It's 1909. Mary Archer (Barbara Stanwyck) nervously awaits the return of her cousin (and possible fiance) Jeff (Ralph Bellamy) from Germany. But Jeff's return changes both of their lives when Mary meets his friend, Hugo Wilbrandt (Otto Kruger). Hugo and Mary fall deeply in love, marry, and begin a family, consisting of their dachshund Cammie and their son Teddy (Ronnie Cosby). Hugo begins a successful career as a professor in Rossmore College, and becomes an American citizen. Their lives seemed blessed, until World War I erupts. From that point on, Hugo and Mary are shunned as the enemy, and their happy existence becomes a series of tragedies.
Ever in My Heart (1933), a pre-code film, is almost relentlessly sad; there are parts of the film that are almost too much to bear. Since it begins as an almost lighthearted romance, the ultimate spiral downward makes for an even more intense viewer experience. Released by Warner Brothers studio, which also gave us such socially relevant films as I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932, which looked at the American criminal justice system) and Heroes for Sale (1933, which dealt with the problems faced by World War I veterans); this film too is attempting to highlight injustice within the United States. The film, however, came out as Germany was electing a Nazi government, and beginning their persecution of the Jewish population (Victoria Wilson's A Life of Barbara Stanwyck: Steel-True, 1907-1940). As a result, it probably was not perhaps seen in the light which screenwriter
Bertram Millhauser had intended.
Barbara Stanwyck was not fond of this picture (TCM article)
or any of her films at Warner Brothers; she called them "a series of
parts that were much alike - women who were suffering and poor, and
living amid sloppy surroundings." That may be true, but she is dynamic
as a woman who watches her life crash in ruins about her. We have no
doubt of her sincerity when Mary refuses to leave her husband, despite their reduced
circumstances. When neighbors, who had been their friends begin to
reject them because of her husband's nationality, Stanwyck gives Mary a
quiet but determined dignity.
We were enchanted by Ronnie Cosby in the role of young Teddy. He is just delighful in the role of the affectionate child whose life becomes a tragedy. Mr. Cosby's career began with a small role in 1929's Madame X. He worked steadily through 1939, appearing in films such as Broadway Through a Keyhole (1933), Little Men (1934), and the 1937 remake of Madame X. His last appearance was in 1941's Birth of the Blues. He died in 2010, at the age of 82.
Ralph Bellamy is also excellent as Jeff, Mary's first
cousin and original intended. Jeff is carefully set up as a contrast to
Mary's brother, Sam (played with a certain amount of petulance and
jealousy by Frank Albertson). When Sam revolts against his
brother-in-law merely because he was born in Germany, it is Jeff who
tries to soothe the family. Though Jeff describes himself as
passionless, is always a true friend to both Mary and to his rival,
Otto. When Mary's family ignore her, it is Jeff who ultimately
convinces Grandma Archer (Laura Hope Crews) to take in the starving
couple. That Jeff is also a member of the very biased family is
sometimes hard to remember - he is much more like the very open-minded
Mary than the rest of the Archers. We understand why Mary at one point
was considering a marriage with Jeff.
As is often the case, Ms. Stanwyck and Mr. Kruger were not the first choices for the Wilbrandts. Kay Francis and Paul Muni were originally considered (AFI Catalog). Not surprisingly, The New York Times reviewer was not enamored of the film, calling it "meaningless to this new generation" because it was not "news any more that the war propaganda which dramatized the Germans as baby murderers and wife beaters was prejudiced."
This comment by the Times in 1933 is quite ironic, given that Ever in My Heart is much more timely today than any of us might like to admit. Just days before we viewed the film, I heard this report from NPR story
concerning US residents, most of the Muslims, who are fleeing to Canada
- and to arrest - rather than staying the in U.S. This film is
testimony to the fact that these are not new prejudices, and that
despite this film's pleas for tolerance and understanding, history
keeps repeating itself, with the imprisonment of Japanese Americans during World War II, and today with a political agenda aimed at a particular religious group.
As
we publish this article, the news of Robert Osborne's death has just
been announced. It's with a heavy heart that we add our voices to those
that mourn this kind, wonderful and intelligent man. I had the privilege of meeting
him at a reception several years ago; he was gracious and welcoming.
But more than this, I will miss my nightly visit with him on television,
where he answered my need for more information, and provided a context and an appreciation for the films that I've always loved. I have
learned at the feet of a master; he will be greatly missed.
We will leave you with this trailer and with a reminder that no one in the United States should be forced to state that "they let me be a citizen, but they won't let me be an American."
Vacations are over, and the Movie Night Group has reassembled for another Kay Francis movie. This time, we chose another film version of a novel: Little Men (1940), loosely based on the Louisa May Alcott book, which followed the life of Jo March Bhaer (Kay Francis) after the events of Little Women. And I do mean loosely. The novel was a somewhat episodic look at six months in the lives of the staff and students of the Plumfield School, which is run by Jo and her husband (Charles Esmond). The school has both male and female students, some of whom are relatives (Jo's sons, and sister Meg's daughter), as well as other boarding children. And that is pretty much where any similarity to the novel ends. Because this film (unlike the 1934 version which was much closer to the book) really is about the lives of Major Burdle (George Bancroft) - a medicine show salesman and con artist, his adopted son Dan (Jimmy Lydon), and Burdle's colleague - petty thief Willie the Fox (Jack Oakie).
While Kay Francis' Jo is really a great effort on her part, she's about the only one in the film that is attractive. Professor Bhaer is a complete moron. The film wants us to believe he is an innocent, but he is, in fact, a complete doofus. Imagine giving your life savings to a complete stranger because you like his face! And this, when Professor Bhaer is already in debt because he is unable to approach the parents of the boarding students to collect the monies owed to him and his wife. Because of Bhaer's stupidity, his home and his school are endangered (in the book, Jo and Bhaer own Plumfield outright - it was left to Jo by Aunt March). Charles Esmond tries to make Bhaer appealing, but he doesn't have a whole lot to work with. Bhaer is beyond naive, and it is very difficult to get past his disregard for the safety of his family and students.
I suspect none of us would claim to be fans of Jack Oakie, but he is truly out-of-place in this story. His "comic relief" is not really funny, and his inclusion in the plot doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Without giving away the ending, his position as a deus-ex-machina is really silly. Our other lead, played by George Bancroft, is a con man and thief. The only appealing aspect of his character is his love for his adopted son. What Bancroft brings to the role is an obvious affection for the young man, and a desire that Dan have a better life than what Major Burdle can provide for him.
We are so used to seeing Kay Francis in prestige pictures that this RKO film seems like a very low budget film. Francis, who was highly paid in the 1930s, was beginning to feel Warner Brothers disinterest in her, as the groomed younger (and lower paid) actresses like Bette Davis to replace her. This TCM article
goes into more detail about the persecution Francis faced: the studio even loaded her scripts with "r" words,
so her lisp was emphasized. Despite that, her Jo is a good, strong character. It's obvious though, that she is not the star - as you can see by the ad below, even a cow gets the same billing as Ms. Francis.
We'll be back next week with a 1940s mystery film.
