Drama,Romance
United States of America
Hold Back the Dawn is a 1941 romantic drama film directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Charles Boyer, Olivia de Havilland, and Paulette Goddard. The film follows Georges Iscovescu, a Romanian-French gigolo who is desperate to enter the United States. However, he is stopped in Mexico by the US quota system, which limits the number of immigrants allowed into the country.
Desperate to find a way into the United States, Georges concocts a plan to marry an American citizen and then desert her once he is safely across the border. He sets his sights on Emmy Brown, a prim and proper schoolteacher from Ohio, and begins a charm offensive to win her heart.
At first, Emmy is hesitant to accept Georges' advances, but she soon falls under his spell. As their relationship deepens, Georges begins to feel conflicted about his plan to use Emmy as a means to an end. He finds himself captivated by her sweetness and sincerity, and begins to question whether he can go through with his original plan.
Meanwhile, Georges' old partner in crime, Anita, arrives in town with a similar plan to marry an American and secure a path into the United States. When Georges learns of Anita's arrival, he is torn between his loyalty to his old partner and his growing love for Emmy.
The film builds to a tense climax as Georges must decide whether to follow through with his plan to desert Emmy and reunite with Anita or choose to stay in America and build a life with the woman he loves. Ultimately, Georges must confront the consequences of his actions and decide what kind of man he wants to be.
