Reviews

The divine goodness and love in all of us is masterfully shown by the fabulous actress Alison Elliott whose portrayal of the deep genius of love in the powerful soul of a young innocently convicted girl shows us all how glorious each of us can be and how we can cause horrible results come from our laziness, ignorance or indifference. Next to the story of Jesus' life, this story of the strength that comes from her soul demands that we all pause to consider what we are actually doing with our lives. This is a story of mysteries, people, roles in life, good and bad efforts and what affect each of us can have on all of us. For me, this is the most powerful story from the 20th century and Alison Elliott almost got a leading actress Academy Award nomination which she most certainly deserved. WATCH THIS GREAT MOVIE, originally titled "In Care of The Spitfire Grill" ! IT WILL ENRICH AND ENNOBLE YOUR LIFE. This story is about personal transfiguration in the Holiest way possible.

This story of the troubles caused by an over-possessive, overpowering, domineering and unscrupulous mother (Laura Hope Crews) for her two grown sons, and their girls, is a strong vehicle for stellar performances by Irene Dunn (the new daughter-in-law), Joel McCrea (the number-one son), Eric Linden (the number-two son) and Frances Dee (fiance of number-two son). Here's the show of the pure tyranny of mother's jealousy and possessiveness run amok as four good people find their owns lives damaged, their plans changed and their own identities in jeopardy. Irene Dunn is stellar in her role. Joel McCrea's performance is open and clear and Laura Hope Crews is masterful as the mother.

Yet this reviewer finds Frances Dee's performance the best of all. Hers is the first character in the story to show the strength of her inner feelings. Her portrayal in her heartbreak broken-engagement scene is gut-wrenching, and even raw. Dee yanks the viewer around and drives you into her pain without even showing her face !

Frances Dee, like Laura Hope Crews, has been too long overlooked, and is now almost forgotten as the magnificent actress that she was. No actress who started in film after WWII has had anything to speak of on Frances Dee.

If you're lucky enough to see The Silver Cord, which was never released for TV, you'll find this "old fashioned drawing-room drama" to be an outstanding film that shows very well 74 years after its 1933 release because it is filled with superb performances.

If you really listen to the very first moments of the opening music, and if you know something of music, then you'll immediately recognize that the Composer (Dmitri Tiomkin ) was not messing around with THIS score. Tiomkin wrote a beautifully impending theme, internally driven, colored with adventure, suspended by taught phrases, and completely in line, and easily telling, of the quality of everything about this movie. ( My thought was that if Tiomkin wasn't messing around, no one else would be messing around either. This movie HAS IT ALL. )

When I heard those first opening passages, especially the quiet and complex timpani part, then I knew I was in for a really OUTSTANDING FILM. So, right then, I put off an important meeting, because I felt the movie would be as good as the music score. If you encounter this movie, put off anything else, except medical emergencies, and WATCH THIS MOVIE. ! !

Life's too short to miss this one, so watch it - NOW ! Yes, NOW !

There is good reason that Somerset Maugham's story is a true classic. That's because the characters portrayed by:

Leslie Howard, whose bondage to his weaknesses, and his strengths, is solidly played to reveal the process of being human so we all can see how big decisions are best made;

Betty Davis, whose performance, though somewhat forced in her early career, none the less provides the crucial lynchpin of evil and pain that comes from an unloved early life;

and

Frances Dee, who, though young yet deeply talented, shows us the absolute power of love.

While many cite the importance of this role to Bette Davis' career, this reviewer finds that the now mostly forgotten Frances Dee, whose real beauty is not only in her gorgeous appearance, but even better is in the rock solid foundation of her own ability to portray the absolute strength of love.

It is hard for this reviewer to not be entranced by Frances Dee. Her work in this film is the real show stealer. Frances Dee worked in at least 51 films over from 1929 to 1953 in 4 four decades. Frances Dee's beauty of face and character give a powerful example of how we all can live. Much more recognition needs be given to Frances Dee.

In the now course, mean and mostly nasty times since the 1960's, it is Frances Dee's performance, and Leslie Howard's portrayal of of the rough individual road to redemption from our own weaknesses, that is why W. Somerset Maugham wrote the story, and why Frances Dee shows the magical wonder in us all.

When I took the time to think through the whole film, and it's underlying message, I found myself personally enhanced by Frances Dee.

This insightful story of a young lady (Dorothy Maguire), and her family such as it is, and a man (Robert Young) and his family, such as they are, get its center from the character of a blind neighbor (Herbert Marshal) who knows them all. The girl, retiring, awkward and shy lives in "the enchanted cottage" with its owner, an older lady (Mildred Natwick) whose financial situation forces her to rent the cottage out. The man played by Robert Young was facially disfigured in WW II and returns from the war directly to the cottage, to hide from his former rich and dashing life as the fine son of a wealthy family, and his former fiance (Spring Byington) all of whom can not initially accept his disfigurement when he returns from the war to seek utter solace in the obscure locale of the enchanted cottage. The relationship between Maguire and Young has many halting and awkward moments as they each come to grips with their own large difficulties. Yet one circumstance after another comes to help each of them to start to overcome their own problems by concentrating of the problems of the other.

But this viewer finds much more than a touching a powerful love story, as this film shows ever so clearly how the many powers of kindnesses and thoughtfullnesses, and the lesser powers of blunders and mistakes, come to spread and affect all the characters as they haltingly, yet steadily move past their own individual problems into the bright sunshines of brotherhood and lasting love.

This viewer also hopes that the strong and gently kind ways of the people in 1942-43 time period of the movie will once again flower in our now much more brash and brutal society, so that we may have a culture that is fitting and kind to the best in all of us. If the enormous task of making a movie was itself done to produce this one film, then certainly our people of today can learn the enduring lessons for themselves that are shown by the human behaviors, which are raised to the sublime in this film. Our men and women of the year 2002 could gain much for all of ourselves by seeing and giving thought to the clear and simple values portrayed in "The Enchanted Cottage". This film shows that much more enduring messages than crash and slash can be put profitably into a film.

(Now lets get up an effort to have "The Enchanted Cottage" returned to video availability, as it is currently available only on Turner Classic Movies - so watch that schedule and set your VCR to get this real gem for your life.

Green Dolphin Street is a wonderfully made film in the tradition of great storytelling. Made in 1947 from its namesakes prize winning novel, the film took it's fair share of Oscars. Sadly, in 2000, it is a little recognized film, and deserves a much better recognized place among the great films.

The story is rich with well developed characters, good acting, an adventurous and romantic plot, marvelous sets, intimate sub-plots, grand-sweeping plots, personal tragedies and triumphs, the full flavor of a great novel, and a healthy dose of English, French and New Zealand history. Add Lana Turner, Van Heflin and Donna Reed to all that and you've got a rich treat of a movie.

The film may seem dated and old-fashioned to some younger viewers, but most others with even the slighest bit of open mindedness will find much to be enjoyed. The production values given by MGM are in their high and great tradition. The love stories, plots and adventures are as intense as would be asked of a film that one could enjoy with one's grandmother.

Yet there's nothing sappy about the story at all. Rather, we are given a broad cast of characters that surrounds a mistake that starts a love story with a big wrinkle.

This film illustrates the richness of lives in 'the old days' of thoughtfulness, courtesy, diligence and devotion. From the elderly father and mother, to the young adults stepping out into the world, the story includes memorable visual and sound special effects which bear up to today's hi-tech stuff for straight excitement.

Green Dolphin Street shows just how grand and fine a film can be. It is a great, and lasting, film.