Quality Street (1937) in Color — Starring Katharine Hepburn & Franchot Tone

Quality Street (1937) — Buy This Classic in Color

Discover Quality Street, the 1937 romantic comedy starring Katharine Hepburn and Franchot Tone, now available as a professionally colorized version. Own this classic movie in color as a DRM-free MP4 digital download for just €15.00.

Plot Summary

Phoebe Throssel is a charming, intelligent, and quietly beautiful young woman living with her devoted older sister Susan on the genteel Quality Street in a small and picturesque English village during the tumultuous years of the Napoleonic Wars, when England’s finest young men are marching off to fight Napoleon’s armies on the continent. Phoebe is deeply and tenderly in love with Dr. Valentine Brown, a handsome and thoughtful young physician who has been courting her with every indication of serious romantic intent, and everyone on Quality Street — from the gossiping neighbors who peer through their lace curtains to Phoebe’s anxious sister Susan — fully expects him to propose. Instead, in a devastating blow that quietly shatters Phoebe’s world, Valentine announces that he has received a commission and is leaving immediately to serve as a military surgeon in the wars. Ten long, lonely, and youth-stealing years pass while Valentine fights on the continent, and when he finally returns to Quality Street, tanned and decorated and still handsome, he finds that Phoebe has aged and faded under the weight of years of waiting, disappointment, and the grinding labor of running a small school for neighborhood children with her increasingly anxious sister Susan. Heartbroken and humiliated by Valentine’s barely concealed shock at how much she has changed and his obvious failure to recognize the vibrant, beautiful girl she once was beneath the tired schoolmistress she has become, Phoebe hatches a daring and reckless plan: she impersonates her own fictitious niece, a bold, flirtatious, and irresistibly vivacious young woman named Livvy, at the ball being given to celebrate the soldiers’ return. Valentine is instantly and powerfully captivated by the enchanting ‘Livvy,’ and Phoebe must maintain this increasingly dangerous deception while the entire neighborhood buzzes with gossip about this mysterious young woman no one has ever seen before, her terrified sister Susan lives in constant fear of discovery, and Phoebe herself must confront the aching question of whether Valentine can love the real woman she has become or only the phantom of youth she is pretending to be. The masquerade grows more complicated and emotionally perilous with every encounter until the truth about love, aging, second chances, and the beauty that endures beyond youth must finally be confronted. This classic movie is a witty, touching, and unexpectedly moving period comedy based on J.M. Barrie’s celebrated play.

Cast & Crew

Director: George Stevens

Stars: Katharine Hepburn, Franchot Tone, Joan Fontaine, Fay Bainter, Eric Blore

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

Quality Street was originally filmed in black and white, its elegant and meticulously detailed period settings evoking Regency-era England with the charming visual craftsmanship that defined the finest Hollywood costume productions of the 1930s. This professionally colorized restoration brings new beauty and romantic warmth to every scene with frame-by-frame precision, from the quaint, tree-lined village street with its cottage gardens and lace-curtained windows where neighbors observe each other’s lives with loving and relentless curiosity, to the candlelit ballroom where Phoebe’s masquerade as the vivacious Livvy reaches its thrilling and heart-stopping climax, to the intimate domestic interiors where two sisters share their hopes, fears, and anxious whispered consultations. The colorization reveals beautiful new dimensions in the Regency-period costumes — the soft muslins and ribbons of the women’s gowns, the military red of the soldiers’ dress uniforms, and the warm domestic furnishings of the Throssel household. The colorized version adds visual warmth and period beauty while preserving all the romantic charm and emotional depth of this restored classic film. Now also available in colour.

Buy Quality Street in color today for just €15.00. Your DRM-free MP4 download is available for instant access.

Historical Significance

Released in 1937, Quality Street was directed by the great George Stevens, one of Hollywood’s most versatile and gifted directors who would go on to create such masterworks as Woman of the Year, Shane, A Place in the Sun, and Giant. The film features Katharine Hepburn in an extraordinary dual-role performance that showcases her remarkable range — the aging, disappointed Phoebe and the sparkling, flirtatious Livvy are so completely different in manner, voice, and physical energy that they seem like two entirely different women, yet both are unmistakably, luminously Hepburn. The supporting cast is exceptional, including a very young Joan Fontaine in an early role several years before her breakthrough in Hitchcock’s Rebecca and her Oscar-winning performance in Suspicion, the incomparable Fay Bainter as the anxious sister Susan, and the delightfully pompous Eric Blore providing impeccable comic relief. Based on J.M. Barrie’s beloved play — Barrie being the creator of Peter Pan and one of the most celebrated writers of the Edwardian era — the film shares his distinctive gift for blending whimsy, genuine emotion, and sharp social observation into something uniquely magical. Through modern colorization, this delightful and enduringly charming period comedy reaches new audiences.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 digital download
• Resolution: HD restored
• Colorized: Professionally colorized from original black and white
• Audio: Original mono restored
• Runtime: Approximately 84 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Does Katharine Hepburn play two characters?
A: She effectively plays two richly contrasting roles — the aging, quietly heartbroken Phoebe and the vivacious, flirtatious ‘Livvy’ who is actually Phoebe in brilliant disguise — showcasing her remarkable versatility and her extraordinary ability to transform herself physically and emotionally.

Q: Who wrote the original play?
A: The play was written by J.M. Barrie, best known throughout the world as the creator of Peter Pan. Quality Street shares Barrie’s unique and magical gift for blending whimsy, genuine emotion, and perceptive social observation into stories that are both charming and surprisingly deep.

Q: Is Joan Fontaine in this film?
A: Yes, a very young Joan Fontaine appears in an early supporting role, several years before she would become a major star through her performances in Hitchcock’s Rebecca and her Academy Award-winning role in Suspicion.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as an MP4 file that plays on virtually any device.

Q: Is there DRM on the file?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free so you can watch it on any device without restrictions.

Q: How quickly can I watch after purchase?
A: Your download link is available instantly after payment, so you can start watching within minutes.

Related Colorized Classics

• Ladies of Leisure (1930)
• The Valley of Decision (1945)
• Unfaithfully Yours (1948)
• Penny Serenade (1941)
• Follow the Fleet (1936)