FilmFanatic.org

Synopsis:
A doctor (Lew Ayres) in a Nova Scotian village befriends and tutors a young deaf woman (Jane Wyman) whose father (Charles Bickford) and aunt (Agnes Moorehead) previously thought she was simply a “dummy”. When Belinda (Wyman) is raped by a local fisherman (Stephan McNally), she becomes pregnant, and the entire town suspects Ayres of being the father.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Agnes Moorehead Films
• Character Arc
• Charles Bickford Films
• Deafness
• Doctors and Nurses
• Jan Sterling Films
• Jane Wyman Films
• Jean Negulesco Films
• Rape

Review:
Peary doesn’t seem to be a big fan of this Oscar-nominated film, which garnered Jane Wyman a Best Actress award. While he doesn’t review it in his GFTFF (he simply lists it in the back), he discusses it a bit in the 1948 “chapter” of his Alternate Oscars book, where he notes that “after years in lightweight roles”, Wyman finally got her “big break” in this film. He argues that “the part was so strong already that Wyman really wasn’t required to act”, and that “director Jean Negulesco had her give a remarkably restrained performance (she rarely changes expressions) so it wouldn’t be so evident that they were milking the audience for sympathy”. He posits (unfairly, in my opinion) that “Wyman just smiled prettily and kept her eyes wide open”, ultimately coming across as “extremely huggable and lovable” — hence, her Oscar. Adding insult to injury, while Wyman was nominated no less than four times as best leading actress in a film, Peary never nominates her at all in his Alternate Oscars.

I’m not particularly a fan of Wyman myself — but I do find her performance here to be note-perfect; in fact, it’s likely my favorite of all her roles. Truth be told, I’ve always thought of Wyman as a bit dowdy, and have a hard time “buying” her in more glamorous parts (i.e., in Douglas Sirk’s films); she’s what you might call a handsome woman, but not particularly beautiful — and thus, she’s perfectly suited for her role here, where her “earthier” appeal is allowed to shine. Meanwhile, she’s surrounded by a top-notch supporting cast, with several familiar character actors — Charles Bickford, Agnes Moorehead, and Jan Sterling — given meatier roles than usual (to excellent effect). What’s especially refreshing is how each of these seemingly archetypal characters — bullish father (Bickford), shrewish aunt (Moorehead), jealous townswoman (Sterling) — are allowed to transcend their initial characterizations, each tapping into a store of deeply guarded humanity. Also notable is Lew Ayres (best known for his starring role in 1930’s All Quiet on the Western Front), who — as a noted pacifist during WWII — apparently had a hard time earning meaningful roles; he’s smartly cast here, and offers a refreshingly avuncular leading-man presence.

Interestingly, as DVD Savant points out, this was “one of the first Hollywood films to look at a handicapped [sic] person as a worthy subject for drama” — something we take for granted these days, when such a role almost guarantees that an actor will be nominated for an Oscar. The storyline itself, despite its undeniably harsh subject matter, is tastefully handled throughout; with the exception of a couple of key narrative twists later in the film which are handled a bit too facilely (I can’t say more at risk of spoiling), it’s a nicely balanced script, filled with plenty of local dialogue. Shot in coastal Northern California, the sets accurately reflect the windswept rockiness of Nova Scotia, and both cinematographer Ted McCord and Negulescu do a fine job presenting the tale through consistently atmospheric visuals. In sum, this one will likely surprise you as — in DVD Savant’s words — “a rare animal, a heart-warming sentimental story that doesn’t tax one’s intelligence, even if it does take a few melodramatic turns on its way.”

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Jane Wyman as Belinda
  
• Lew Ayres as Dr. Richardson
  
• A host of excellent supporting performances
  
  
  
• Ted McCord’s atmospheric cinematography
  
  
• Fine direction by Negulescu
  

Must See?
Yes, for Wyman’s Oscar-winning performance, and as an overall good show.

Categories

• Noteworthy Performance(s)
• Oscar Winner or Nominee

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• TV Guide Review
• TCM Article
• DVD Savant Review

Synopsis:
The daughter (Audrey Hepburn) of a renowned surgeon (Dean Jagger) becomes a nun and is sent to the Belgian Congo, where she works with Dr. Fortunati (Peter Finch) in a hospital and struggles to remain true to the tenets of her faith.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Africa
• Audrey Hepburn Films
• Dean Jagger Films
• Doctors and Nurses
• Fred Zinnemann Films
• Mildred Dunnock Films
• Niall MacGinnis Films
• Nuns
• Peter Finch Films

Review:
Upon learning that Fred Zinnemann’s 2.5-hour The Nun’s Story — based on a factually-inspired novel by Kathryn Hulme — became Warner Brothers’ highest grossing film at the time of its release, one feels a renewed respect for the tolerances and interests of mid-century American audiences, given that it’s a lengthy, serious, introspective movie about the quest for a meaningful spiritual existence. Yet it was likely the undeniable star-power of Audrey Hepburn — in perhaps her best-suited role — that drew viewers to the theater; while there’s nary a Dior outfit in sight, she remains as captivating to watch as ever. Her wonderfully expressive face tells us everything we need to know about the complicated trajectory her character chooses to undergo, shedding her prior identity as Gabrielle van der Mal — beloved daughter of a devoted father (Dean Jagger) — to become “Sister Luke”.

The film’s first half-hour is arguably its most compelling — simply from an ethnographic perspective — as we’re made privy to the ritualistic experiences of novitiate nuns, whose lives are conducted largely in silence. After this, the narrative turns to the quietly compelling drama of Hepburn’s struggle to remain “Selfless”, as she’s trained for work as a nurse, and is given no choice in where she’s sent or who she’s asked to work with. Audiences must have wondered what — if anything — would be made of Sister Luke’s close working situation with Peter Finch’s enigmatic and handsome Dr. Fortunati (what a name!); thankfully, both the script and the performances preserve the essence of their platonic mutual respect for one another. The film’s final half-hour, as Sister Luke reaches a crisis in her personal identity, serves as a fine culmination to the meaty and respectful narrative we’ve experienced until then.

In sum, The Nun’s Story will likely surprise you in the way it manages to present a saga of spiritual angst within such a compelling and engaging narrative framework. In a way, this would make a fascinating double-bill with Black Narcissus (1947), given that the two films — though obviously told in radically divergent cinematic styles — are thematically related in that they are both concerned with nuns who question their devotion to their order. Both films also feature a fine cast of supporting performers: as DVD Savant notes, The Nun’s Story offers a virtual “Who’s Who of professional actresses” popping up at various times throughout its narrative, including Edith Evans, Peggy Ashcroft, Mildred Dunnock, Beatrice Straight, Patricia Collinge, Ruth White, Colleen Dewhurst, and Dorothy Alison (the latter in a truly heartbreaking and memorable bit part). The male roster, while naturally smaller, is also impressive, and includes not only Finch but Dean Jagger (in a small but pivotal role as Hepburn’s father), Lionel Jeffries, and Niall MacGinnis. The collective energies that went into crafting this lovingly told, powerful tale make it well worth a film fanatic’s time to sit through.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Audrey Hepburn as Sister Luke (nominated by Peary as one of the Best Actresses of the Year in his Alternate Oscars)
  
• Peter Finch as Dr. Fortunati
  
• Many fine supporting performances
  
  
• The fascinating first half-hour, in which Hepburn is indoctrinated into her order
  
  
• An interesting ethnographic glimpse at life in the Congo
  
  
  
• Franz Planer’s cinematography
  

Must See?
Yes, as a surprisingly powerful film about spiritual faith and personal identity. Listed as a film with Historical Importance in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Historically Relevant

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• DVD Savant Review
• TCM Article
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
A veteran (Alan Ladd) returning from active duty in WWII with his two buddies (William Bendix and Hugh Beaumont) is disturbed to learn that his wife (Doris Dowling) has been carrying on an affair with a shady nightclub owner (Howard Da Silva). When his wife is murdered later that evening, Ladd becomes a prime suspect and hits the road, accidentally meeting Da Silva’s estranged wife (Veronica Lake) along the way.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Alan Ladd Films
• Falsely Accused
• George Marshall Films
• Murder Mystery
• Veronica Lake Films
• Veterans
• William Bendix Films

Review:
The Blue Dahlia is notorious for being the only film with an original script by Raymond Chandler (his novels were all adapted for the screen by other writers) — and when reading about the trouble he had actually completing the screenplay, it’s easy to understand why. With that said, the film itself remains an enjoyable, if uneven, entry in the film noir genre — one which showcases Chandler’s typically pulpy dialogue and characters, and offers a reasonably satisfying cinematic experience overall. Diminutive romantic leads Ladd and Lake were cast together for the third time (after This Gun For Hire and the non-Peary-listed The Glass Key, both made in 1942), and they make a visually appealing “couple” — but the problem is that their “relationship” together (not to mention Lake’s ambiguously problematic marriage to Da Silva) is never adequately defined or developed. Chandler notoriously referred to Lake as “Moronica” Lake, and one can’t help wondering whether his disdain for her as an actress bled over into the lack of care he took in crafting her character. Regardless, it’s a frustrating flaw in the narrative.

The central murder mystery, however, remains both taut and suspenseful, with the killer’s identity coming as a true surprise (don’t read too much about the movie online, as most reviews immediately give away a form of spoiler). Ladd is appropriately brooding and wary — if ultimately not quite as charismatic as, say, Bogart — playing a veteran who comes home to a truly nasty “surprise” in the form of his openly disdainful and philandering wife (one desperately wonders what their relationship was like pre-war; what drew the two of them together in the first place?). Meanwhile, Bendix turns in yet another solid supporting performance in a critical role as Ladd’s plate-headed buddy; the opening scene in a bar nicely establishes his character’s bugaboo. Da Silva is equally effective in a tricky role as a nightclub owner with a shady past who seems to regret having gotten involved with Dowling in the first place, and Will Wright is instantly smarmy as a house detective who’s a little too interested in the welfare of his most attractive clients.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Stark, noir-ish cinematography by Lionel Linden
  
• William Bendix as Buzz
  
• Howard Da Silva as Eddie Harwood
  
• Will Wright as “Dad” Newell
  
• Fine, hard-boiled dialogue by Chandler:
  

  “It’s funny, but practically all people were strangers when I met them.”

Must See?
Yes, simply to see Chandler’s only screenwriting venture. Listed as a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Historically Relevant

Links:

• IMDb entry
• TCM Articles
• Noir of the Week Review
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
A lonely socialite widow (Jane Wyman) has an affair with her bohemian gardener (Rock Hudson), much to the dismay of her best friend (Agnes Moorehead) and college-aged children (Gloria Talbott and William Reynolds).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Agnes Moorehead Films
• Cross-Class Romance
• Douglas Sirk Films
• Jane Wyman Films
• Morality Police
• Rock Hudson Films
• Widows and Widowers

Review:
Among the handful of mid-century melodramas Douglas Sirk made for Universal International Pictures, All That Heaven Allows remains one of the most highly regarded — in hindsight, that is. Sirk’s films were only truly valued as “fabulous, ironic piece[s] of performance art” (as described in 1,001 Movies You Must See) in later decades, when they were re-appropriated by newer audiences who viewed — and appreciated — them from an entirely different perspective. As DVD Savant puts it, Sirk’s films are “fake and honest at the same time”, presented as “artificial constructions filled with powerful real emotions”. This description suits All That Heaven Allows — Hudson and Wyman’s follow-up to their success in Sirk’s Magnificent Obsession (1954) — to a tee.

Wyman and Hudson’s romance in ATHA is never exactly believable; while we can understand why Wyman — a lonely widow — would go gaga over hunky Hudson, the opposite motivation simply isn’t there. We never get a sense of why, exactly, the free-spirited Hudson (who has no desire at all to tap into either Wyman’s money or social set) feels Wyman is suitable as his new soulmate. Such quibbles must ultimately be set aside, however, given that this is squarely meant to be a women’s picture — a film designed precisely to appeal to those [females] who could relate to Wyman’s predicament (as a lonely housewife and mother) in some form or another. Hudson’s character suits Wyman’s needs perfectly, and thus — he exists. Meanwhile, the competing forces in Wyman’s life — ranging from her claustrophobically judgmental social circle, to her priggish grown children — are over-the-top yet believable at their core.

What really makes this and other key Sirk films so memorable, however, is their unique, consistently stunning visual style. Vibrant colors are used to strategic effect here to convey characters’ increasingly intense emotions, with nearly every shot perfectly designed and framed to convey a certain sensibility. Check out the bottom still below, for instance, in which Wyman’s face is highlighted in the screen of the television set her children have purchased for her as a “companion” — she’s surrounded on either side by the salesmen who have eagerly set it up for her, but her forlorn expression is undeniable. Much schmaltzier are the images framing Wyman’s final encounters with Hudson (that deer!), which definitely shift the film into high melodrama — but by this point we’re invested enough in Wyman’s happiness that we simply accept what Sirk offers up to us, schmaltz and all.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Jane Wyman as Cary
  
• Agnes Moorehead as Sara
  
• Vibrant Technicolor cinematography
  
• Effectively stylized sets
  
• Sirk’s consistently innovative visual sensibility
  

Must See?
Yes, as a cult favorite by a notable director. Listed as a Sleeper and a Cult Movie in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Cult Movie
• Important Director

(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die)

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Combustible Celluloid Review
• DVD Savant Review
• Jigsaw Lounge Review
• Q Network Review
• TCM Article
• Tired Old Queen at the Movies Video Review

Synopsis:
An over-worked editor (Ray Milland) whose wife (Margaret O’Sullivan) is weary of his insane work schedule goes out drinking one night with a sympathetic colleague (Rita Johnson), and learns the next day that she’s been murdered. His overbearing boss (Charles Laughton) — who, as Johnson’s jealous lover, committed the murder himself, but is desperate to blame it on the shadowy figure he saw leaving Johnson’s apartment — tasks Milland with heading an investigation to determine this mysterious man’s identity, not knowing it was Milland himself.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Charles Laughton Films
• Elsa Lanchester Films
• Framed
• George Macready Films
• Journalists
• Living Nightmare
• Maureen O’Sullivan Films
• Ray Milland Films
• Tycoons

Review:
The synopsis above hints at the complexity of this dense but fascinating and finely paced “murder mystery”, in which an egomaniacal tycoon (Laughton) shamelessly attempts to shift the blame for a murder he has committed onto someone else. The story — deftly directed by John Farrow (who cast his wife, O’Sullivan, in a small and somewhat thankless role) — occurs in flashback, as a panicked Milland recounts how he ended up in hiding from the police in his own office building — a futuristic edifice with an enormous clock (hence the title) meant to represent the God-like command held by Laughton, who micro-manages his employees to an extent that would be laughable if it weren’t sadly believable. Anyone who’s ever been pressured to give 110% to their job will relate to Milland’s frustration at being unable, even after years of dedicated service, to take a much-deserved holiday with his wife; the irony, of course, is that even after steeling himself to stand up to Laughton and quit his job, Laughton’s sway holds fierce, as Milland suddenly finds himself caught up in the ultimate living nightmare.

What’s perhaps most impressive is how neatly all the elements of Jonathan Latimer’s intricate screenplay fall into place, with each facet of Milland’s ill-advised drinking spree — his request for a “green clock” at a bar, his purchase of a surreal painting at a pawnshop after bargaining with another would-be owner (Elsa Lanchester) — coming back to haunt him. (Lanchester’s role — she’s as delightful as ever — becomes nicely fleshed out as we learn she’s actually the painting’s creator, and she ends up playing a critical role in the investigation.) Adding to the complexity of the entire narrative, of course, is the fact that Laughton doesn’t know Milland is the man he’s trying to frame, and that Milland — renowned for his amateur sleuthing abilities — is ultimately trying to track down himself. It’s all a giddy, nerve-wracking delight — and while I’m always the first to complain if I feel a narrative contains too many details for viewers to easily hold in place, thankfully that isn’t the case here. Fine performances all-around, as well as appropriately noir-ish cinematography and effective set designs, make this one a memorable treat on multiple levels.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Ray Milland as George Stroud
  
• Charles Laughton as Earl Janoth
  
• Rita Johnson as Pauline York
  
• Elsa Lanchester as Louise Patterson
  
• Effectively “futuristic” sets
  
• John Seitz’s cinematography
  
• Fine direction by John Farrow
  
• Jonathan Latimer’s clever screenplay

Must See?
Yes, as an effective, smartly crafted noir thriller.

Categories

• Good Show

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Spinning Image Review
• DVD Savant Review
• Tired Old Queen at the Movies Video Review

Synopsis:
A lowly employee (Dick Powell) engaged to his sweetheart (Ellen Drew) is fooled by his co-workers into thinking he’s won a $25,000 slogan-writing contest, and believes his luck has changed for good.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Advertising
• Comedy
• Dick Powell Films
• Get Rich Quick
• Preston Sturges Films

Review:
Although its title is finally justified in a later sequence — when the protagonist’s girlfriend refers to their luck as feeling like it’s “Christmas in July” — one could be forgiven for feeling a twinge of disappointment upon learning that this early Preston Sturges comedy (his second as director) really has nothing to do with Christmas, per se (so don’t watch it, like I did, in hopes of generating a bit of holiday spirit). However, the film stands up just fine on its own merits, and remains clear evidence of Sturges’ gift for writing clever, incisive satires which effectively skewer their targets while maintaining just the right amount of hope and belief in goodwill.

At just 67 minutes long, the storyline here moves like a breeze, shifting quickly from what looks like it will be simply a painful lesson in undue humiliation (as the ever-hopeful Powell is taken for a ride by several of his naughty co-workers), to an unexpectedly joyful tale of happy coincidence and good luck. Naturally, things must eventually come to a head — but along the way, we’re witness to both the delights of seeing asinine men-in-power made fools of, and deserving underlings given a chance to show their best light. Meanwhile, those who harbor nagging suspicions about the — er, veracity — of the advertising industry need look no further than here to have their suspicions verified; what makes for an “award-winning” slogan has apparently always remained a hotly contested exercise in Emperor’s Clothing. With that said, the film’s ending remains the best one possible, on all counts; watch and see for yourself.

Note: Powell and Drew are perfectly cast (and utterly believable) as the central young couple in love, and are surrounded by Sturges’ dependable crew of supporting comedic actors (including the inimitable William Demarest and Franklin Pangborn).

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Dick Powell and Ellen Drew as Jimmy and Betty
  
• A clever, witty, satirical screenplay
  
  

Must See?
Yes, as early evidence of Sturges’ genius. Listed as a film with Historical Importance in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

• Historically Relevant
• Important Director

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Spinning Image Review
• DVD Savant Review
• TCM Article
• Time Out Capsule Review