Producer David O. Selznick chose wisely, if not well, introducing Ingrid Bergman, his new, imported-from-Sweden star, remaking one of her slightest vehicles, a wan love affair between a 40-something concert violinist and his lovely young piano accompanist. WISELY because Bergman came across so fresh, lovely & natural looking, audiences immediately fell for her.* (And seemed not to mind – or notice? -- she’s playing home-wrecker.) NOT TOO WELL because Bergman’s recent A WOMAN’S FACE/’38, far stronger fare, was also remade, but by Joan Crawford.*) Leslie Howard’s the violinist, strapped in literally so other hands can work the bow & finger the strings in close-up (the bow hand noticeably not his) and figuratively strapped to wife Edna Best when his daughter’s talented piano teacher replaces his old accompanist (John Halliday in a rare sympathetic role). Naturally these two end up making beautiful music together . . . for a while. Selznick never did figure out the structural gaffe of having Bergman leave the screen in a truncated third act, but knew enough to cut the Swedish film’s running time by nearly two reels. (Subtract music and the film runs well under an hour.) Usually a heavily-accented supporting player, Gregory Ratoff is no more than functional directing Bergman’s first two Hollywood films (ADAM HAD FOUR SONS came next (https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2009/05/adam-had-four-sons-1941.html ), but it hardly mattered. Audiences flocked, and when CASABLANCA came round in ‘42, the whole world were goners.
DOUBLE-BILL/LINK: Both versions of A WOMAN’S FACE linked here. https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2023/01/en-kvinnas-ansikte-womans-face-1938.html
ATTENTION MUST BE PAID/LINK: *Attention was paid once Hollywood saw Bergman’s make-up free screen test. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzrvzGtPSjo
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