1956 (This is how it is listed in the book; I think it is actually 1955)
Directed by Douglas Sirk
A wealthy woman is in love with her gardener. Society won't like it! Will love prevail?
Admittedly, these two aren't as sexy as say, other gardener/rich woman pairs:
But still, they are great actors. The performances would be better if the script had been better. As is, this being a melodrama, the love scenes are hammy and a bit hard to swallow.
However, it was still interesting to see a movie that showed suburbia as not some idyllic place but rather an environment filled with unhappy and bored people. Of course, this is a theme that will be done to death later but it wasn't exactly common back then.
So like I said, this is a soapy melodrama, which can be fun sometimes and ridiculous other times. This one was probably on the ridiculous side but still fun.
RATING: ***--
Jane Wyman is only eight years older than Rock Hudson.
I loved the scene where her children suggests that she gets a television. That should be able to fill her life. May I never be that mean to my parents...
ReplyDeleteIs it just me, is it just the benefit of knowing now what wasn't public at the time about Rock Hudson, or is this film a metaphor? I mean, the love that dare not speak its name wasn't that of a widow and a younger, lower-class man.
ReplyDeleteThere seem to be too many bits of hinting dialogue for it to be a coincidence. Like when Rock tries to explain why he doesn't find girls interesting, or when they both agree that he would prefer her to be a man.
All good jolly fun though, even if I couldn't feel the chemistry between them.