A Successful Calamity (1932): cast, story & where to watch
1932 · Film · ★ 4.8
Released in 1932, A Successful Calamity is a comedy and drama film directed by John G. Adolfi, running about 72 minutes.
What it’s about. Henry Wilton is an elderly millionaire saddled with his selfish young second wife Emmy 'Sweetie' Wilton and a pair of spoiled grown children, Peggy and Eddie. To test his family's mettle, Henry pretends to have gone broke. Just as he suspected they would, his children rally to their father's side and change their ways: Peggy forsakes the fortune hunter George Struthers for the nice young man she's really in love with, the polo coach Larry Rivers, while Eddie applies for a demanding job and performs admirably. Only Sweetie seems to desert Henry.
Who’s in it. A Successful Calamity stars George Arliss as Henry Wilton, Mary Astor as Emmy 'Sweetie' Wilton, Evalyn Knapp as Peggy Wilton and Grant Mitchell as Connors, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 4.8/10, A Successful Calamity has proved divisive with audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on TCM. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch A Successful Calamity page.
If you liked it. Fans of A Successful Calamity tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch A Successful Calamity (1932)?
- In US, A Successful Calamity is available to stream on TCM. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is A Successful Calamity worth watching?
- A Successful Calamity holds an audience score of 4.8 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy and drama. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in A Successful Calamity?
- A Successful Calamity stars George Arliss, Mary Astor, Evalyn Knapp, Grant Mitchell and William Janney.
- When was A Successful Calamity released?
- A Successful Calamity was released in 1932, with a runtime of about 72 minutes.