Awkward young Catherine is headed for the life of a spinster if her father can’t marry her off to a decent suitor. However, for her, suitors are hard to come by since she’s without beauty and social graces. When a handsome young hero charms his way into Catherine’s life, her father disapproves of her decision to accept his proposal.
The main question was whether the handsome suitor was attracted to Catherine or to her money. Montgomery Clift acted so well I had a hard time staying on one side of the fence. I rooted for him, and I jeered at him. Clift had been in two previous successful films. With this third film, he became an established star.
The ending was not what I’d expected. And the hero didn’t do what I’d expected. I laughed and quickly rewrote the ending in my mind as soon as it was over.
Olivia de Havilland drew sympathy as hopeful, but confused Catherine. This role was quite different from her sweet Melanie Hamilton in Gone With the Wind ten years earlier. Her range of emotion had me wondering what she’d do next. Her hard work earned her a Golden Globe and the Best Actress award from the New York Film Critics Circle Awards. She also won an Oscar for her work in this film.
William Wyler saw the stage production of this story at the request of Olivia de Haviland and agreed to direct the movie. Among his film successes were Jezebel (1938), Mrs. Miniver (1942), and Roman Holiday (1953).
This movie was set in the 1840’s in Washington Square. Last Saturday, I reviewed I AM LEGEND, starring Will Smith, which was also set in Washington Square.
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