Sunday, September 22, 2013

None But the Lonely Heart (1944)

Director: Clifford Odets

Writers: Clifford Odets, Richard Llewellyn

Composer: Hanns Eisler

Starring: Cary Grant, Ethel Barrymore, Barry Fitzgerald, June Duprez, Jane Wyatt, George Coulouris, Dan Duryea, Roman Bohnen, Konstantin Shayne

More info: IMDb

Tagline: The screen's No. 1 star in a story that looks life straight in the eye...and blinks at nothing!

Plot: A sickly English woman runs a store by herself, while her irresponsible son travels aimlessly, refusing to contact her. When told that his mother has cancer, the young man comes home, reforms himself, and helps his mom run the shop. Soon however, each becomes involved in illegal activities.


My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Nah.

Good flick.  Grant's accent fluctuates and the picture can get a tad melodramatic but it's got good performances, particularly from Grant, and a nice unexpectedly downbeat ending.  That's the biggest shocker as most movies from this period were all about leaving audiences with a happy finale.  It's especially surprising as this was released in the Fall of '44 when everything was looking just grand for the Allied victory.  Oh, and if you can get past a 40 year old Grant playing a man at least half his age then you'll be just fine.  Suspension of disbelief, baby. Isn't it amazing?




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