Here's a doozy - another 1940s dream factory product - see SINCE YOU WENT AWAY below - and also featuring Guy Madison, here in the lead (as opposed to the minute or two of his debut as the marine in SINCE YOU WENT AWAY in 1944). This one, by Edward Dmytryk, is another about soldiers returning from the war and settling into civilian life, but is a lighter version of THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, also 1946
Three former marines have a hard time readjusting to
civilian life. Perry can't deal with the loss of the use of his legs. William
is in trouble with bad debts. And Cliff can't decide what he wants to do with
his life, although he gets encouragement from war widow Pat Ruscomb.
Here we have Guy, Robert Mitchum and Bill Williams (sans legs). I like that perfectly Californian Spanish style home Guy returns to, showing that comfy Forties California middle-class milieu - dig those automobilies!- and the film focuses on him a lot - we see him in bed quite a bit, he jitterbugs with the girl next door, and tries to help his buddies, though his parents get annoyed at his lack of direction and choosing a career to settle in, but hey, he's a young hunky ex-marine.
Dorothy McGuire is ideal (apart from smoking a lot) as the war widow he falls for. She was later the perfect wife and mother in FRIENDLY PERSUASION, SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON, THE DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, A SUMMER PLACE, SUSAN SLADE etc). Mitch doesn't have much to do here. More Guy at label.
As a 2003 review on IMDB put it: I would make the case that Guy Madison may be the best-looking young man to ever star in a feature film, and this is his best one. There are moments where his totally unselfconscious looks are just jaw-dropping. His acting, on the other hand, can be described charitably as "natural"; but I wasn't expecting Lawrence Olivier. Guy was an early find of legendaryHollywood agent Henry Willson, who
would later "discover" a tall young man whom he renamed Rock Hudson.
As a 2003 review on IMDB put it: I would make the case that Guy Madison may be the best-looking young man to ever star in a feature film, and this is his best one. There are moments where his totally unselfconscious looks are just jaw-dropping. His acting, on the other hand, can be described charitably as "natural"; but I wasn't expecting Lawrence Olivier. Guy was an early find of legendary
I recorded this so I will give it a look one of these days.
ReplyDeleteHi Mike. I really enjoyed this one. I felt it could have focused even more on the various difficulties faced by the returning soldiers though. The scene in the bar with the shaking soldier really moved me.
ReplyDeleteI also felt sorry for Guy's character, when he keeps trying to talk about his experiences and his mum keeps cutting him off. Maybe she is afraid to have that conversation but she can't see how badly he needs to tell some of the things he experiences. Maddy
Thanks Maddy, interesting that it came out the same year as Wyler's more epic THE BEST DAYS OF OUR LIVES.
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