In terms of traditionally popular American films, I cannot say this is a great film. Yet, I can say that I am very impressed by it. What I mean is that this is, in reality, a totally serious film effort. It is not soapy, it is not (for the most part) exciting. It is a serious story of a man who meets a woman and falls in love, knowing that after the war he will return home to his wife.
It has been said that World War II changed Clark Gable. And this is a very different Clark Gable from the one we got used to in the 1930s. Here he is something he never was back then -- subtle. His performance here is very steady, very calm, very mature...and speaking of mature, he certainly looks older here. It is a testament to his acting ability that he is totally believable as a surgeon in this film.
When I was young I always felt that the two most beautiful women in the world were Sophia Loren and Lana Turner. I was stunned years later when I saw Lana Turner do an hour-long interview on one of the daytime talk shows. It wasn't that she was dumb...she was...not a real human being. But, this film is interesting because here she is less beautiful, just rather normal looking, and yet totally convincing in her role as an army nurse.
Another treat in watching this movie was discovering John Hodiak. I knew the name, but not the actor. What a shame that he died of a heart attack at such a young age. Great potential. And, Anne Baxter is fine here as the wife.
There are many scenes in this film that are rather impressive. Was that real snow in Europe? It was certainly real mud in the jeep scene. High production values here.
There were, in my view, to mistakes in the filming of this movie. First, a part of the American town that was described in the film as being almost ghetto-like, appeared rather pleasant when visited by Anne Baxter. But more serious was that after rather deep and divisive discussions between the characters of Gable and Hodiak, toward end of the film the discussion when they are reunited after the war, and where Gable apologizes for his shallowness, in only described briefly by Gable. It could have provided a powerful scene between Gable and Hodiak.
If you like an occasional serious film, you will be impressed with this movie. Highly recommended.
It has been said that World War II changed Clark Gable. And this is a very different Clark Gable from the one we got used to in the 1930s. Here he is something he never was back then -- subtle. His performance here is very steady, very calm, very mature...and speaking of mature, he certainly looks older here. It is a testament to his acting ability that he is totally believable as a surgeon in this film.
When I was young I always felt that the two most beautiful women in the world were Sophia Loren and Lana Turner. I was stunned years later when I saw Lana Turner do an hour-long interview on one of the daytime talk shows. It wasn't that she was dumb...she was...not a real human being. But, this film is interesting because here she is less beautiful, just rather normal looking, and yet totally convincing in her role as an army nurse.
Another treat in watching this movie was discovering John Hodiak. I knew the name, but not the actor. What a shame that he died of a heart attack at such a young age. Great potential. And, Anne Baxter is fine here as the wife.
There are many scenes in this film that are rather impressive. Was that real snow in Europe? It was certainly real mud in the jeep scene. High production values here.
There were, in my view, to mistakes in the filming of this movie. First, a part of the American town that was described in the film as being almost ghetto-like, appeared rather pleasant when visited by Anne Baxter. But more serious was that after rather deep and divisive discussions between the characters of Gable and Hodiak, toward end of the film the discussion when they are reunited after the war, and where Gable apologizes for his shallowness, in only described briefly by Gable. It could have provided a powerful scene between Gable and Hodiak.
If you like an occasional serious film, you will be impressed with this movie. Highly recommended.