The Awakened Heart's most overlooked character is that of the jerk who dumped a young and naive 19-year-old Sophie, 8 looooong years ago. In the great tradition of movies about men that are scum, I offer:
A Place in the Sun (1951)
 |
| 'When that RDD comes along, I'm going to have an awful time forgetting what you look like...' |
Montgomery Clift stars as George Eastman, a handsome and charming but basically aimless young man who goes to work in a factory run by a distant, wealthy relative. Feeling lonely one evening, he has a brief rendezvous with assembly-line worker Alice 'Al' Tripp, but he forgets all about her when he falls for dazzling socialite Angela Vickers. Alice can't forget about him, though: she is pregnant with his child.
Her mysterious death seems awfully convenient.
The thing that kills me about this movie is how sneaky it is. You just ache for George to shake himself off from that frowzy tart Alice and to have a happily ever after with a Elizabeth Taylor (Angela), beckoning with youth and dripping with money. (I'm rooting for the wrong thing!) I have to wonder if Angela will swear off men for the next decade or so...
Not Once but Twice: Our heroine is in love with the younger brother...or thinks she is - then ends up with the richer older brother. I'm on it:
Sabrina (1954)
 |
| I'll catch you in the third act. |
Betty Debbie says: 'I'm not sure which version to recommend - I obviously prefer Audrey Hepburn, I just wish she had Harrison Ford to end up with instead of Humphrey Bogart (Bogart + Kathrine Hepburn = cinema genius, Bogart + Audrey Hepburn = eww (your mileage may vary)). William Holden is mighty fine, but Greg Kinnear does a pretty credible job too. Go with the 1954 version - just imagine a different leading man.'
Betty Keira says: 'You all know I have a thing about Audrey Hepburn so my calculus would ax her and keep Bogart...'
It's the words, guys -- the 1954 version has the better screenplay! Oh, and clothes are better, too.
ReplyDeleteIn some ways I like Bogart because he is so unbelievable as a romantic lead. Why shouldn't guys like that have a chance to enjoy romance?
But my favorite Audrey Hepburn-is-way-too-young-for-this-guy romance is Love in the Afternoon. Wonderfully angsty last scene! *le sigh*
I love that movie. I love that she makes an anklet just to make Gary Cooper boil with jealousy!
ReplyDeleteI love Love in The Afternoon too. Audrey's outfits are divine, and the screenplay just sparkles! Double sigh... By the way, it's available on Netflix instant watch for those who have that service. :-)
ReplyDeleteI love both Sabrina movies, definitely agree that Bogart was miscast, but otherwise prefer the original.
Oh Gosh! A Place in the Sun. I remember being about 12 or 13 and sitting in our basement with the lights off so my mom wouldn't hear and watching this movie on Bill Kennedy's afternoon movie show. And feeling very guilty, thinking surely this was banned by the Legion of Decency. Wow, major memory flash.
ReplyDeleteAnd is this why I've never seen Love in the Afternoon? I looked it up. It's showing on TMC in March and May. Did you know they will email you to remind you the movie is coming up? Is that cool, or what?
Love in the Afternoon--eew, squeamish.
ReplyDeleteSabrina (1954)--saw as a kid, so never saw the Bogart thing coming, but was cheering for him anyway--thrilled when it worked out--adored it ever since
Sabrina (?)--hated whatshername; hoped they both dodged her
Julia Ormond, and I'd choose her for the role of Chrissy before Audrey. Julia is just okay and with out makeup she'd pass as plain. Audrey is gorgeous no matter what.
ReplyDeleteSo the 2nd movie fits this book better, the two guys are perfect, IMHO.