The Constant Nymph(1943).

The Constant Nymph(1943). A romantic drama. Cast Charles Boyer, Joan Fontaine, Alexis Smith, Brenda Marshall, Charles Coburn, May Whitty, and Peter Lorre. It was adapted by Kathryn Scola from the Margaret Kennedy novel and play by Kennedy and Basil Dean, and directed by Edmund Goulding.

After, composer Lewis Dodd's latest symphony does not go over very well in London, he goes to visit an old friend musician, Albert Sanger. One of Sanger's four daughters Tessa,  falls in love with Lewis and dreams of helping him follow his dream as a composer.

The very ill Sanger has kept his daughters away from society and now worries about what is to become of them. He asks Lewis to inform the girls wealthy uncle, Charles Creighton, if he dies. When the girls play a  song that Lewis wrote for them, Sanger tells Lewis that, the beautiful melody is better than his more intellectual work.

Some time later, Sanger dies. Lewis sends for Creighton, who arrives with his beautiful daughter Florence and Kate travels to Milan to study music and Toni marries wealthy Fritz Bercovy. Lewis and Florence fall in love and when they announce their engagement, the frail heartbroken Tessa faints after hearing the news. Creighton arranges for Tessa and Paula to attend school in England and Lewis and Florence marry.

Six months later, Lewis is frustrated by Florence trying to take over his career and the couple quarrel constantly. When Tessa and Paula run away from their school, Lewis leaves to look for them, not attending the party that Florence has planned to introduce him to her friends. Lewis, later finds them home waiting for him. Paula leaves to join Fritz and Toni, who is pregnant and Tessa stays with Florence and Lewis. When Tessa hears Lewis' latest composition, based on the song that he wrote for her and her sisters, she believes it is not his best work.

Later, Tessa encourages Lewis to put sentiment back into his music and with Tessa's help, Lewis changes his composition. Florence,  now knows that Tessa is her rival and  tries to get rid of her. The night of the first performance, Lewis realizes that he is in love with Tessa and asks her to go away with him, but Tessa refuses because he is married to her cousin. The excitement of Lewis' proposal and the premiere of his composition causes Tessa to have another fainting spell, and Florence insists that Tessa stay home, rather than attend the concert. Will Lewis' concert go well and will Florence decide to let him go?

Fun Fact: Alfred Hitchcock was considered for directing this film. Hitchcock's wife Alma Reville was one of the writers of The Constant Nymph 1928 version.


 

 A very romantic film, with beautiful music by Erich Korngold. Alexis Smith as the unloved wife gives a perfect performance, as does Joan Fontaine and Charles Boyer. The supporting actors are also very good, including Charles Coburn, Peter Lorre, Brenda Marshall, Dame May Witty, and Jean Muir. You will need plenty of Kleenex for the very touching ending.

Brenda Marshall (September 29, 1915 – July 30, 1992) Marshall made her first film appearance in the 1939 Espionage Agent. The following year, she played the leading lady to Errol Flynn in The Sea Hawk. After divorcing actor Richard Gaines in 1940, she married the actor William Holden in 1941 and her own career quickly slowed. She starred opposite James Cagney in the 1942 film Captains of the Clouds. The Constant Nymph (1943) was a popular success but she virtually retired after this, appearing in only four more inconsequential films. Among these, she played scientist Nora Goodrich in the grade-B 1946 cult classic Strange Impersonation.

Born to Be Bad(1950).

Born to Be Bad(1950). Melodrama directed by Nicholas Ray. Cast: Joan Fontaine and Robert Ryan. It is based on the novel.. All Kneeling, by Anne Parrish.

On the same day that Donna Foster, is planning on hosting a party for artist, Gabriel, her boss John Caine's niece, Christabel, arrives to attend the local college.

 

When Christabel first meets Donna's fiance, wealthy Curtis Carey, she immediately begins making plans to take him away from Donna. Nick Bradley, a friend of Donna's becomes very attracted to Christabel. Even though.. Nick sees her has very opportunistic.

Later, when Christabel, is having her portrait painted by Gobby, Curtis calls, asking her to meet him at a jewelry store. After breaking her date with Nick, Christabel, is disappointed to find out that he only wants her to help him buy an engagement present for Donna. Christabel, tries to talk Curtis into giving Donna a cameo, but.. Curtis chooses a beautiful sapphire necklace instead. Donna, loves the necklace until Christabel says " that she is very surprised that she would want such a expensive gift". Donna, later tells Nick "that she is worried that Curtis may think she is marrying him only for his money".

Later, at Gobby's art opening, Curtis shares with Christabel his fears that Donna is a gold digger. Christabel, then suggests that Curtis have a pre-nuptial agreement with Donna written up. When Curtis mentions Christabel's idea to Donna, she is deeply hurt.

Later that night, after Curtis buys Christabel's portrait, Donna informs Chistable that she broke off her engagement with him. Seeing her opportunity, Christabel asks her uncle to please allow her to stay in San Francisco, just to attend the charity ball.

At the ball, Christabel sets her sights on Curtis, who is also attracted to her. When Christabel tells Nick, that she is marrying Curtis, he tells her that she will never be happy married to him. After Christabel and Curtis marry, Christabel throws herself into charitable committees and planning balls. Christabel, comes up with a plan to have Clara, who has been living with her since her marriage, shipped back to Santa Flora, because she is worried that she will have too much influence on Curtis.

Christabel's, social plans causes Curtis to question her love for him and worries that she is still in love with Nick and suggests that they go for a weekend get away. Christabel, slips away from the resort, leaving a note claiming that Clara, needs her back in Santa Flora. Christabel meets secretly with Nick, to rekindle their romance. Nick, soon realizes that Christabel only wants to have an affair with him and turns her down. When Christabel returns home, she finds out that Clara died earlier that afternoon. Curtis, now knowing that Christabel is only using him for his money, insists that she leave with only her furs.

She is not down for long.. Christabel, has a car accident and ends up in a hospital. She soon becomes involved in a love affair with her surgeon, whose wife sues her for alienation of affection. Later, after Curtis and Donna reunite, Christabel sees a lawyer about the lawsuit which turns into another scandal.

I thought it was a wonderful film, with perfect casting, stylish sets and costumes. One scene that really surprised me is when, Fontaine returns home after her love scene with Robert Ryan and takes a bath just before husband Zachary Scott returns home. Whew!! A must see film for all Fontaine and Robert Ryan fans.

Joan Leslie, a talented young actress soon signed a contract with Warner Bros. In 1941, Leslie got her first major role in the thriller High Sierra with Humphrey Bogart, playing a crippled girl under her new billing as "Joan Leslie". She also starred in Sergeant York and The Wagons Roll at Night in that same year. Later in 1942 she appeared as James Cagney's wife in Yankee Doodle Dandy, and at the age of 18 in 1943, she starred in The Sky's the Limit with Fred Astaire. In 1946 exhibitors voted her the most promising "star of tomorrow". She starred in many more movies until 1950, when she married Dr. William Caldwell. Her last movie role was in The Revolt of Mamie Stover in 1956, and she eventually retired from acting altogether to look after her identical twin daughters Patrice and Ellen. She has appeared in several television commercials since then, and also made guest appearances in the TV shows Murder, She Wrote and Charlie's Angels. She also provided commentary as extras on the Yankee Doodle Dandy, Sergeant York, and High Sierra DVDs. Joan was a regular volunteer at the Hollywood Canteen where she danced with the servicemen and granted hundreds of autographs. In 1944, she starred with Robert Hutton in the Warner Bros. film, Hollywood Canteen.