The story is melancholy and bittersweet, but it's so well done that this lengthy film flits by in no time. Marquand's superb novel of Boston's high society and the forlorn love affair of one of its leading citizens are memorably captured by director Vidor. Young is Pulham, the product of
a wealthy, stuffy Bostonian family, who thinks back 20 years on a successful but sedate career as he begins to pen his memoirs. The one exciting period of an otherwise dull existence is the time Young has spent in New York where, in the 1920s, he fell in love with the beautiful Lamarr, a
copywriter. A country girl from Iowa, she has no use for his high-society background, but is attracted to him just the same. Coburn, who is a standout as Young's caste-conscious father, declines to give his blessing to a marriage between his illustrious son and a common girl. The Young-Lamarr
affair ends with the flame still burning, and Young goes on to wed Hussey, who is family approved. Twenty years later, Lamarr, who said she would go on waiting for Young, calls him and the two begin their affair all over again. But they realize that they can't turn back the clock. Young returns to
the waiting arms of the understanding Hussey while Lamarr goes her separate way.
Young is very good as the wealthy Bostonian, and Lamarr is perfect as the liberated lady, despite her Viennese accent. Heflin and Erickson overreach their roles, but Hussey is solid as the wife who waits for her husband's illusions to fade. Lamarr got her part in this film quite by accident. She
was attending a dinner and happened to be seated next to Vidor, who began talking about the film he was planning and described the female lead. One thing led to another and Lamarr was offered the part. Lamarr later called this the favorite film of her career. You'll have to look fast to see her,
but this was Ava Gardner's film debut. leave a comment
