The advantages and disadvantages of television's bill of divorcement from history and chronology are very evident on a recent viewing of Homecoming. It doesn't matter much anymore that the film re-unites Gable and Turner who literally set the screen afire on their previous outing, "Somewhere III Find You", six years earlier. The romance is strong, but much more muted. Turner doesn't come on for at least half-an-hour and it's an equal length of time after that before the first silhouetted embrace.
All that doesn't matter any more. Nor is it worth knowing that contemporary critics poured scorn on the movie, whereas the public loved it. What we have now is only the movie itself - divorced from history, from all the cries of studio publicity, from the derision of contemporary reviewers, and even from the word-of-mouth of acquaintances and friends.
Actually, the film stands up rather well. True, the story is as artificially ' contrived as they come, but I found it both moving and engrossing - despite the feeling that it is scripted and directed with occasional too-obvious clumsiness and heavy-handedness.
Gable is excellent - a strongly charismatic personality, playing with conviction and sincerity. Turner - in what is undoubtedly her least glamorous role - plays with unusual naturalness and professionalism. It is probably the most convincing performance of her career. The character is well-written.
By contrast, Baxter seems artificial and too sweet. Hodiak makes the most of his big scene with Gable early in the film (effectively shot all in one take), but thereafter - like most of the support players who exist merely to provide cues and background - has little to do.
All in all, "Homecoming" is big-budget screen entertainment - directed and produced with considerable style and expertise - that wears rather well, thanks to the magnetism of its stars, the appositeness of its dialogue and the realities of its plot.
All that doesn't matter any more. Nor is it worth knowing that contemporary critics poured scorn on the movie, whereas the public loved it. What we have now is only the movie itself - divorced from history, from all the cries of studio publicity, from the derision of contemporary reviewers, and even from the word-of-mouth of acquaintances and friends.
Actually, the film stands up rather well. True, the story is as artificially ' contrived as they come, but I found it both moving and engrossing - despite the feeling that it is scripted and directed with occasional too-obvious clumsiness and heavy-handedness.
Gable is excellent - a strongly charismatic personality, playing with conviction and sincerity. Turner - in what is undoubtedly her least glamorous role - plays with unusual naturalness and professionalism. It is probably the most convincing performance of her career. The character is well-written.
By contrast, Baxter seems artificial and too sweet. Hodiak makes the most of his big scene with Gable early in the film (effectively shot all in one take), but thereafter - like most of the support players who exist merely to provide cues and background - has little to do.
All in all, "Homecoming" is big-budget screen entertainment - directed and produced with considerable style and expertise - that wears rather well, thanks to the magnetism of its stars, the appositeness of its dialogue and the realities of its plot.