
“"I won't Do it! Joe...you and me...we can't. It'd be too awful-on account of Tony. I've got to marry Tony...just as soon as he gets well!"”
Synopsis
While courting a young woman by mail, a rich farmer sends a photograph of his foreman instead of his own, which leads to complications when she accepts his marriage proposal.
Top Cast
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Carole Lombard
Amy Peters
Charles Laughton
Tony Patucci
William Gargan
Joe
Harry Carey
The Doctor
Frank Fay
Father McKee
Joseph E. Bernard
The R.F.D.
Janet Fox
Mildred
Lee Tung Foo
Ah Gee, the Cook
Karl Malden
Red
Victor Kilian
The Photographer
Demetrius Alexis
Restaurant Customer (uncredited)
Ricca Allen
Mrs. Thing (uncredited)
Effie Anderson
Nurse (uncredited)
Bobby Barber
Tony's Pal at Table (uncredited)
Marie Blake
Waitress (uncredited)
Tom Ewell
New Hired Hand (uncredited)
Antonio Filauri
Customer (uncredited)
Millicent Green
Waitress (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
October 19, 1940
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Garson Kanin
- Screenplay & Story
- Robert Ardrey
- Original Score
- Alfred Newman
- Original Title
- They Knew What They Wanted
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 36m
- Production Studios
- RKO Radio Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Garson Kanin
Robert Ardrey, Sidney Howard
Alfred Newman
Harry Stradling Sr.
John Sturges
Erich Pommer, Harry E. Edington
Department Leadership Roster
Garson Kanin
Director
Robert Ardrey
Screenplay
Erich Pommer
Producer
Harry Stradling Sr.
Director of Photography
Alfred Newman
Original Music Composer
John Sturges
Editor
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 They Knew What They Wanted.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Oscar Best Supporting Actor Nominees
Complete list of Oscar Best Supporting Actor Nominees
Oscars 1941
Nominees and selected films for the 13th Academy Awards (ceremony year 1941).
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Frequently Asked Questions About They Knew What They Wanted
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is They Knew What They Wanted about?
While courting a young woman by mail, a rich farmer sends a photograph of his foreman instead of his own, which leads to complications when she accepts his marriage proposal.
Who directed They Knew What They Wanted?
They Knew What They Wanted was directed by Garson Kanin.
Who stars in They Knew What They Wanted?
The principal cast of They Knew What They Wanted includes Carole Lombard, Charles Laughton, William Gargan, Harry Carey, Frank Fay.
When was They Knew What They Wanted released and how long is it?
They Knew What They Wanted was released in 1940 with a total runtime of 1h 36m.
Who composed the musical score for They Knew What They Wanted?
The original motion picture soundtrack for They Knew What They Wanted was composed by Alfred Newman.
What is the age rating and content advisory for They Knew What They Wanted?
They Knew What They Wanted holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).