I Want to Live (5 stars)

It was March 9, 1953 that the brutal, cold-blooded killing of Mabel Monahan took place in Burbank, California.  A 64-year old widow, Mrs. Monahan was bludgeoned and strangled, then left in the hallway of her house, her body to be discovered by her gardener two days later.  The three people arrested and convicted of the murder were executed in California’s gas chamber a little more than two years later (June 3, 1955), and a story based on the life of the female member of that trio was brought to life not long afterwards (1958) in the film I Want to Live. (Of course, “Hollywood license” was taken, resulting in several situations being fictionalized and/or depicted in a way which was not how they actually happened.)

Directed by Robert Wise, and starring my #2 gal, Susan Hayward, in an Academy Award-winning performance, I Want to Live is a gritty, hard-hitting “discussion piece” kind of movie.  The film, which will more than likely leave you questioning Mrs. Graham’s guilt, was based on the newspaper articles of Pulitzer Prize-winning San Francisco Examiner reporter, Edward S. Montgomery, and the letters of Barbara Graham.

Good-time party girl, Barbara Ward (Susan Hayward), is living a fast and loose lifestyle when she is arrested on prostitution charges.  Now with a criminal record, Barbara gets in further trouble with the law when, despite knowing perjury is a felony, she agrees to provide a phony alibi for two men who want to beat a rap.  Convicted of perjury charges, Barbara serves a year’s time and is then put on probation for five years.  During her probation period, she marries a man named Henry Graham then gives birth to a little boy.  Henry Graham is a drug addict who cannot hold a job, which results in Barbara passing bad checks and, ultimately, breaking her parole.

Though married, Barbara keeps company with two men who are suspected of the recent murder of a Burbank widow; a sting operation is put into action, and the men and Barbara are arrested.  Completely hostile to authorities, Barbara refuses to confess or to cooperate with prosecutors, and when she is questioned by the press, her belligerent attitude begins the initial action of trying her in the court of public opinion.  With the headline “Bloody Babs, the Tiger Woman,” reporter Ed Montgomery writes that Barbara is “young, attractive, belligerent, immoral, and guilty as hell.” 

As the case goes to trial, Barbara is fingered by the others as the one who did the killing.  Though she claims she is innocent and that she wasn’t anywhere near Mabel Monahan’s home that evening, Barbara has no alibi, and in an effort to concoct one, she lies that she had been with a man at a hotel.  As it turns out, though, the man who offers to be her phony alibi is an undercover police officer intent on getting a confession from her.  When he threatens to walk out on her unless she admits to having been with the other men, she agrees that she was, and that confession is brought forward as evidence against her.  Even though Barbara claims that her “confession” was a lie due to fear of her alibi falling through, having done time for perjury in the past, she is, more than ever, thought to be a compulsive liar and, without question, guilty of the crime for which she is standing trial.

All three suspects are convicted and sentenced to death in the gas chamber at San Quentin.  Barbara moves to Death Row, and as the film plays out, Ed Montgomery begins to believe that she is innocent.  Feeling that the press created the climate which condemned her, he seeks to change the climate.  With hopes to have a lie detector test administered, a psychologist is called in, but it is all to no avail.  Barbara’s appeal is denied…execution is inevitable...the gas chamber is prepared.  In the end, the question remains…is Barbara Graham a murderer?  Yes, she is hard, belligerent, immoral, and unlikeable…but is she a murderer?  This film’s view is that she is not.

In all, I Want to Live received 6 Academy Award nominations, taking home the win in the Lead Actress category.  Without question, Miss Hayward deserved the Academy Award she won for her work in this film, for she played the hardened Mrs. Graham to absolute perfection.  Truly, there are not enough adjectives to describe the performance she gave . . . she was brilliant . . . awesome . . . sensational . . . terrific . . . completely stellar.  While I think Miss Hayward was an amazing actress who gave many superb performances, I believe I Want to Live is definitely her finest hour.  Adding to the fantastic acting in this film is the incredible score.  It is perfect and totally adds to the realism.  The death row and gas chamber scenes are powerful and haunting, especially as Barbara mentally prepares herself for the walk to her execution, only to receive a last-minute stay by the governor.  Those torturous moments are brought vividly to life by Miss Hayward.

For those who like meaty, hard-hitting, gritty dramas with completely magnificent acting, I Want to Live is an absolute must-see.  No matter whether you are a proponent of the death penalty or an opponent, or whether you believe Barbara Graham was, in fact, guilty, or whether you think she was wrongly convicted, you absolutely will not be disappointed with the caliber of this film.  It is truly outstanding!  I don't believe the film is out on DVD; however, it is available in its entirety on YouTube (in parts), so you could catch it there.

Happy viewing!!

Rawhide (3 stars)

Rawhide, from 1951, is a Western drama starring Tyrone Power and Susan Hayward. Directed by Henry Hathaway, the film features Hugh Marlowe, Edgar Buchanan, Dean Jagger, Jack Elam, and George Tobias in supporting roles.  Since Ty Power was one of the guys of the month last month, I had been looking through his filmography for "new to me" films I wanted to see; when I discovered that he did two films with my #2 gal (this one and Untamed), I went on a mission to obtain at least one of them.  I finally tracked Rawhide down...and in time to be included as part of Susan Hayward month.

On its way from San Francisco to St. Louis, a stagecoach makes a stop at Rawhide Station, a remote post attended by Sam Todd (Edgar Buchanan) and Tom Owens (Tyrone Power). Disembarking the stage for a meal at the station are, among others, Vinnie Holt (Susan Hayward), and the small child she carries with her.  Before the passengers can depart the station, a soldier informs the stage driver that condemned prisoner Rafe Zimmerman (Hugh Marlowe) has escaped. In the interest of safety, Vinnie and little Callie are left behind at Rawhide, while the remainder of the passengers continue on their journey.

Posing as a lawman, the escaped prisoner soon makes his appearance at Rawhide Station, and in short order, his three gang members arrive as well.  After shooting Sam, the four men take over the station---their target is the next Eastbound stage and all the gold it is carrying.  Before that stage arrives, though, the Westbound stage will be passing through, and Tom is to act as though all things are normal, not giving any clue that Zimmerman and his men are lying in wait.  Though Tom would like to alert the stage driver to what is going on, he is kept in line through threats to harm Vinnie and Callie, whom the outlaw gang has mistakenly taken to be Tom's wife and daughter.

Locked in a room with Vinnie most of the time, will Tom be able to warn the stage driver of the impending danger?  And once the robbery is accomplished, is there any hope for Tom, Vinnie, and Callie to escape?  These are the questions which play out in this film.




While Rawhide is not a spectacular film, it is definitely entertaining and exciting.  I found the storyline interesting and the acting quite good.  Susan Hayward was her usual exceptional self.  She was appropriately strong and hard---traits she always exhibited perfectly.  Ty Power---in what I think was an unusual role for him---was quite believable here.  Hugh Marlowe---who I've only seen as a "good guy"---did great in his role as well.  Jack Elam was quite terrific too.  If I was more into Westerns, I probably would be rating this one 4 stars.  So, 3 stars, from a non-Western fan means this is a very solid film.

Rawhide is out on DVD; however, I tracked it down through a site called "Westerns on the Web" (HERE).  If you like Westerns, definitely stop by that site.  They have dozens of movies, all available for free viewing on their site.  Additionally, the film is available in its entirety on YouTube.

Happy viewing!!

Ada (4 stars)

Ada, from 1961, is a political drama starring Susan Hayward and Dean Martin, with Wilfrid Hyde-White, Ralph Meeker, Martin Balsam, and Frank Maxwell taking on supporting roles.  In many ways, this film is an early 60's version of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, as the "puppet elected official," who isn't as dumb as the big guys think, seeks to stand against political corruption.

The "puppet" elected official in this case is Bo Gillis (Dean Martin), a friendly, easy-going man of little education.  As his campaign for governor enters its final weeks, Bo and his entourage make a stop in one of the small towns of their Southern state.  A visit to a local establishment provides Bo with an introduction to call girl, Ada (Susan Hayward).  Although his campaign manager warns him "no girls," Bo spends the night with Ada and ends up falling in love with her, and much to the chagrin of his people, he decides to marry her.

Sylvester Marin (Wilfrid Hyde-White) is the kingpin behind Bo's campaign, and he is furious about the inappropriate marriage.  Though he suggests an annulment, Bo is adamant that he loves Ada and will not end his marriage to her.  Unable to get Ada out of the picture, Marin and his people develop an "acceptable" biography for Ada, and then they (without Bo's knowledge) seek to discredit the opponent by digging up dirt on his wife.  In Sylvester's words, "If you want to grow a beautiful rose, there's nothing like a little manure."

After Bo wins the election, he and Ada move into the governor's mansion; however, Bo soon discovers that the only job he has is affixing his signature to documents Mr. Marin prepares.  When his Lieutenant Governor (Frank Maxwell) makes him aware that the bills he is signing are filled with graft, Bo is furious, and with Ada's encouragement, he determines he'll stand up to Sylvester.  Marin, however, who has no intention of giving up his power, retaliates by forcing the Lieutenant Governor to resign, appointing Ada to that position, and then keeping her in line by threatening to expose her less-than-savory past.  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.  (And  both Susan Hayward and Dean Martin have the opportunity to deliver Jimmy Stewartesque anti-political corruption lines.)



In comparing Ada to Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Ada, of course, falls far short; however, it is still an interesting film, with a great message.  The acting is extremely good.  Wilfrid Hyde-White, who I only know as a good guy, is great as the political "heavy."  It was actually kind of hard seeing him in this kind of role.  He is and always will be the kindly Colonel Pickering of My Fair Lady to me.  Dean Martin did a wonderful job in this dramatic role.  Since his character is a guitar-playing, down-to-earth man, the role seemed a great fit for Martin.  He even did a good job with the Southern accent!  And Susan Hayward...wow!  She was terrific!  She had an incredible talent for portraying feisty, determined, hard-boiled women, and she played the part of Ada beautifully.  In fact, it really is her acting which took this film from 3 to 4 stars for me.

The film is not out on DVD, nor does TCM air it very often.  Do keep your eyes peeled for it, though.  I think it's a very good, very relevant film.

Happy viewing!!

They Won't Believe Me (3 stars)

They Won't Believe Me, from 1947, is a mildly suspenseful film noir starring Robert Young, Susan Hayward, and Jane Greer.  Directed by Irving Pichel, this film is one which had been on my radar for quite some time, and about a month ago, TCM finally aired it, so I DVR'd it and saved it to watch during my Susan Hayward birthday month celebration.

The story, which is told in flashback, begins as Larry Balantine (Robert Young) takes the stand at his own murder trial.  Mr. Balantine reveals a story which clearly portrays him as a philandering husband...but does that necessarily equate to being a cold-blooded murderer?

A married man, Larry has been seeing Janice (Jane Greer) for several months.  Janice, however, realizing that she's not "a Saturday afternoon girl," nor a home-wrecker, breaks things off with him and leaves town.  Although Larry would like to run off with Janice, the fact is, he's quite attached to his wife Greta's money; therefore, leaving her is not an option.

Despite Larry's unfaithfulness, Greta (Rita Johnson) wants to save their marriage and suggests that a change of scenery would be good for them, so they move off to California, where Greta's influence buys Larry a job at an investment brokerage.

A young lady named Verna Carlson (Susan Hayward) works in Larry's firm, and in short order, the two of them begin seeing one another.  When Greta discovers that Larry is, once again, being unfaithful to her, she sells his investment in the firm and then gives him an ultimatum---go with her to the mountain ranch she has bought or stay in the city with his girlfriend.  Since he has no intention of living without Greta's money, Larry has no choice in the matter...he breaks things off with Verna and heads out to the isolation of the mountains.

When, a short while later, a building project on the ranch leads Larry back to Los Angeles, he re-connects with Verna; in love with her, he determines that he will leave Greta---no matter how hard it will be, his and Verna's love will see them through.  After slipping a cheap drugstore ring on Verna's finger, the two lovebirds happily head off to Reno, where Larry intends to obtain a divorce and then marry Verna.  Things don't go as planned, however, and ultimately, Larry finds himself charged with the murder of the woman he loves.  (I can't reveal anymore without giving away too many of the surprise twists.)

Now on the witness stand for his life, Larry has revealed the whole ugly, sordid story...but will the jury believe him?  Will the jury really believe that while he is certainly a cheating husband, he is not a murderer? Or will they deem Larry's story a complete fabrication and convict him? These are the questions which will play out in the balance of the film.



They Won't Believe Me is definitely an interesting, exciting film.  However, to be honest, I have to say that  it occurred to me several times, that the role of Larry was exceedingly out of character for Robert Young.  I have never seen him portray anything but an honorable, upright man, and in fact, in his own life, he was decent and honorable, having been married (apparently faithfully) to one woman for over 60 years.  It just seemed so odd to see him as a lying philanderer.  He played the part well and was very credible---it just didn't seem like his kind of role.  Jane Greer's part in the film is fairly small, but she does a great job with it. Susan Hayward is a fantastic femme fatale---I always love seeing her in meaty roles like this.  The film's ending is rather shocking.  While I kind of expected one aspect of it, I definitely never saw the other aspect happening.

All in all, They Won't Believe Me is a solid, enjoyable, 3-star viewing experience, and it's very close to being 4 stars.  Although not out on DVD, it is on the TCM schedule for next Tuesday, June 12th, at 10:00 p.m. (ET), so perhaps you can catch it then.

Happy viewing!!

Soldier of Fortune (3 stars)

Soldier of Fortune, from 1955, is an action/adventure romantic drama starring Clark Gable and Susan Hayward.  Directed by Edward Dmytryk, this film, which I recently caught for the first time, features Michael Rennie, Gene Barry, and Tom Tully in supporting roles.

With her photojournalist husband missing and presumed to be a prisoner of the Chinese, Jane Hoyt (Susan Hayward) has traveled to Hong Kong (under British rule at the time) to seek information as to his whereabouts.  Without a visa, Lewis Hoyt (Gene Barry), had entered China three months earlier in order to do a story; although his camera equipment was found on a junk, the local authorities have no leads as to the man himself, but they do believe he is being held against his will in the Communist nation.

With little hope that the British agents can help her, Jane contacts American expatriate, Hank Lee (Clark Gable)---a smuggler with connections.  Attracted to Jane, Hank expects certain "favors" in return for his assistance; however, Jane angrily refuses and attempts to track down information on her own.  She's unsuccessful, though, and even finds herself tricked by unscrupulous locals, so in the end she has no choice but to turn to Hank once more.  But will Hank---who wants the beautiful lady for himself and, therefore, has something to gain by her husband remaining in captivity---really put himself in danger to locate and free Lewis Hoyt?  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.

Soldier of Fortune is a very solid, interesting, exciting film.  While I totally love Gone with the Wind and adore Clark Gable in his Rhett Butler role, I also quite appreciate him in his older years.  I think he aged well, and I love the gorgeous maturity which marks him at this point in his career/life.  He plays his part here to perfection...he's cocky and masculine, yet altogether romantic as well.  Susan Hayward---my #2 gal---is wonderful in her role---she's strong and determined, but with an element of softness and vulnerability.  I thought the two of them were really terrific together.  The supporting cast is good also, especially Tom Tully, who is a bit out of character from what I'm normally used to.  The lovely Hong Kong backdrop quite added to the authenticity of the film.

This film is out on DVD, so it ought to be easy to track it down.  Gable and/or Hayward fans will probably thoroughly enjoy it.

Happy viewing!!

It's Gals This Month

While May was heavily devoted to the films of Tyrone Power and Gary Cooper, this month it's the girls' turn.  June is the birthday month of three of my top-10 favorite actresses...

Susan Hayward

Eleanor Parker

and Judy Holliday

Two of these lovely ladies are in my top 4...


Miss Hayward

and Miss Parker

One of those dear ladies is actually still alive and about to celebrate her 90th birthday!

I will be OD' ing on the films of these lovely ladies this month...plus enjoying the works of a few other faves...plus taking part in the "Cinematic World Tour" blogathon going on over at All Good Things.  I hope you'll join me...and perhaps discover a few "new to you" films which you simply must see.

My Foolish Heart (4 stars)

My Foolish Heart, from 1949, is a wartime romantic drama starring Dana Andrews and Susan Hayward.  It is very much a tearjerker as well, so I always have the tissue box handy when I watch this one, which I did yesterday in honor of Dana Andrews' birthday.  The film, which is told primarily in flashback, takes place just before and during the early months of World War II.

Eloise Wengler (Hayward), an unhappily married suburban housewife with a bit of a drinking problem, is on the brink of a divorce.  As the film begins, Eloise's college friend, Mary Jane, whom she hasn't seen in years and from whom she parted company under difficult circumstances, pops by for a visit.  After Mary Jane meets Eloise's young daughter, Ramona, the two women have an argument, wherein Eloise threatens to disclose some information to her husband, something Mary Jane begs her not to do.  Prior to disclosing the information, however, Eloise begins a trip down memory lane and finds herself back in November 1941.

At a dance one evening, Eloise meets Walt Dreiser (Dana Andrews), and the two begin a whirlwind romance.  Although Walt originally expects an easy pick-up and is sorely disappointed when Eloise fails to give herself to him, he, nevertheless, continues to see her.  For her part, Eloise is in love with Walt and yearns for him to love her in return.

As war is declared and Walt is drafted into the Army, he and Eloise have to snatch moments together as they can get them.  It is during one of Walt's brief leaves that their relationship becomes more than platonic...an action which will ultimately end in tragedy and change not only Eloise's life, but the life of her friend, Mary Jane, as well.

My Foolish Heart is based on a J.D. Salinger story, and from what I have discovered, Mr. Salinger was none too happy with the outcome.  While I'm sorry that he wasn't satisfied with the screen version of his story, I have to say that, for me, this film totally works.  Since I have never read the original story, it actually matters little to me if the film is faithful to it.  Rather, I see Mr. Salinger's story being one thing and the film being another thing entirely.

Susan Hayward, who is my second favorite actress of all-time, gives her usual stellar performance.  While she was 32 here and perhaps a bit too old to be playing the part of a young, innocent college girl, I think she did a great job.  Even if a trifle too old, she was certainly believable.  Dana Andrews, always a solid and above-average performer, is really great here.  I think the two of them worked well together and had great chemistry.  The story itself is touching and brings alot of tears (two things I like in a movie).  Oh, and Robert Keith portrayed Eloise's father, and I thought he was great as well.  Finally, the theme song (of the same name) is quite beautiful (video below).  All in all, a wonderful, highly recommended 4-star movie.

While I don't believe this film is out on DVD, it is on VHS; plus, it is available on Net Flix instant viewing.  Additionally, TCM airs it periodically.  I hope you get a chance to see this one.

Happy viewing!!

House of Strangers (3 stars)

House of Strangers, from 1949, is a film noir/drama directed by Joseph Mankiewicz and starring Edward G. Robinson, Richard Conte, and my #2 gal, Susan Hayward.  I totally love Miss Hayward and think she was a completely sensational actress, so anytime I see her name among a cast, I make it a point to watch that film.  Therefore, she was the draw here for me, and, I must say, neither she nor the movie disappointed.  Sometimes, it's kind of hard for me to determine if it's 3 or 4 stars, or 4 or 5 stars, so, while I'm giving this film 3 stars, it could possibly garner 4.  (I don't really see House of Strangers as noir, but it's classified that way on a couple of sites.)

The movie, mostly told in flashback through the eyes of Max Monetti (Richard Conte) is the story of the very dysfunctional Monetti family.  The family patriarch is Gino (Edward G. Robinson), who has made it big since immigrating from Italy earlier in the century.  His days living in a one-room house on the backside of a barber shop finally behind him, Gino now owns his own bank and lives in a mansion.  His family consists of a wife and  four adult sons...Joseph, Max, Tony, and Pietro.

Through both ignorance and stubbornness, Gino ran his bank his way.  Instead of adhering to regulations, he loaned money how he chose to; as a result, an audit of his books indicated that he was guilty of mis-application of funds.  When he is indicted, only son Max is willing to stand with him.  Because Gino had been a miserable father, who ridiculed his sons and failed to love them unconditionally, the other three sons detest him.  Only Max is willing to take the fall for him, which he does, and he ends up serving a seven-year prison sentence.  By the end of his sentence, Max has worked up an intense hatred for his brothers.

As the film begins, an angry and bitter Max, now a free man, returns to New York and the family home.  Determined to exact revenge on his brothers, he confronts them. Though his girlfriend, Irene (Susan Hayward), loves him and begs him to forget the past and to move into the future, Max is unwilling to drop the vendetta.  He is determined to make his three brothers pay for the seven years he lost.  Accusing them of abandoning their father and playing a part in sending him to prison, Max vows revenge.

Will Max be able to let go of his hatred and his desire for revenge?  Will he be able to stop the cycle of dysfunction in the family?  Will he be able to accept and return Irene's love?  Those are the questions that play out in this extremely well-acted film.

The acting in this movie was sensational.  Yes, I got the film for Susan Hayward, and she gave her usual wonderful performance; however, Edward G. Robinson and Richard Conte were the real stars of the film.  Eddie G. was spectacular, I thought...even down to the Italian accent.  Richard Conte was wonderful as well.  I've seen him in several movies, and of those, I think this is his absolute best performance.  While none of the characters is overly loveable---and Robinson's character is downright unlikeable---you can't help rooting for Conte's and Hayward's characters...flaws and all.

As I said, I'm not exactly sure if I liked this film or really liked it; I guess I'm somewhere in the middle.  Depending on my mood, it's either 3 stars or 4 stars. The movie is out on DVD, so it should be pretty easy to track down.  It's also available on Net Flix instant viewing, plus Fox Movie Channel airs it fairly regularly.

Happy viewing!!

The Lusty Men (3 stars)

The Lusty Men, from 1952, is a mild western drama directed by Nicholas Ray, and starring Susan Hayward, Robert Mitchum, and Arthur Kennedy.  By my own admission, I have little tolerance for Westerns...in fact, I recently turned off The Wild Bunch, which stars two of my top three guys---William Holden and Robert Ryan---after watching for only an hour.  I just don't really enjoy Westerns; however, I keep forcing myself to try them since several of my "loves" have alot of that genre in their filmography.  Hopefully, one day I will acquire a taste for Westerns.  At any rate, I would classify The Lusty Men as extremely mild in the Western department; really, it's more of a rodeo cowboy drama.

After an injury sidetracks his career, rodeo cowboy Jeff McCloud (Robert Mitchum) ventures back to his Texas hometown, where he meets Louise and Wes Merritt (Susan Hayward and Arthur Kennedy), who live and work on one of the local ranches.  Wanting a spread of their own, Wes and Louise have been saving their pennies for two years, but they are still a long way from buying the ranch they have their heart set on.  So, hoping to come into some quick and easy money, Wes convinces Jeff to teach him to ride rodeo.

Louise, totally against Wes's desire to take up rodeo, is furious with Jeff for agreeing to help him, and she becomes even more furious when, not long afterwards, Wes quits his ranch job and goes on tour with the rodeo.  Although she tries to get Jeff to see that riding rodeo is not a stable profession, all Wes can see is the big money he could possibly make.  Telling Louise that he will only rodeo until he has made enough money for the ranch they want, and promising Jeff half of his earnings as pay for the instruction he gave, Wes jumps into the wild world of the rodeo circuit.

As Wes becomes more successful, he is blinded by the money he is making.  He no longer wants to buy a ranch, and he no longer wants to keep giving "handouts" to broken down old cowboy Jeff.  As Wes and Louise's marriage begins to crumble, Jeff, in love with Louise and wanting to prove his own worth, signs on for a rodeo ride he is not at all trained to make. 

I actually enjoyed this film.  No, it wasn't spectacular, but it was interesting and entertaining.  Plus, it stars the fabulous Susan Hayward---she is the reason I wanted to watch this film in the first place.  She's my #2 gal, and I have never seen her give a bad performance.  I think Hayward, Mitchum, Kennedy, or rodeo fans will enjoy this movie.  I don't think it's out on DVD, but I know TCM airs it quite often. 

Happy viewing!!

Back Street (1961)

Back Street, from 1961, is a romantic drama, starring Susan Hayward, John Gavin, and Vera Miles.  A remake of the 1941 film of the same name, this version was produced by Ross Hunter, the force behind such melodramas as Magnificent Obsession, Imitation of Life (50's), Madame X, and All That Heaven Allows.  TCM aired both versions this past weekend; however, I didn't catch the earlier version, as what drew me to this one was Susan Hayward.  She is my #2 actress of all time (just behind Bette Davis), and whenever I see her name on the TCM schedule, I set the DVR.  Had I known beforehand that this version was a remake of an earlier film, I would have set the DVR for both, just for comparison's sake.  Unfortunately, I wasn't on top of things, so I didn't do that this time, but based on the cast of the earlier film (Charles Boyer and Margaret Sullavan ), I'm pretty sure I would prefer the remake.  (Going on the TCM website, I also discovered that there was a 1932 version of this film, which starred Irene Dunne and John Boles.)

Susan Hayward is Rae Smith, a fashion designer who lives in Lincoln, Nebraska.  While meeting a potential client at a local hotel, Rae runs into Paul Saxon (John Gavin), a Marine on leave.  After Paul rescues her from the unwanted attentions of her potential client, the two of them go out for a drink.  Within a day, they are deeply in love with one another; however, Paul, who has a wife, is not free to pursue a future with Rae, and the two reluctantly part ways.  In an effort to heal her broken heart, Rae moves to New York City, where her career takes off, as she begins working with a big-name designer.

Several years later, Rae and Paul run into one another again, and although he pursues her relentlessly, Rae is unwilling to have an illicit affair with him.  In fact, she is so determined to avoid Paul that she travels to Italy with her boss.  As it turns out, though, Paul, who is owner of a chain of department stores, happens to be in Italy as well, and Rae's and his paths cross once again...and this time, Paul's wife, Liz, is with him, giving Rae an opportunity to see the life Paul has away from her.

Will Rae ultimately surrender her will and succumb to an illicit love affair with Paul?  Or will she continue to resist him?  And what of Paul's wife?  Does she love Paul?  Does she know of his love for another woman?  These are the questions that play out in this very soap opera-ish romantic drama.  (Warning:  The below video will answer those questions, so if you don't want to know those things before viewing this film, don't click on the video.)

Back Street is a definite tearjerker.  I think it's also a great "discussion piece," about when divorce is acceptable and when it's not.  Susan Hayward gives her usual fabulous performance.  Truly, for me, she is/was the second best actress there has ever been.  I haven't seen a film of hers in which her acting wasn't brilliant.  For me, she definitely made this film.  Vera Miles, as Paul's wife, was also brilliant in her performance.  And, John Gavin, was very good...very believable...and, oh, so handsome.  I definitely cared about and felt for his character.

This film, unfortunately, is not out on DVD (at least, not that I've discovered); however, it is on VHS, so if you have a working VCR (I don't), you could catch this movie that way.  Definitely, though, try to see it, as it is a very moving film...kind of the ultimate "chick flick" kind of movie.  I give it 4 stars, but it is more like 4.5...and very close to 5!

Happy viewing!!