Based on a book released in 1943 about the life story of Louise Randall Pearson, perhaps this would have been better received as a film had it been released in the middle of the war too, because by January 1945 the war's outcome was not really in doubt as it had been two years before, and there was no real need for a tale about the resilience of the human spirit, which is what this film is.
The film starts out showing the kind of home Louise grew up in. She adored her father who gave lavish parties, lavish gifts, and spared no expense. Then he dies suddenly when she is about 10 and he leaves behind nothing but debts. The family has very little income from the residual of his estate, but somehow manage to pull enough together for Louise to attend Beecher College - where women learn to earn their own way. In 1910 this means typing and shorthand. No math. No science. No medicine. At midlife Louise mentions that she was the one who set out to set the world on fire. But you cant set fires when the men keep all of the matches and only give you ( a woman) two sticks to rub together. But I digress.
Louise (Rosalind Russell) lands a job at Yale and meets a stiff fellow, Rodney Crane (Donald Woods) and they marry - because. I could never figure that out. They have nothing in common. Rodney becomes a banker. And because Rodney remains a stiff fellow, Louise tends to run both their lives. You can tell by his facial expressions he's horrified at the direction they are going, but he is just too stiff to complain. Until the day that he leaves and then he say s plenty, but it's too late.
Louise's second husband is the opposite of Rodney - Harold (Jack Carson) says plenty all of the time and really has no direction. He's willing to try anything. And they do - twice it ends in financial disaster, not because of a lack of industry on their part, the first is a glut on the market in the 20s, the second is the Crash of 1929 which dries up all markets. Will these two stick it out, at least to the end of the film? Watch and find out.
I have to hand it to director Michael Curtiz. He got one of the few three dimensional performances I've seen from the wooden Donald Woods. When he said something you pay attention, when he makes a horrified or puzzled expression you have no doubt what he's thinking. This was a good role for Jack Carson too. For once he's not playing the guy who would like to be the villain if only he was smart enough to do so. Instead this is a very complex role. He knows he's a flawed character, is not quite sure how he feels about all of the responsibility he is taking on when he marries Louise, but his sense of adventure and good intentions continually propel him forward.
I'd recommend this one. Michael Curtiz may not have directed all of my favorite films, but he has certainly directed some of the films I find most interesting.
The film starts out showing the kind of home Louise grew up in. She adored her father who gave lavish parties, lavish gifts, and spared no expense. Then he dies suddenly when she is about 10 and he leaves behind nothing but debts. The family has very little income from the residual of his estate, but somehow manage to pull enough together for Louise to attend Beecher College - where women learn to earn their own way. In 1910 this means typing and shorthand. No math. No science. No medicine. At midlife Louise mentions that she was the one who set out to set the world on fire. But you cant set fires when the men keep all of the matches and only give you ( a woman) two sticks to rub together. But I digress.
Louise (Rosalind Russell) lands a job at Yale and meets a stiff fellow, Rodney Crane (Donald Woods) and they marry - because. I could never figure that out. They have nothing in common. Rodney becomes a banker. And because Rodney remains a stiff fellow, Louise tends to run both their lives. You can tell by his facial expressions he's horrified at the direction they are going, but he is just too stiff to complain. Until the day that he leaves and then he say s plenty, but it's too late.
Louise's second husband is the opposite of Rodney - Harold (Jack Carson) says plenty all of the time and really has no direction. He's willing to try anything. And they do - twice it ends in financial disaster, not because of a lack of industry on their part, the first is a glut on the market in the 20s, the second is the Crash of 1929 which dries up all markets. Will these two stick it out, at least to the end of the film? Watch and find out.
I have to hand it to director Michael Curtiz. He got one of the few three dimensional performances I've seen from the wooden Donald Woods. When he said something you pay attention, when he makes a horrified or puzzled expression you have no doubt what he's thinking. This was a good role for Jack Carson too. For once he's not playing the guy who would like to be the villain if only he was smart enough to do so. Instead this is a very complex role. He knows he's a flawed character, is not quite sure how he feels about all of the responsibility he is taking on when he marries Louise, but his sense of adventure and good intentions continually propel him forward.
I'd recommend this one. Michael Curtiz may not have directed all of my favorite films, but he has certainly directed some of the films I find most interesting.