Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (5 stars)

Right behind William Holden on my all-time fave list is Gary Cooper, and, easily, my favorite Coop movie is the sweet romantic dramedy, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, from way back in 1936.  This film, which also stars the under-rated Jean Arthur, was directed by Frank Capra, who won an Academy Award for his work here.  Mr. Deeds Goes to Town was nominated for four other Oscars, including Best Picture and a Lead Actor nod for Mr. Cooper.

The story begins when Longfellow Deeds (Coop), an unworldly, down-to-earth man who writes poems for greeting cards, inherits $20 million from an uncle he barely knew. When his uncle's lawyers track him down at his New England home, he is totally unimpressed by the news of his inheritance. After all, he's comfortable and happy as he is, so he has no need of all those millions.

When the lawyers whisk Longfellow off to their New York offices, they see him as a total pushover, one whom they will be able to manipulate to do exactly what they want him to with all his money. Alas, though, Mr. Deeds is NOT as easy to push around as they think he is!! And his plan for the money is MUCH different than the lawyers' plans, for he intends to use it to help out the less fortunate, since he himself is already adequately provided for and quite comfortable. (This movie was released in the middle of the Great Depression and takes place during that time period.)

The local newspaper sees Mr. Deeds' inheritance of his uncle's fortune as a sensational story from which they can benefit.  Therefore, one of the ace reporters, Louise "Babe" Bennett (Jean Arthur), determined to get "the scoop," hatches a scheme of deception. Pretending to be an unemployed woman looking for work, Babe, strolls in front of Longfellows' New York residence, fainting dead away just as Mr. Deeds exits the house. Thinking he has rescued a hungry, down-on-her-luck woman, Mr. Deeds takes her (now calling herself Mary) out to dinner and then spends a sweet evening with her. Feeling that Mary is sincere and kind-hearted, Longfellow talks openly and honestly with her.

The next morning, when the lead story in the newspaper refers to Mr. Deeds as "The Cinderella Man" and recounts stories about him which make him appear to be a simpleton, he is confused as to how they got such information. He has no idea that "Mary" is not what she appears to be, and he continues to see her, eventually falling in love.

Meanwhile, Mr. Deeds has determined that he will use his $20 million to give a helping hand to hundreds of farmers who have lost their farms in The Depression. However, this idea infuriates the lawyers, who see their grip on the money loosening, and they attempt to have Mr. Deeds declared insane, thus allowing his inheritance to fall back into their hands.

Eventually, Longfellow discovers that Mary is really the reporter who has been writing all the negative stories about him, and since he has fallen in love with her, he is quite devastated by her deception, so devastated, in fact, that at his sanity hearing, he refuses to open his mouth in his own defense.

Will Mr. Deeds be declared insane by the court?  Will his inheritance be awarded to another?  Will he ever forgive Mary for deceiving him and making him appear "simple" in her news articles?  Those are the questions which play out in the balance of this charming film.



Mr. Deeds Goes to Town really is a sweet movie, directed by none other than Frank Capra, of It's a Wonderful Life fame. This is my favorite Capra film (even more than It's a Wonderful Life) and my favorite Gary Cooper film. It's just a tender and touching story...a little sappy and sentimental, yes, but sweet nonetheless.

FYI...this movie was remade in the early 2000's, under the name of Mr. Deeds, and starring Adam Sandler in the title role. I have not seen the remake, nor do I ever intend to. For me, Adam Sandler cannot hold a candle to Gary Cooper, and I have no desire to see him try. Additionally, the remake is rated PG-13 for "Language including sexual references and some rear nudity." Well, I've seen the original---and loved it---and such things were not necessary for it to be a good movie. I'm not sure why the makers of the newer version felt compelled to add unnecessary junk.

 Out on DVD, this film should be readily available and quite easy to track down.  Hope you get a chance to watch it...and that you enjoy it.

Happy viewing!!

Letter from an Unknown Woman (3 stars)

Letter from an Unknown Woman, from 1948, is a period drama starring Joan Fontaine and Louis Jourdan.  It begins in Vienna in the early 1900's, but most of the movie is told in flashbacks.  It is the tragic story of a young woman's lifelong love for a self-centered concert pianist.

The story begins with a man (Stefan Brand, played by Louis Jourdan) reading a letter which opens with the words, "By the time you read this letter, I may be dead."  As he continues reading, the years fade away, and we see Lisa Berndle (Joan Fontaine), a somewhat-awkward teenager, standing outside the apartment Mr. Brand is moving into.  Lisa is fascinated by all the beautiful things, including a grand piano, that are being moved into the building.  Soon, Lisa is totally obsessed with all things about Mr. Brand, and after coming face to face with him one day when she opened the apartment door for him, she is totally and completely in love.

For the next few years, everything Lisa does is "for Stefan."  Determined to be graceful and ladylike "for him," she takes dancing lessons, learns manners, and studies the lives of the famous musicians.  She listens to him play the piano, all the while imagining him playing for her.  She also watches the comings and goings of his apartment, always feeling disheartened if he happens to bring a woman home with him.

Eventually, Lisa's mother, a widow, decides to remarry and move to Linz.  Of course, Lisa is devastated to have to leave Stefan behind, but she has no choice and moves with her parents.  Even as the years go by, though, she remains obsessed with Stefan and cannot get him out of her mind.  She even refuses the proposal of another man and decides to return to Vienna, where she keeps a nightly vigil outside Stefan's apartment.  Finally, one evening, Stefan notices Lisa and approaches her.

Has Lisa's dream finally been realized?  Has the man she has loved for years finally returned her love? To find out the answer to those questions, you will have to watch for yourself.  I'm not sure if this movie is out on DVD or not, though it is available on VHS.  I do know that when Turner Classic Movies showed it last spring, Robert Osborne mentioned that it was the very first time they were showing it. What?!!! TCM has been around for over fifteen years and they've never shown Letter from an Unknown Woman before!  I wonder why? Especially because Mr. Osborne also mentioned that it has been the movie for which they've received the most requests.  I would think, since it's such a popular movie, that it would be available on DVD and fairly easy to track down.  I hope so anyway, as I think this is a very solid, 3-star movie that most folks will enjoy.

Witness to Murder (3 stars)

Witness to Murder is a crime drama from 1954, starring Barbara Stanwyck, George Sanders, and Gary Merrill.  Barbara Stanwyck is Cheryl Draper, who upon looking out her apartment window in the middle of the night, witnesses the man across the street murdering a woman.  Cheryl immediately calls the police, but when they arrive at the apartment of Albert Richter (George Sanders), there is no body to be seen and absolutely no evidence of a crime having been committed.  In fact, Mr. Richter had been asleep.  The police, therefore, conclude that Cheryl had only dreamed she had witnessed a crime.

Cheryl, however, is not convinced it was a dream, so she finds a way to get inside Richter's apartment to investigate.  She is sure that the earrings she discovers on his desk belong to the dead woman...and she is equally sure that the tear in the drapes was from the struggle that went on.   Mr. Richter, though, is aware that Cheryl had been in his apartment, and he always manages to stay one step ahead of her as far as the police go, even after the body of a woman is discovered in a nearby park.

Eventually, Mr. Richter receives threatening letters, claiming that the writer had seen him commit murder and that the police would soon find him out.  Since the letters appear to have been typed on Cheryl's typewriter, it is determined that she, in fact, is their author, despite the fact that she doesn't recollect having done so.  Her confusion about things lands her in the mental ward of the county hospital.

Policeman Larry Mathews (Gary Merrill) has begun to fall for Cheryl, and he wants to believe her claims about the murder, so he begins to heavily investigate any possible connection between Mr. Richter and the body found in the park.  Cheryl, meanwhile, has been released from the hospital and is more convinced than ever that Richter not only murdered a woman, but that he has been manipulating the whole circumstance to make it look as though she is losing her mind.  She is also sure that he fully intends to silence her...by killing her.

And that is where I will leave off.  Is your curiosity aroused?  Are you wondering whether Cheryl really saw a murder?  Or was it just her imagination?  Is Richter really someone to be feared?  To find out, you will just have to watch this movie for yourself.  I'm not sure if it is out on DVD or not, so I'm not sure how easy it will be to track down.  I discovered it through Net Flix instant viewing, so if you are a Net Flix member, you can see it that way too.

No Man of Her Own (3 stars)

No Man of Her Own, starring Barbara Stanwyck and John Lund, is a great little drama from 1950.  Stanwyck portrays Helen Ferguson, a pregnant woman whose boyfriend, Steven Morley, has abandoned her and their baby.  Without even speaking to her, he slides a train ticket under his apartment door, leaving Helen devastated and totally hysterical.

While on the train, Helen meets and becomes friends with a sweet couple, Hugh and Patrice Harkness.  Patrice, also, is pregnant, which bonds the two women together.  While washing up in the evening, Patrice takes off her wedding ring so that it won't slip down the drain...she asks Helen to hold the ring for her, and she even encourages her to try it on.  Shortly after Helen places the ring on her finger, the train is involved in a crash.

When Helen wakes up in the hospital, she discovers that she has been identified as Patrice Harkness and that a baby boy has been delivered to her.  She also discovers that Hugh was killed in the accident, as was the other pregnant woman on board the train...one Helen Ferguson.  At first, Helen tries to explain the mistake, but after remembering that Patrice told her she had never met her in-laws, she soon realizes that taking on the dead woman's identity, and becoming Patrice Harkness, will give her and her little son a home and a family.  So, Helen Ferguson becomes Patrice Harkness and, along with baby Hugh, is whisked off to the home of her wealthy and loving "in-laws," who are completely devoted to her.

In time, Patrice meets her brother-in-law, Bill, (John Lund), who soon falls in love with her and she with him.  She also finds that, against her wishes, her father-in-law has changed his will so as to provide three-fourths of his estate to her.  Never intending to use her in-laws for monetary gain, Helen is most unsettled at the changing of the will, something that pleases her brother-in-law very much.

Waiting on the sidelines, though, is Steven Morley, who sees Helen's new "family status" as a means of making money for himself.  He threatens to expose her deception, and since Patrice/Helen really loves her family and knows they will be devastated by such a revelation, she determines to do whatever it takes to protect them.

Will Helen succeed in keeping Steven from revealing that she is not, in fact, Patrice?  Will her new family find out that they have really welcomed a stranger into their midst?  And what about Bill's love for her?  The answer to all these questions can only be found out by viewing this very enjoyable movie, which is available through Net Flix "instant viewing."

Roman Holiday (5 stars)

Roman Holiday, from 1953, stars Gregory Peck and the beautiful, elegant Audrey Hepburn. Always (and still!!) the epitome of elegance, grace, class, and beauty, Audrey is absolutely perfect in this role. It was her first major role, and she even won the Academy Award for best actress that year, being one of the few that quelled the "run" From Here to Eternity had on the Oscars that year.

The story is about Anne (Audrey Hepburn), the young princess of an un-named European country, who is on a goodwill tour across the continent. While in Rome, Princess Anne, who has become weary of the appointments, diplomatic duties, and formality of royal life, has a breakdown of sorts. To quiet the temper tantrum the princess is having, she is given a sedative. However, before the sedative takes its full affect, Anne sneaks out of her bedroom and into the Roman night.

Enter Rome-based, American news reporter Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), who finds the princess passed out on a roadside bench. Not knowing she had been sedated, Joe assumes the girl is drunk, and after trying to put her in a cab alone, he winds up taking her back to his apartment, where she can sleep off her drunken state. (At this point, he has no idea she is the visiting princess.)

As soon as Joe discovers that the girl, who has told him her name is Anya, is really the princess, he plans to exploit her for his own gain. He knows his newspaper would pay handsomely for a scandalous story with lots of photographs. So...Joe sets off to show Anya the city.

They have a whirlwind day together, even ending up getting into a brawl and getting arrested. Anya is having the time of her life, not knowing that she is being secretly photographed by Joe's friend or that Joe intends to sell his story of "princess gone wild" to the newspaper.

As they spend a lovely day together, feelings for one another develop. But ultimately, Anne has a duty to her country. She cannot run forever from being a princess. Or can she? Will she walk away from her crown and her duty to her country? Will Joe's newspaper story of Anne's wild behavior cause scandal?

The answers to these questions can only be found by viewing this sweet and beautiful movie. I won't say anymore, as I don't want to spoil your viewing pleasure, but suffice to say, this is a must-see. One of my 25 all-time favorite movies, Roman Holiday is THE FILM which began my love affair with the classics.   Since it's out on DVD, it should be readily available through Net Flix or your local library.

Happy viewing!!

The Proud and Profane (4 stars)

The Proud and Profane, from 1956, is a wartime romance starring William Holden and Deborah Kerr.  Holden plays Colonel Colin Black, a gruff, hard Marine officer stationed in the south Pacific during WWII. Deborah Kerr is Lee Ashley, a woman whose Marine husband was killed at Guadalcanal. Wanting to find out about her husband's death, Lee joins the Red Cross efforts in the Pacific, hoping that in time she will be able to travel to Guadalcanal.

Colonel Black is immediately attracted to the beautiful widow and seeks to dominate her time. Lee, however, does not care for the colonel's hard, cynical attitude and really wants nothing to do with him. However, since she is told that Colin knew her husband and was with him shortly before he was killed, she begins spending time with him. Before long, even against her will, Lee falls in love with Colin. One evening, when Lee refuses his physical advances, Colin asks her if it would make any difference if he asked her to marry him. Of course, it does make a difference, and they begin a physical affair. (Nothing is ever shown...you just know it happens.)

All is not as it would appear, however. There are secrets between Lee and Colin, and how those secrets are revealed plays out through the rest of the movie. If this sounds interesting, you will have to watch for yourself to see what happens.  (As far as I know, this movie is only available through Net Flix instant viewing, so if you're not a Net Flix member, you might not have a chance to see this one.)

Just some random thoughts (opinions) from me about this movie...William Holden is, as always, fabulous to look at, though I must admit, I really don't care for him with the mustache he was sporting here. Definitely keep that handsome face clean shaven!! Deborah Kerr, though really good in this role, seemed an odd choice for pairing with Holden. I didn't think there was a great deal of chemistry between them. Also, knowing the casual-sex mindset that is so prevalent today, this movie, with its storyline of no physical intimacy without promise of commitment, seems quite dated. (One of many reasons I so appreciate the classics!) Finally, the scene in the cemetery near the end of the movie, where Kerr's character finds the answer she seeks, is extremely profound.

For those into wartime romance flicks, The Proud and Profane will fit the bill nicely. And if you are a die-hard Holden fan, as I am, this is a definite must-see.

The Blue Gardenia (4 stars)

The Blue Gardenia is a great little film noir from 1953.  It stars Anne Baxter, Richard Conte, and Raymond Burr.  (Raymond Burr, the beloved Perry Mason, plays against type here, as a womanizing cad...kind of strange to see good-guy Perry in such a role.)

The story begins with artist Harry Prebble (Raymond Burr) drawing the portrait of Crystal, a single, twenty-something telephone operator. Known to be quite successful with the ladies, Harry obtains Crystal's phone number before she gets away from him. Crystal, however, has a boyfriend and is not overly interested in playboy Prebble.

As it happens, Crystal shares a house with Nora (Anne Baxter) and Sally, two other gals from her job. On the evening after posing for the portrait, all three of them have plans...Crystal is going out with her boyfriend, Sally is running to the library to pick up a book she had requested, and Nora, who is celebrating her birthday, dresses in a beautiful black evening gown, with the intent of sharing a fancy meal "at least in spirit" with her beloved, who is serving in Korea. She has his photo and a recent unopened letter from him displayed prominently on her beautifully set table. As she reads the letter, however, Nora's joy becomes anguish, as her boyfriend has written to tell her that he has fallen in love with a nurse over there and that they intend to be married.

As Nora is weeping over the break-up, the phone rings, and she answers it. The caller, Harry Prebble, thinks he is talking to Crystal and suggests that they meet for dinner. Nora tries to explain that he has made a mistake, but Harry is insistent that she meet him at The Blue Gardenia. Nora, devastated by her boyfriend's rejection, decides to meet him...even though he is expecting Crystal. Of course, since Nora is beautiful, Harry is not at all disappointed when she---not Crystal---shows up at the restaurant. After purchasing a blue gardenia from the flower lady, he proceeds to order several drinks for the two of them, and before long, Nora is totally drunk.

After dinner, Harry tells Nora that they will go to his apartment...that he has some people coming over. However, when they get there, it is just the two of them, and he decides a bottle of champagne is in order. When Harry cuts himself opening the bottle, Nora pulls a handkerchief from her purse and offers it to him. Soon afterward, she falls asleep on the couch. After Nora wakes up, Harry begins kissing her, and still a bit groggy, she momentarily thinks he is her boyfriend and passionately kisses him back. As soon as she realizes it is not George, however, Nora attempts to extricate herself from Harry's grasp, but he is totally intent on forcing himself upon her, and she is unable to get away. Finally, Nora reaches backward for the fireplace poker and swings it wildly...striking Harry and breaking a large mirror...before she passes out. Some time later, Nora wakes up and dashes from the apartment, leaving her shoes (size 5 1/2) behind.

The next morning, with only the clues of a blue gardenia, size 5 1/2 shoes, and a lace handkerchief, the police begin an investigation into the death of one Harry Prebble, while Nora, who has a horrible hangover, has absolutely no recollection of what happened the previous night. Slowly, though, her memory is jogged by little things, and after reading in the newspaper of Harry Prebble's death, she begins to wonder if she might have killed him...and she begins to panic and even burns her taffeta dress, since the police know a woman in such a dress was with Harry at The Blue Gardenia.

Newspaperman Casey Mayo (Richard Conte), intent on a story, sets out to get the killer, whom he has dubbed "The Blue Gardenia," to come clean with him, even offering to help her. Nora, claiming to be a "friend of The Blue Gardenia" calls the newspaper and arranges to meet with Casey. Although Casey is immediately attracted to Nora, he is all business and tells her to have her "friend" contact him directly.  Eventually, because of Nora's erratic and paranoid behavior, her roommates put two and two together and realize she was the one who killed Prebble. Crystal urges her to be forthright with Casey.

And that is where I am going to leave off. I know, I'm leaving y'all with quite the cliffhanger, huh? I mean, y'all want to know if Nora really did kill Prebble and if she remembers doing so. You want to know if Casey was ONLY about getting the scoop...or did he really care about Nora, right? Well, to find out the answers to those questions, y'all will have to watch this one. It is out on DVD and should be readily available through Net Flix or your local library.

Oh, by the way, the amazing, velvet-voiced Nat "King" Cole sings the title song in a scene in The Blue Gardenia restaurant. It's quite lovely...and it makes me wish (again) that I had lived during the 40's and early 50's.

Penny Serenade (5 stars)

Penny Serenade is a totally beautiful 1941 film starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne. While I love MANY classic-era movies, Penny Serenade is easily in my top six movies of all-time.  Without question, it is my favorite Cary Grant film (An Affair to Remember is a slightly-distant second). Grant's not his usual, romantic ladies man here; instead, he plays paternal, a nice change of pace for him and a role which allowed his talent to shine.

Anyhow, Grant...and Irene Dunne...portray Roger and Julie Adams, a couple on the verge of separation as the movie begins. Through flashbacks, we see their whirlwind courtship and marriage and how, as a newly married couple, they excitedly awaited the birth of their first child. Early in the pregnancy, tragedy struck (in the form of an earthquake), injuring Julie and causing her to lose the baby, along with any hopes of conceiving again.

Roger and Julie move on with their lives, opening up a small-town newspaper in a rural California town, but the desire for a child never diminishes. They decide to adopt a child and eventually get a little girl, whom they name Trina.

The movie follows the ups and downs and heartbreaks of their lives for about eight years. I won't say more than that so as to not give too much away. This is just a very beautiful and touching movie, which brings volumes of tears and even some sobs every time I watch it.  Since I am one who has agonized over fertility issues and adoption roadblocks, Penny Serenade meets me right where I am...it is a very real and personal film for me, and, in fact, it speaks to my heart more than any other movie I've ever seen (except for Blossoms in the Dust, which has a similar storyline). If you are looking for a beautiful, tender, heartwarming, and sentimental movie which will cause the tears to flow, this ought to do it. Especially touched will be those who have longed for a child and suffered miscarriage and infertility in the quest to have one. Definitely, a three-hankie movie. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Stalag 17 (5 stars)

When it comes to classic movies, I am totally crazy about William Holden and Gary Cooper. They're pretty much neck and neck as my all-time favorite actor, but if I was forced to pick an absolute favorite, it would be William Holden. I think he was FABULOUSLY good-looking...and also a VERY good actor.  Stalag 17, from 1953, garnered him the Best Actor Academy Award.

Stalag 17 is somewhat of a man's movie.  There are almost zero women in the cast, and the storyline deals with prisoner of war camps, attempted escapes, and spies...however, daughter and I, as well as some of her girlfriends, love this movie, so it's definitely not just for men only.

The story begins around Christmas, 1944, at a German prisoner of war camp (Stalag 17). Stalag denoted that it was a prison camp for non-officers; 17 denoted the territory where the camp was located. Two men of barracks 4 are attempting escape from the prison, and as they slide out the trap door, which was hidden beneath the stove in their barracks, the remaining men of the barracks are rooting them on. One man, however...J.J. Sefton (William Holden)....is cynical and unsupportive. He doesn't think the two men will reach freedom, and he even offers up a bet of cigarettes that they won't be successful. His attitude, of course, doesn't make him very popular with the other men in the barracks. In fact, he basically has only one friend in the barracks.

Within a few minutes of the escape, machine gun fire is heard....the Nazi guards were lying in wait for the men. Sefton was right...their escape attempt was not successful...and he collects his winnings of dozens of cigarettes, adding them to his trunk of "bartering goods." Determined to make life as comfortable as possible for himself, Sefton makes trades with the Nazi guards...another thing that has made his fellow prisoners dislike him.

The day after the attempted escape, the Nazi guards remove the stove from Barracks 4, because they knew the stove was covering the trap door. They also know that a radio has been smuggled into the barracks...and exactly where that radio is kept. The prisoners wonder how the guards knew those things...then it dawns on them that there is a traitor among them, that one of them is a "stool pigeon" and is supplying the guards with information. And, J.J. Sefton is the prime suspect.

Shortly after the two men are killed in the attempted escape, two other prisoners are brought in...one an officer, the other a non-officer. They had been involved in blowing up a German train, and they tell their barracks-mates how they did it. Suddenly, the officer is removed from Barracks 4 and is about to be brought up on sabotage charges. Somehow, someway, the information they shared with the men in the barracks has been passed on to the Nazi prison guards...and since Sefton is the one they deem responsible, the whole barracks join together to beat him up.

Is Sefton really the "stoolie?" Or is there another man in Barracks 4 who is betraying his comrades? Well, to find out, you MUST watch this movie. I must admit here, although I own this movie and have seen it about ten times, it is absolutely BEST the very first time you watch it...when you really don't know who the traitor is. Repeated watchings are enjoyable (especially when you are a die-hard Holden fan), but the suspense aspect isn't there after the first viewing. Also, although the movie is an action/drama, there are several comical moments, mostly because of a few of the prisoners, especially  "Animal,"  who has a HUGE crush on actress Betty Grable.

Stalag 17 is out on DVD, so it should be readily available through Net Flix or your local library.

Happy viewing!!

Imitation of Life (5 stars)

There are so many wonderful classic movies, and I LOVE dozens of them, but with GREAT difficulty, I have been able to develop a Top 21 list, and one of the movies on that list is Imitation of Life. I call it a "mommy movie," in that it showcases the love of a mother for her children. It is one of four movies that has become tradition for our family to watch on Mothers' Day weekend.

The original version of this movie, which I think is superior to the 1959 remake, is from 1934---amazing to think that I totally LOVE a 76 year old movie!! Anyhow, while both versions are similar, there are several differences between them...including the names of the main characters...so my review will be about the original version. Afterwards, I'll talk about the key differences between the versions. I own both versions (bought as a double feature, with a separate disc of bonus features), but the one I prefer is the original.

Anyhow, Claudette Colbert stars as Bea Pullman, a white widow with a toddler-age daughter named Jessie. As Bea is trying to balance the responsibilities of running her late husband's maple syrup business and taking care of her young child, she meets Delilah Johnson (played beautifully by the wonderful Louise Beavers), a black widow, who also has a toddler-age daughter, Peola. After Delilah convinces Bea to hire her as her maid, she and Peola move in with the Pullmans.

One day, upon tasting Delilah's delicious pancakes, Bea realizes that with her maple syrup and Delilah's pancakes, the two of them could go into business together---the pancake business. So, Bea sets to work to snag a building and all the necessary equipment for them to do so. The business is a great success, and before too long, they have actually gone beyond just a restaurant...in fact, they are packaging Aunt Delilah's Pancake Mix and selling it to grocery stores all across the country. Although, Delilah is a partner and earning a good living through the business, she continues to stay on as Bea's maid, since they have also become good friends.

Daughters Jessie and Peola are now school age and attend a nearby school. But Peola, who is extremely light-skinned, does not want anyone to know she is black. She wants to stuff her blackness at all costs, and when, one day, Delilah shows up at her school, she is furious with her mother. She tells her mother she is ashamed to have a black mother, which, of course, devastates Delilah.

The years go by....the business becomes more and more successful, Jessie heads off to school, Bea falls in love, and Peola grows more and more angry at her skin color and tries even harder to sever ties with her black heritage and to live in a white world. She even, at one point, disowns her mother, who keeps showing up in her life and ruining things for her.

And this is where I am going to leave off. I hope I've whet your appetite and given you a desire to see this movie for yourself. As you can imagine, it is a sobber!!! Yes, Peola WILL come to repentance for her actions, and the scene in which that happens is particularly poignant and touching. If you are anything like I am, the tears will be POURING down your face then.

While Claudette Colbert gets top billing in this movie, the REAL star is the amazing Louise Beavers, whose portrayal of Delilah is totally delightful and full of love and grace and faith. More than anything else, this movie was about the love of a mother for her child. Both women devoted their lives to their daughters and were willing to miss happiness for themselves in order that their daughter not be hurt.

This movie IS definitely dated. I mean, it seems totally unthinkable to us today that a person would so hate their skin color, as Peola did. However, when you consider the racial situation in 1934 and 1959, this movie is historically accurate. Disgusting to us today, yes, but accurate nonetheless. For me, though, this movie was about two wonderful mothers, both of whom loved their daughters unconditionally and both of whom would give anything---even their own lives---for the daughter they loved.

Finally, just a few thoughts about the 1959 remake, which stars Lana Turner and Juanita Moore in the Claudette Colbert and Louise Beavers roles. As I said, I prefer the original. In the remake, Bea's character is extremely selfish....and Delilah's character is always just a maid. They didn't go into business together. Jessie is more whiny and selfish, and Peola's downward spiral is much more graphic. In short, the original version is the one I will watch again and again.

ADDENDUM:  When I originally wrote this review, I did not care much for Lana Turner.  Since that time, I have completely fallen in love with her and now count her among my top 6 favorite actresses.  Thinking that my newfound regard for Lana might change my opinion about Imitation of Life, I recently did a re-watch of the 1959 version.  While I enjoyed the film and found it moving and heart-tugging, I still prefer the 1934 version.  Lana was gorgeous and her acting was terrific, and Juanita Moore was sensational; however, for the reasons stated above, the remake just doesn't top the original for me.  It gets 4 stars, while the 1934 film gets 5. (Feb. 2012)

I'll Be Seeing You (5 stars)

I'll Be Seeing You, a sweet, tender drama from 1944, stars Joseph Cotten and Ginger Rogers. For your information, Ginger Rogers was NOT just a dancer. She was a very fine dramatic actress and even won an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1940 for her starring role in Kitty Foyle. Ginger is my husband's all-time favorite actress AND the reason our puppy has the name Ginger!! I'll Be Seeing You also stars the always-delightful Spring Byington and a teenaged Shirley Temple.

The story is about Mary Marshall (our beloved Ginger), who is on furlough from a women's prison. (You'll find out during the movie why she was sent to prison.) While on a train traveling to visit her aunt, uncle, and cousin for the Christmas holidays, she meets Zachary Morgan (Joseph Cotten), a handsome soldier who has recently left an Army hospital, where he was being treated for a war injury that had left him a bit mentally unstable.

Mary and Zach spend time together and soon fall in love. Since Zach's emotional state is tenuous, Mary doesn't tell him about being in prison. And Zach is trying to work through his own personal demons. Can there possibly be a future for these two hurting souls?

To say more would ruin y'all's viewing, so I won't write anymore. This is a very touching movie, and although it probably won't bring huge sobs, I think y'all will definitely be misty-eyed a couple of times. It's really a beautiful story, which I think all hopeless romantics will love. Definitely look for this one....it IS out on DVD and should be readily available through Net Flix or your local library.

The Best Years of Our Lives (5 stars)

The Best Years of Our Lives was the Academy Award winner for best picture in 1946. In fact, it won many Oscars that year, including Fredrich March for Best Actor and Harold Russell for Best Supporting Actor. It was this movie that shut-down the beloved It's a Wonderful Life in the Oscars that year.

A bit on the long side (about ten minutes shy of three hours), The Best Years of Our Lives is a wonderful movie that explores a problem that was very much in existence in those early days after the second world war....the plight of the war veterans who were returning home to a country that in many ways had gone on without them while they were away. The movie stars Fredrich March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Harold Russell, and Virginia Mayo.

The movie begins when Al Stevenson (Fredrich March), Fred Derry (Dana Andrews), and Homer Parrish (Harold Russell), all war veterans from different branches of the service, attempt to find flights home to the hometown they share in common. Unable to find an available commercial flight, they are routed onto a military craft, and lifelong friendships are born as the men get to know one another.

Al is an Army veteran who has been married to Millie (Myrna Loy) for twenty years and has two upper teenage children. Fred, a bomber pilot, had a whirlwind romance and married Marie (Virginia Mayo) only a few short days before leaving for war. And Homer, who joined the Navy fresh out of high school, has two hooks in place of arms, the result of a shipboard tragedy. (I must digress here and tell y'all that Harold Russell, who plays Homer, was not a professional actor at all. Rather, like his character, he was a real disabled Navy veteran, who had lost his arms at sea...He actually won two Academy Awards for this role...the best supporting actor and some sort of achievement award as well.)

Anyhow, the men's arrival home is difficult, as life has gone on without them. Al barely recognizes his children, so grown they are. Fred's wife has taken a job and moved out of his parents' home and into an apartment of her own. And when he finally tracks her down, she is none too keen on the fact that he is not a man in uniform anymore. And Homer, painfully aware that his two hooks are disturbing for his family and high school sweetheart to look at, withdraws into himself.

The first night home, Al takes his wife and daughter Peggy (Teresa Wright) to a local bar, where he unexpectedly meets up with his two new friends, Fred and Homer. When Al and Fred end up totally drunk and completely passed out, Millie and Peggy take them back to the Stevenson apartment so they can sleep it off. Peggy puts Fred in her bed, removes his shoes, and heads to the couch. In the middle of the night, however, she is awakened by Fred screaming, as he has a nightmare about a bombing raid. She soothes him, and then they both go back to sleep. In the morning, she drives him to his wife's apartment, and there is a definite connection between them.

Fred's reunion with his wife does not go well. She doesn't like that he now needs to find a civilian job or the fact that he is a man out of uniform. (The uniform was one of the reasons she had wanted to marry him!!) Add to that, she wants to party and be out all the time, including hanging out with other men. When the only job Fred is able to obtain is as a soda jerker at the drugstore he formerly worked at, Marie belittles him.

Al, who is a bank executive, begins to be unsettled with the bank's treatment of war veterans who are applying for loans. When these men, who have faithfully served their country, are denied loans because of insufficient collateral, Al is angered and often attempts to extend loans anyway.

And Homer, feeling like a freak show with his two hooks, is angry all the time. He no longer wants to marry Wilma and completely withdraws from her...and everyone, except for Al and Fred.

To reveal anything more about this movie would spoil y'all's viewing pleasure, so I'll stop here.  I hope that I've whet your appetite, that I've made y'all interested in the characters so that you want to discover how things turn out. I totally love this movie....it's on my top 21 list, and although I am an It's a Wonderful Life fan, I am SO in agreement with all the awards The Best Years of Our Lives racked up.

For our family, The Best Years of Our Lives is a Veteran's Day tradition. It is THE PERFECT Veteran's Day movie, though I must admit, viewing this movie only once a year is a bit of a hardship for me.  I love it so much and could actually watch it more often than we do.

Bachelor Mother (4 stars)

From 1939, the year that is commonly referred to as Hollywood's "Golden Year," comes Bachelor Mother, a very sweet romantic comedy starring Ginger Rogers and David Niven.   Although most people typically think of Ginger Rogers as a dancer, she was far more than that. She's lovely here, and delightfully funny.

The movie begins with Polly Parrish (Ginger), being let go from her job as a seasonal salesclerk for the John D. Merlin & Sons Department Store. While walking home after her final day at work, Polly passes by the local foundling home, where she sees a woman leaving a baby on the doorstep. After ringing the bell of the home, the woman turns to leave, but Polly scolds her for abandoning her baby. After denying that it is her baby, the woman rushes away, leaving Polly with the baby in her arms as the foundling home door is opened. Of course, the directors of the home assume that the baby belongs to Polly, and though she tries to convince them otherwise, they don't believe her and keep insisting that she not abandon her baby.

When the directors of the foundling home learn that Polly was recently let go from Merlin's Department Store, they assume her lack of employment is why she wants to give up her child, so they approach the store owner David Merlin (David Niven) about giving Polly her job back. Of course, David is happy to enable Polly to keep her baby and offers her full-time employment.

Satisfied that Polly will now be able to keep "her baby," the foundling home directors deliver said child to Polly's apartment, letting her know that because Mr. Merlin gave her her job back, she can keep "her baby." However, knowing it's not her baby, plus having plans that evening, Polly delivers the child to Mr. Merlin's home, telling his butler that "Mr. Merlin got her into this mess and that the child is his responsibility." The young man Polly is with overhears her words to the butler and assumes that David Merlin is the father of Polly's baby, and in a moment of jealousy, lets the senior Mr. Merlin know that he has a grandchild.

As the movie continues, senior Mr. Merlin is convinced his son is the father of the baby, and junior Mr. Merlin is convinced that the baby really IS Polly's baby. How the situation is resolved is the remainder of the movie.

I highly recommend this sweet movie; definitely try to see it if you can. No, it's not a profound film...it's not even a great film... and it's totally predictable...but it really is very sweet and lots of fun. To my knowledge, it's not out on DVD, but you could probably track down a VHS copy through your local library.

An Affair to Remember (5 stars)

An Affair to Remember is an incredibly beautiful, romantic movie, starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. It is from 1957, which means Cary Grant is aging a bit, and let me just say, like fine wine, he aged well. He looks SO dashing and distinguished with a touch of gray at the temples.

The story is about Nickie Ferrante (Grant) and Terri McKay (Kerr), who meet aboard an ocean cruise. Although they are both engaged to others, they have not yet taken the plunge to marry, and they are immediately drawn to one another. By the time the cruise is over, Nicky and Terri are deeply in love, but they wonder if their romance was strictly a shipboard romance or if there is a future for them.

Upon disembarking, Nicky and Terri decide that they will go their separate ways for six months, and at the end of the six months, if their love for one another is still alive, they will meet at the top of the Empire State Building ("the nearest place to Heaven" in New York City) and begin to plan for their future together.

At the end of the six months, their love is, indeed, alive and well, and as each one is enroute to the rendezvous spot, tragedy strikes, preventing their reconciliation.

I can't reveal anymore than this, for to do so would spoil y'all's viewing pleasure. Suffice to say that this is a beautiful movie, one I consider one of the most romantic of all time, and it always brings me to tears....at exactly the same point EVERY time I watch it.

For your information, An Affair to Remember is a remake of the 1939 film  Love Affair, starring Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne. I have seen both versions, and I far prefer the remake. Of course, that is partly because not long before seeing Love Affair, I watched the wonderful 1944 thriller, Gaslight, in which Charles Boyer played a murderous husband. Therefore, every time he uttered a word in Love Affair (in his delightful French accent), I kept seeing the murderous husband in my mind, so I couldn't accept him as a romantic lead. I've since come to the place of getting past that, and I actually enjoyed him in All This and Heaven Too (with Bette Davis), so I'm thinking it's time I gave Love Affair another try. Anyhow, y'all might want to see both versions and see which one you prefer.

Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (4 stars)

Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison, from 1957, stars Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr, and with the exception of some Japanese soldiers who are briefly in the movie, there are no other characters. It really is a beautiful movie, made during a time when chivalry was still alive and well, a time when a man deemed it his DUTY to protect a woman.

Robert Mitchum is Mr. Allison, a U.S. Marine, who, alone on a raft, is washed ashore on a deserted-looking island in the South Pacific sometime during the latter part of World War II. (The movie begins as he is washed to shore, so you don't see the incident which destroyed his submarine and its crew...but that's not overly important, because the movie is not about that situation.) Anyhow, as he scouts around the island, Mr. Allison discovers that he is not alone after all. There is a mission building there, with a freshly dug grave nearby, and a lone woman, a nun, who introduces herself as Sister Angela. She explains to Mr. Allison that she and an elderly priest had gone to the island to bring the natives there to safety. However, when they got there, they found the island completely deserted, no sign of life anywhere. And the natives that had rowed them to the island, frightened and nervous, had departed without the priest and the nun, leaving them completely alone and unable to sail away. Shortly thereafter, the old priest died, leaving Sister Angela alone...except for God.

As Mr. Allison and Sister Angela work together to catch a turtle for their dinner, they begin to warm up to one another and even share a bit about their pasts...he about being abandoned as a baby and taking the name Allison from a street sign and also about joining the Marine Corp, she about having yet to take her final vows. Eventually, Mr. Allison suggests to Sister Angela that they use his raft and sail to safety in Fiji. Excited by that idea, Sister Angela, using palm leaves, begins work on a sail. However, a bomber flying over the island changes that plan, as the raft is destroyed. The mission house is also destroyed, except for Sister Angela's crucifix, and for their safety, Mr. Allison moves the two of them into an underground cave he discovered.

When the Japanese Army descends upon the island and sets up a weather station, Mr. Allison and Sister Angela must spend all their time in the underground cave. As they do so, Mr. Allison begins to fall in love with the lovely nun. One night, wanting to get some food for her, he sneaks into the Japanese camp; however, due to the guards not leaving their posts, he ends up stuck there all night, causing Sister Angela great anxiety. Sure Mr. Allison has been killed, Sister Angela is near hysterics.

Deeply in love with Sister Angela, and knowing she has not yet taken her final vows, Mr. Allison pleads with her not to take them....and to marry him instead. She, though, says that she already has a husband...Christ---leaving Mr. Allison devastated at the realization that he had the misfortune of falling in love with a nun. To nurse his broken heart, he gets drunk on sake, and in his drunken state, he makes statements that greatly upset Sister Angela, causing her to run away from him. She doesn't run far, however, for she falls and ends up spending the night outdoors in the rain, becoming very sick as a result. Mr. Allison, totally remorseful at his drunken behavior, nurses her back to health, all the while loving her and wishing things could be different.

Okay, all, here's where I leave off. If y'all want to find out if Sister Angela and Mr. Allison get off the island and if Sister Angela decides to renounce her vows after all, you will have to watch this one for yourselves. It's out on DVD, so it's readily available through Net Flix, or I'm sure you could find a copy at your local library.

Random Harvest (5 stars)

Random Harvest is a sweet, sentimental, heart-tugger from 1942, starring Greer Garson and Ronald Colman. The story takes place in England at the close of World War I. Ronald Colman's character, who was injured during the war, has amnesia and has no idea of his identity...the doctors simply call him "Smith." He is being kept at a psychiatric hospital while the doctors try to locate his family.

In the rejoicing that ensues with the ending of the war, "Smith" wanders away from the hospital and soon meets lovely Paula Ridgeway (Greer Garson), who sings and dances at a little pub nearby. They have an instant bond, and when he can't remember his name and tells her he is called "Smith," she nicknames him "Smithy."

Paula and "Smithy" soon marry and settle into life in a little country cottage.They welcome a son into their family just before "Smithy" journeys to the city on a business venture. While in the city, "Smithy" is involved in an accident...which triggers his memory. Now, he knows who he is...Charles Ranier...but he has no recollection of the two years since his war injury...meaning, he has no memory of "Smithy," or Paula, or the son she bore.

Years go by, and Charles tries to carry on his privileged life. But deep within him is the memory of a love he doesn't really remember, but which he can't get out of his mind. Try as he might, he cannot find happiness...he can't find love. The memory of a real and true love prevents him from finding love with another.

Okay, have I aroused y'all's curiosity? Are y'all wondering if Charles will ever remember Paula? Will they ever get back together? I won't say anymore, as I don't want to spoil your viewing, but suffice to say, that this is another of the movies that always makes me teary-eyed. There are no big huge sobs, but Random Harvest definitely touches my heart and makes me misty-eyed. It's one of my fifteen all-time favorite movies, and I highly recommend it. It is out on DVD and should be readily available through Net Flix or your local library.

In Name Only (5 stars)

In Name Only, a sweet romance from 1939, stars Cary Grant and Carole Lombard.  Cary Grant plays Alec Walker, a wealthy, socially prominent man, whose marriage to his wife Maida is in name only. The day they were married, Alec discovered that Maida didn't love him and had only married him for his money. She was really in love with a man named David, but since David plus love equalled nothing, Maida decided it was in her best interests to forego a marriage of love and take one with wealth and social position instead. Alec learns his wife's true feelings while on their honeymoon, and from that moment on, Alec and Maida's marriage becomes one in name only. They live as total strangers, pursuing their own interests...she giving fancy parties, he slipping away from home.

On one of his excursions away from home, Alec meets and falls in love with Julie Eden (Carole Lombard), a lovely unpretentious widow with a five year old daughter. Julie has fallen in love with Alec as well, but when she discovers that he is actually married, she breaks off with him. Maida, meanwhile, has discovered that Alec is in love, and although she doesn't love him herself, she has no intention of ever letting him go. She convinces Alec's parents that she is a perfect, dutiful wife and that Alec's philandering ways have hurt her deeply. Wanting to hurt Alec and embarrass Julie, Maida invites Julie to attend one of her garden parties, and when Julie arrives and Alec speaks to her, Alec's parents are manipulated into believing that Maida is distressed by her husband's girlfriend crashing her party. More than ever, they are on Maida's side and against their own son.

After awhile, Alec convinces Maida to give him a divorce, but she tells him that since a divorce will so upset his parents, she will break the news to them gently while accompanying them on a trip to Europe. She promises Alec that she will obtain the divorce while oversees, so Alec asks Julie to marry him, and they begin to excitedly plan their future. Maida, however, really has no intention of ever granting Alec a divorce and only wants to string him along. When Maida returns from Europe several months later, Alec is as married to her as he ever was, and she informs both Alec and Julie that if they persist in their relationship, she will have no choice but to sue for "alienation of affections," even dragging Julie's daughter into court to testify against her. Totally defeated and feeling that things are hopeless for her and Alec, Julie breaks things off with him.

Will Alec ever be free of Maida?  Well he and Julie ever get together?  Those are the questions which play out in the balance of this lovely film.

I don't believe this film is out on DVD, so tracking it down might be a wee bit difficult. You might possibly locate it on VHS through the library system.  I do hope you get a chance to see it...not only is it a lovely story, but Cary Grant and Carole Lombard were really great together in this, their only pairing.