This one had eluded me for so long, I could wait to finally get a chance to see it and was so disappointed. It was so dated and ridiculous really, I lost interest. I love 40's interiors and fashion,but I could never live during that time if this turned into the major societal storm that it did. Besides, having that big sissy George Brent courting her kept making me laugh.
shareThat's exactly what I thought, too! I don't get why George Brent was in so many big movies, he looked so dumb! with his little mustache, sucking on his pipe and staring off blankly into the distance. I read Bette Davis liked him because he functioned as, basically, wallpaper, while she tore up the scenery opposite his silent hulk.
shareThe corny factor is what makes it enjoyable. I'm not a big George Brent fan but he's no worse in this than he is in Dark Victory.
I put this up there with Now Voyager, Dark Victory, Mildred Pierce and the Great Lie.
"Now, Voyager!" and "Mildred Pierce" are film noir master pieces. You cannot compare them with an average drama like "My Reputation".
Joan Crawford received an Academy Award for her role as Mildred Pierce.
Stanwyck was awesome without a doubt in "Double Indemnity", but "My Reputation" is not in the same league.
I'm sorry, but Now Voyager is not film noir.
shareOf course you are right, "Now Voyager!" is a drama and not a film noir. I was not thinking when I posted that. Thanks!
shareWaldenpond,
But Mildred certainly was and why? The thing that makes noir is lighting. It's the shadows that the camera angles and lack of lighting creates. Robert Mitchum said noir was created because RKO was too cheap to provide proper lighting for these "B" movies. The light standards were taken off set and used somewhere else and they had to do the best they could. As they started looking at the rushes, the directors liked the look, it added to the atmosphere. All these movies were shot in black and white and playing with the lighting created another nuance for the director. The French immediately took it up, they loved it. That's why it got a French name.
Great explanation. Thank you very much!
I always believed film noir has to include a crime. But I was wondering if a mystery like "My Name is Julia Ross" (1945) is also considered a film noir, even though Nina Foch survives?
I'm not sure.
I enjoyed the lighting in "Reckless Moment" with James Mason and Joan Bennett. Wonderful movie, great director (Max Ophuels)and beautiful location. When Bennett gets rid of the body in the boat early in the morning that's very noirish to me...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041786/combined
It's on TCM once or twice a year and definitely worth watching.
The famous French movie "Les Diaboliques" (Simone Signoret) is a film noir for me and so is "Leave Her To Heaven" (Gene Tierney), even though it's in color.
This is one bad movie - the script is appalling, literally like 'nails across a chalk board'. If you value your time or money, avoid at all costs ... or, at the very least, turn the volume down. You've been warned.
shareAgree with many points made here. But as usual, Barbara Stanwyck pulls it together with the help of Eve Arden.
shareI am formerly known as HillieBoliday....Member since May 2006:
I found George Brent, virile, masculine, sexy, handsome, romantic. His deep, resonant baritone voice, his maturity as a man, and the way his presence takes command of the room exhilirating!
I've loved him in every movie he's made....with the exception of the "Spiral Staircase" and that's only because he played a murdering villain!
I think the roles protrayed were very believable and keeping in time with the morals and social standing of that era.
It was Barbara Streisand's (character) mother who got on my last nerve! Granted, the proper protocol was for a widow to officially and publically mourn the death of her husband for a year....I get that....but it seems like her mother wanted her to remain within the confines of a widow for the rest of her life.
Of course, her sons were too young to understand that some day they would be grown and gone from home with lives and families of their own.....and their mother would be left alone. They couldn't understand that the Major was going to be a blessing in all of their lives.....being a good man and companion who would love their mother.....and respect and care about her sons.
Within the context of the film, I often wonder if the Major ever made it back.....or did she suffer the loss of another great, once-in-a-lifetime love?
"OOhhhooo....I'M GON' TELL MAMA"!
Of course the 'Major made it back.' When he receives the telegram sending him overseas to Japan it included his assignment to Japan for "...occupation duty..." It is not obvious because it is not ever stated in the movie, except that one party guest refers to the Major as "a professional soldier," thus implying that the wartime volunteers and inductees are coming home, but the war is over. It is post VJ Day. They want the Major to serve on the occupation forces in occupied Japan.
Notice that he wears the badge of the Army Corps of Engineers. I know, civilians miss these things. He is not a 'line doggie.' He is no mere infantry soldier, he is a degree carrying engineer. He is among the army's best and brightest. So, unless his ship hits an iceberg or his airplane crashes, he will come home.
The best diplomat I know is a fully charged phaser bank.
I am formerly known as HillieBoliday......Member since May 2006:
I don't understand why you are calling George Brent a big sissy? If it's not too late....can you clarify this for me? Thanks!
"OOhhhooo....I'M GON' TELL MAMA"!
I don't know how you could possibly confuse the lovely Barbara Stanwyck with the ugly Barbra Streisand.:(
shareI am formerly known as HillieBoliday.....Member since May 2006.
LOL!! Please forgive that huge mistake! Charge it to my head and not my heart! Once I typed pass the St.....my brain got a little confused; and although I read it before I posted....to my brain Streisand was not a misspelled word, so it didn't register as wrong.
Call Ms. Streisand ugly..not me....you said that! LOL!
"OOhhhooo....I'M GON' TELL MAMA!"
Barbara and Bette had really strong screen presence, sometimes those low-key affable types like Brent seemed to work better with them.
shareI thought this was a stinking bore. Even by 1940s standards, she did nothing scandalous.
Worse, Stanwyck has nothing to do. Normally she is such a strong presence, even when playing the victim.
Not even Eve Arden has any of her fun lines. Lucille Watson's character is a dull turd!
Three of my favorite actresses wasted.
For many of us as viewers of classic films of all types;George Brent did very well as a handsome leading man in his early film career. Ms. Stanwyck was an accomplished actor all through her very long career which included her television lead in Big Valley. Her acting began before the Hays film code period went into effect and forward. As viewers we enjoy every minute of screen time we can watch such good films of the Golden Age of Hollywood.