This was a very good, though not great movie about a wartime romance. However, it does stand apart from similar films for two reasons--Miss Hayward's performance and the excellent and unexpected ending.
First, let's talk about Susan Hayward. Years ago, I saw her Oscar-winning performance for I WANT TO LIVE and I thoroughly hated the film, as her acting was so far over the top and silly that I felt she deserved a Razzie Award and NOT the Oscar. You'd just have to see it to believe how bad it was. And, as a result of this film, I used to think she couldn't act--after all, if this was her BEST performance, then I was afraid what a lesser performance might be like!! However, after seeing other films she made, such as I'LL CRY TOMORROW and MY FOOLISH HEART, I realize she was a really good actress. In this film, I was completely bowled over when Miss Hayward began producing real tears during a very emotional scene. This was amazing and you've got to respect this.
Second, in the end, it would have been easy to give the film a schmaltzy ending and have everyone live happily ever after--but they fortunately did not do this. Instead, you learned how Miss Hayward got the the point where she was an alcoholic and no longer capable of taking care of her daughter. While not "FUN", this made for a good and effective drama--nearly earning an 8.
First, let's talk about Susan Hayward. Years ago, I saw her Oscar-winning performance for I WANT TO LIVE and I thoroughly hated the film, as her acting was so far over the top and silly that I felt she deserved a Razzie Award and NOT the Oscar. You'd just have to see it to believe how bad it was. And, as a result of this film, I used to think she couldn't act--after all, if this was her BEST performance, then I was afraid what a lesser performance might be like!! However, after seeing other films she made, such as I'LL CRY TOMORROW and MY FOOLISH HEART, I realize she was a really good actress. In this film, I was completely bowled over when Miss Hayward began producing real tears during a very emotional scene. This was amazing and you've got to respect this.
Second, in the end, it would have been easy to give the film a schmaltzy ending and have everyone live happily ever after--but they fortunately did not do this. Instead, you learned how Miss Hayward got the the point where she was an alcoholic and no longer capable of taking care of her daughter. While not "FUN", this made for a good and effective drama--nearly earning an 8.