All That Heaven Allows (4 stars)

With tomorrow being Rock Hudson's birthday, I thought a re-watch of one of my favorites of his films (and a re-working of one of my earliest posts) was in order.  All That Heaven Allows---a 1955 Douglas Sirk romantic drama pairing Rock with Jane Wyman---is a tender, touching film which explores the theme of romance between an older woman and a younger man. I am totally not a Jane Wyman fan and would have preferred someone else to have been in this role. (Susan Hayward comes to mind as one who I would have loved here, and given that she was only three years younger than Jane Wyman, her age would have worked in this role.) On the other hand, I think Rock Hudson is fabulous. He is beyond gorgeous at this point in his career, and he and the sweet storyline are the reasons I like this movie so much.

Jane Wyman plays Carrie Scott, a socially prominent, middle-aged widow, with college-age children. (You never really know how long she has been a widow, but you assume it's not been too long.) With her children off at college, Carrie is quite lonely, and even though her country club friends try to keep her active, there is still something missing in Carrie's life.

One day, while she is lunching alone on her terrace, Carrie makes the acquaintance of Ron Kirby, her new gardener, who tells her that his father has died and that he has taken over the business. Several years younger than Carrie, Ron is a simple, down-to-earth man totally at ease with himself and his position in society. He doesn't aspire to be socially prominent or to live the country club life; rather, he is content to live in the country and to try his hand at tree farming.

Carrie and Ron are drawn to each other and begin spending time together, despite the fact that the tongues of the snobby country club crowd are beginning to wag. When Ron takes her out to his tree farm, Carrie is fascinated by the old mill located on the property and tells him it would make a wonderful home for him and the wife he will one day have.

Several weeks later, Carrie is stunned to visit the mill and discover that Ron has begun renovating it and it is shaping up to be a beautiful home. He tells her he is doing it for her, for them...and he tells her he loves her and asks her to marry him. At first, Carrie turns him down, convinced that their different lifestyles and the age difference between them will prevent them from finding happiness. However, after Ron encourages her not to worry about what other people think and to take a chance on happiness, Carrie accepts his proposal and is blissfully happy.

When Carrie calls her college-age children home to share the news with them, she is unprepared for how violently they oppose such a union. Besides the fact that Ron is much younger than their mother, is the fact that socially he is not what she deserves. They are certain he could never fit in with the elite country club crowd Carrie has run in for years, and a cocktail party with said people proves they are right. The gossip mill is in full force when Carrie and Ron show up for a party, and ugly words about Carrie's fidelity to her deceased husband make their way to Carrie's daughter's ears. Both of Carrie's children tell her that such a marriage will shame them and totally ruin their lives.

Will Carrie reconsider?  Will she put aside other people's opinions and do what makes her happy?  These are the questions which play out in the balance of this sweet, tender film.



As noted, I don't care for Jane Wyman, but Rock more than makes up for that. I quite adore him---his gorgeous presence makes any movie enjoyable for me.  And this film is definitely sweet and lovely and even gets me mildly misty-eyed.  Out on DVD, it ought to be fairly easy to track down.  And, just FYI, Jane and Rock were paired together in another romantic tearjerker, Magnificent Obsession.  I highly recommend both that film and this one.

Happy viewing...and happy birthday, Rock Hudson (November 17, 1925 - October 2, 1985)!!

Middle of the Night (5 stars)

Last night, I had an evening to myself, so I poured a glass of merlot and sat down to enjoy one of my absolute favorite romantic dramas---Middle of the Night, starring Fredric March and Kim Novak. Based on Paddy Chayefsky's play and directed by Delbert Mann, this touching 1959 film, which is actually one of my 10 favorite movies of all time, explores a very controversial subject---that of a middle-aged man's romantic involvement with a woman less than half his age.  Although I reviewed this film here last July, I am so crazy about it that I felt it was time to re-work that post and thereby, hopefully, bring this lovely film to the attention of many others.

Jerry Kingsley (Fredric March) is a 56 year-old widower, with two 25+ year-old married children and two grandchildren.  Early on, we find that he has attempted to date again and, in fact, even asked the woman to marry him, but she turned him down and ended up getting engaged to someone else.  The pain and loneliness Jerry feels over her rejection is agonizing (especially to this viewer).

Betty Preisser (Kim Novak), a 24 year-old divorcee who works as a receptionist at Jerry's company, has some papers which Jerry is in need of, so he stops by her apartment to get them.  While there, he senses that Betty is distraught about something, and he offers the shoulder she needs as she grieves her recent divorce.  Although Jerry initially offers fatherly advice to Betty, he quite soon becomes interested in her romantically and asks her out to dinner.

Initially concerned about the 30+ year age difference and fearful that one of them will be hurt, Betty is hesitant to continue seeing Jerry; however, he pushes her anxieties aside and suggests they get married.  At that point, their love is put to the test, for Betty's mother, sister, and friends think she's insane to marry an old man, and Jerry's family thinks he is making a total fool of himself, something he begins to believe as well.  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.




This controversial-themed movie is handled very tastefully.  I think it is an incredibly beautiful film, with completely spectacular performances by both Miss Novak and Mr. March.  Actually, I think this could possibly be the performance of Fredric March's career.  I am a huge March fan, and although The Best Years of Our Lives, which is one of the films for which he won a Best Actor Academy Award, may be slightly more beloved to me than this film, I think his performance in Middle of the Night is even more superior.  He is totally brilliant here!!  I could SO feel his pain as he struggled with the passionless existence expected of men his age.  Kim Novak is equally wonderful in her role.  If anyone wonders why I really didn't like her in her Marilyn Monroe-ish dumb blonde role in Phffft (reviewed last week HERE), this film will show why.  She was capable of so much more than that.  Miss Novak and Mr. March definitely click in this film.  Their chemistry is spot-on!

Bottom line---I think this film is totally awesome, and I highly recommend it.  Out on DVD as part of the Kim Novak Collection, it should be fairly easy to track it down.  Fans of Fredric March, Kim Novak, or May-December romances will not want to miss this one.

Happy viewing!!

Breezy (2 stars)

Breezy, an R-rated film from 1973, is a May-December romantic drama starringWilliam Holden and Kay Lenz.  One of the earliest directorial works of Clint Eastwood, this film was one I recently watched for the first time for my William Holden viewing month.  While I rarely watch post-1965 (or R-rated) films, with my desire to see all the works of my #1 guy, I decided to take a chance on this one---and my decision to pretty much avoid those kinds of films was reconfirmed.

After a night of passion with a young man named Bruno, kind-hearted, guitar-playing "hippie" teenager, Edith "Breezy" Breezerman" (Kay Lenz), hitches a ride into the valley with a middle-aged man.  Frightened by the things the man has said to her, Breezy dashes from his car, while at a stoplight, and races away from him---and right into the life of another middle aged man---divorced real estate agent, Frank Harmon (William Holden).  Although Frank tells her he doesn't pick up hitchhikers, Breezy climbs into his car anyway and proceeds to chatter non-stop as they make their way to town.  Frank, a loner who enjoys his privacy, finds Breezy rather a nuisance, but seeing something in him she likes and trusts, Breezy isn't put off by his initial coldness.

Having left her guitar in the backseat of Frank's car, Breezy makes a visit to his house to pick it up, and though Frank is rude and somewhat unkind, Breezy's warmhearted nature begins to charm him---he feeds her, allows her to use his luxurious walk-in shower, and, at her request, provides her with her first-ever view of the Pacific Ocean.  Before long, Breezy is in love with Frank and has moved in to one of the guestrooms of his home.

Returning home from a party one night, Frank discovers Breezy waiting for him in his bed, asking him to make love with her.  As the two of them embark on a sexual relationship, Frank begins to struggle with the age difference between them---he is mistaken as her father when he takes her clothes shopping, and he is highly embarrassed when he takes Breezy to a movie (Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter, no less!) and runs into friends at the theatre.  Telling his friend he feels like a child molester, Frank determines that the best thing to do is break things off with Breezy.  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.





Breezy was a total turn-off to me for a number of reasons.  First and foremost---the nudity.  While such a view is out of sync with most movie-goers nowadays, I am unashamed to admit that I don't prefer nudity in the movies I watch.  I find it completely unnecessary.  Especially when you consider that earlier decades gave us passionate---even sensual---films, and they did so without nudity or graphic sex, you realize that those things are SO unnecessary to make a point.  (A Place in the Sun, From Here to Eternity, and Picnic being just a few examples of that.)  Sadly, as society's moral standards changed through the 60's and into the 70's, Hollywood's offerings reflected that change, and while a decade earlier, things would have been left to the imagination, by the time Breezy was made, nudity was not only accepted, but expected as well; here in Breezy, there were three or four nude scenes (female), all of which could have been left out.  Instead of adding to the romance or passion, those scenes only made the film trashy to me.

Another turn-off for me was the Holden/Lenz romance.  While I have no problems with May-December romance and even really love other May-December romance movies (Middle of the Night and Ten North Frederick being among my ten favorite movies), this particular older man/younger woman romance was quite unappealing to me.  Breezy was filmed in late 1972, when my beloved Bill was 54 years old; however, much as it pains me to say it since I completely adore this man, he looked to be about ten years older than that.  On the other hand, Kay Lenz, though 19 here, looked much younger...perhaps 15.   For me, a 15 year old girl and a 65 year old man is pushing the envelope, so I just didn't find myself rooting for them.  While he was thought to be her father in one scene, quite honestly, he looked more like her grandfather.  (This film was released when I was 12 years old; even if I had been allowed to see an R-rated movie at that age, I can assure you, I would have been "grossed out" by this relationship.)

Finally, I'm not a fan of "hippie" movies.  I quite hate that time period and the things which go with it.  To be honest,  William Holden---and my desire to see all of his films---is the only reason I chose to watch Breezy.  Had another man had the lead part, I would never have given it even a minute of my time, and it is only my love for Mr. Holden which keeps this film at 2 stars rather than 1. (Mostly because I feel, nudity aside, this film had to be a rather bold and courageous career move for him, and I am rewarding him for that.)

Since I want to have something positive to say about this film, I will acknowledge that the acting of both William Holden and Kay Lenz was very good (as is always the case for Mr. Holden).  Miss Lenz also consistently offered an incredibly bright and beautiful smile. Clint Eastwood's direction was very good, and although I found the love scenes a turn-off and even fast-forwarded through them, they appeared to be filmed well.  William Holden's son, Scott, makes an appearance in the film...as the veterinarian.  Father and son shared a scene together.

Oh, there were two occasions I found myself laughing hysterically.  First, Breezy has just told Frank that smoking was worse for someone his age than for someone younger.  Right after that, she asks him if he is married.  His response, "No.  There's very little call these days for old, decrepit, one-foot-in-the-grave smokers."  Later, she asked him if he thought God was dead, and he responded, "I didn't even know he was sick."  For some reason, those two exchanges quite hit my funny bone, and I giggled hysterically.

Bottom-line---because of the excessive and unnecessary nudity and the early 70's attitude towards free and easy sex, Breezy is not a film I feel comfortable recommending.  However, should you desire to watch it, the film is out on DVD, plus it is available through Net Flix instant viewing.

Ten North Frederick (5 stars)

Always on the lookout for a deeply moving, 5-star film I've never seen before, I recently hit the jackpot with my viewing of Ten North Frederick.  A little-heard-of Gary Cooper romantic drama from 1958, this movie also stars Suzy Parker, Diane Varsi, and Geraldine Fitzgerald.  Much like the beautiful Fredric March/Kim Novak film, Middle of the Night (reviewed HERE), Ten North Frederick explores the romantic relationship between a 50-ish man and a woman half his age.

With this one movie, two films have been toppled from their positions on my lists. For quite some time, Madame X has been the tearjerker of all tearjerkers for me. I totally love that movie and generally sob to the point of being unable to breathe. While that is still the case, Ten North Frederick brings an equal amount of sobs.  Additionally, when it comes to my beloved Gary Cooper, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town has long been my favorite of his films. While I still totally love that movie, I love this one even more.  After only one viewing, Ten North Frederick is on my 20 favorite films list.

The fabulous Coop is Joseph B. Chapin...successful lawyer, faithful husband, loving father.  The story, which is told in flashback, begins at number Ten North Frederick Street, immediately following Joe's funeral.  Through the eyes of Joe's 20-something daughter Ann, we see that while the Chapin family looks good on the outside, inside there is scandal and unhappiness.  Although Joe has always been faithful to his wife, Edith (Geraldine Fitzgerald), there is no love or warmth between them; in fact, while Joe's children have a bond with him, it is clear that they, too, have no love for their cold, ambitious, social-climbing mother.

Edith manipulates her husband and children in order to satisfy her own drive for power and status.  Since Edith wants a political future for Joe, he throws his hat in the ring for lieutenant governor, despite not having political aspirations himself.  Son Joby's desire to be a musician and to attend Juilliard is put down, and he is sent off to Yale instead.  And when daughter Ann marries someone deemed "unacceptable" to her father's candidacy prospects, the man is bought off and the marriage annulled.

When Joe can no longer live with the ugliness of the political campaign, he withdraws from the race...something which infuriates Edith.  Telling him that he is a failure and that she has wasted her life on him, she proceeds to inform him that she had been unfaithful to him fifteen years earlier.  Edith's words have an affect on Joe...he tells her that his real failure was in not being a better father, in allowing Edith's ambitions to cause him to hurt the ones he loved most.  Feeling that he needs to apologize to Ann for buying off her husband, Joe heads to New York City, where Ann is now living.

Unaware that her father was coming for a visit, Ann is not at home when Joe arrives; however, her roommate, Kate (Suzy Parker) is there, and she and Joe spend the evening talking.   Before long, despite the tremendous disparity in their ages, Joe and Kate are deeply in love.  Can there possibly be a future for them?

This film moved me deeply. Although it took close to 50 minutes to really come together, once it did, there was no stopping it. More than just a tearjerker, this was a sobber (for me). As with Madame X, I was sobbing (not merely weeping) for nearly a half hour in this film. Coop was totally magnificent in his role...emotional and vulnerable in a way I've rarely seen him before. I can't help but wonder if his own years-earlier romance with the half-his-age Patricia Neal made this role deeply personal for him and if that personalness translated into what I think is one of his very best performances. My heart was completely touched by his character. Adding to the movie's emotional tug was my awareness that this was one of Coop's final films. Three years---and a half dozen films---after this, Coop would succumb to cancer, and his wonderful, charismatic presence would grace the silver screen no more.

Suzy Parker, who I have never seen before, was really lovely in her role as Kate, and Geraldine Fitzgerald was spot-on as Joe's overbearing, shrewish wife.  Although at times it didn't seem like the scenes flowed right, I still positively loved this movie.

So, there you have it, with this one film, Madame X must now share its title of "tearjerker of all tearjerkers," and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, though still very beloved, is  now my second favorite Gary Cooper film. 

I don't believe Ten North Frederick is out on DVD, and TCM rarely airs it.  However, it is available on YouTube (in 11 parts), and I highly recommend seeing it.  It's really a beautiful film, and, I think, it features Coop at his absolute finest.

Happy viewing!!