Sharkflei Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

Rio Hayward All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Raymond Sierra The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Cristal The movie really just wants to entertain people.

DKosty123 Actually this A Film from MGM is definitely first class all the way. With King Vidor's excellent direction and a very solid story line, this one still plays well today. It is told via flashback and even though it goes back and forth more than once (about 3 times), Vidor makes it quite easy to follow. Hedy Lamarr is excellent as the girl named Marvin Myles. Robert Young is near the top of his acting here too as Harry Pulham, the lucky man who is born into money but chooses to get a job after he gets out of college away from home in New York City selling advertising. It is there he meets and falls for Marvin, a co-worker who becomes smitten with and she becomes smitten with him. Young is very lucky here as back home Ruth Hussey (Kay Motford) is daddy's & Mommy's choice (Charles Coburn & Fay Holden) for him to marry. While he is working, his love with Myles gets so intense that Harry takes her home to meet his parents.Everything would be great at this point as Harry decides he wants to marry Marvin, but she turns him down and they go their own ways, though the story telling is done slowly and carefully. There are childhood scenes and a full filling in of the back story of everyone except Marvin who is the invader here.This film has a solid back up cast headed by Van Heflin and Bonita Granville as Mary Pulham, Harry's younger sister. As an MGM A feature it runs longer than 2 hours. The ending, though predictable is a happy one. Hussey (Mrs. Pulham) after 20 years of marriage nearly drives Harry back into Marvins arms (though he husband who looks like Harry is never seen) is notably absent. This is on purpose as this is the story of a long married middle aged man being found again by his long lost love.Robert Young is a lucky man as he plays a role that has all the best here from money to 2 women who love him. I think anyone can envy him though I would have hated missing Hedy, though Hussey is an excellent consolation prize.

vincentlynch-moonoi I will say the same here that I have said every time I have ever watched a movie with Hedy Lamarr -- I just don't get it. Yes, I know, she was quite beautiful. But as an actress...well, frankly, I'd rather watch Marjorie Main! Her choice as one of the female leads here is one of the two things wrong with this movie, although she is adequate.The second relates to the college scenes. What a bunch of buffoons! Were they supposed to all be buffoons? Didn't college guys have any sophistication back then at all? Was there no substance at all? Now, beyond those two points, this is a decent movie, although I'm surprised that here it has a rating of above 7. Robert Young (Pulham) is a typical Bostonian businessman, who lives a very ordered life. His wife (Ruth Hussey) also lives a very ordered life. As one source related it -- passionless. Young is handed the job of organizing a college reunion, which leads to flashbacks of his earlier life. After WWI, he joins a New York City advertising agency, where he falls in love coworker Marvin Miles (Hedy Lamarr, and yes, the name Marvin is correct). Some of the scenes with the father (Charles Coburn) are quite touching, and I think rather realistic. Over time it becomes clear that Young is staid and Lamarr is flamboyant. Not a match. So, Young marries a woman from his own social set (Ruth Hussey). Then, Lamarr and Young have a chance at a personal reunion. Both are married, but will they run away together? That is the question.As much as many of us loved Robert Young in his television roles, many of his screen roles were less impressive (though there were a few notable exceptions, this being one, another being "Enchanted Cottage"). Another of our reviewers wrote that Young was too bland for his role here. Actually, no, a bit of blandness is just what this role was really about. Young does very well here.Ruth Hussey, perhaps a bit of an underrated actress does nicely here. As does Charles Coburn, Van Heflin (as an old college friend), and Fay Holden (as the mother).It's a good, though not great film. There are times the music seems a little out of place, and times when director King Vidor seemed to almost try to make this a comedy, which it is not. But, despite a few faults, it gets the job done and is worth watching...though it probably hasn't found a place on many DVD shelves.

jdcsr123 This movie is very thought provoking about how life is or how it could have been. It helped me appreciate life, the good and the bad, most of everyday life is actually quite good especially when we don't dwell on the could haves. It was very nostalgic for me. I especially liked the spontaneity as thats something we like to do as a couple, but we don't see a lot of it these days. The idea of taking a chance was a little scary for me. The romance was soft and touching, very clean. It actually gave me some ideas on how to be more romantic. It was a kick seeing Van Heflin so young and skinny. The movie really was a fantasy, but so close to the truth that it just grabbed me. Being older, the film quality was worn, some of the pan scenes were distorted. That Robert Young smile is contagious, thats how I'll remember this movie in my mind's eye.

nammage I watched this movie on TCM for one reason only, it was made in 1941 and from the few movies I've seen from that year, I feel, that's a good year in movies. And this movie didn't degrade that premise from my mind.Robert Young's character H.M. Pulham, mainly in the flashback era of the film, I felt was sort of a laidback William Powell. I felt, and not just because he was the main character of the film, but, I felt, without Robert Young as H.M. Pulham, this movie would have been less. He gave the character a conservative attitude about things with a slight pinch of the opposite.The film did venture on for awhile, but, in a way, I felt it sort of added to it a bit. I was thinking just of that, near the end of the film, and I believe if the Director: King Vidor, edited down the movie, it would have actually made it less of what it was.The 2 hours was sufficient for the story.I found this movie to be flirtacious, but, not in the since of sex, though that would apply to this movie, but, more of the attitude of the meaning behind the word. I also found it to be coy in a way.I found Hedy Lamarr's character Marvin Ransome to be straightforward yet cautious as well.It was -- well, I can't say it was sad, though it was, but, I also can't say it was happy either.It sort of rests in between.There are 3 stories I feel in this movie, but most probably only see the one. This is a movie worth watching more than once, and I recommend it to anyone.But, realize, it's an acquired taste.I do like this version, I do not know if they have made another version, doubtful, but, you never know. And I feel, if a version of this was made today and keeping the same vigor and attitude of this version, I feel it would bode well. Though, I am sure, in this case, it would also be an acquired taste, too.I give this an 8/10 and I am sure at the time, it was quite a controversial film that as well broke laws from the 'attitude' I state above, of the film.:)