Young Widow * (1946, Jane Russell, Louis Hayward, Faith Domergue, Marie Wilson, Kent Taylor) – Classic Movie Review 12,187

Director Edwin L Marin’s tepid 1946 drama film Young Widow is Jane Russell’s debut, and also stars Louis Hayward, Faith Domergue, Marie Wilson, Kent Taylor, Penny Singleton, Connie Gilchrist, Cora Witherspoon, Norman Lloyd, Steve Brodie and Jessie Arnold.

This passionless romantic drama is the very first cinema glimpse of Jane Russell (since her 1943 debut The Outlaw didn’t receive a proper general release until 1948). She plays Joan Kenwood, a young journalist war widow trying to forget her dead husband, an Air Corps photographer killed on an air mission, whose place Lieutenant Jim Cameron (Louis Hayward) wants to take. She can’t get over her husband’s death in World War Two and is reminded of him in all her assignments.

Unfortunately, there is just too much chat, there are too many tears, there is too slow a pace, and, sadly, the appealing, lovely young Jane is miscast. The nice, strong cast is the film’s good news, along with its good intentions.

The screenplay by Richard Macaulay, Margaret Buell Wilder, André de Toth and Ruth Nordli is taken from Clarissa Fairchild Cushman’s novel.

Also in the cast are Richard Bailey, Walter Baldwin, Harry Barris, Louise Beavers, Steve Brodie, James Burke, Betty Caldwell, Jimmie Dodd, James Flavin, Peter Garey, Robert Holton, George Lloyd, Lloyd Meader, Gerald Mohr, Bill Moss, Bill ‘Red’ Murphy, William Newell, Larry Steers, and Dick Wessel.

The film went over budget by $600,000, took only $1.5 million and was a box office failure.

Original director William Dieterle left after filming began. André de Toth took over but left reportedly because of bacterial tonsillitis and was replaced in by Edwin L Marin.

The Young Widow is directed by Edwin L Marin, runs 100 minutes, is made by Hunt Stromberg Productions, is released by United Artists, is written by Richard Macaulay, Margaret Buell Wilder, André de Toth and Ruth Nordli, taken from Clarissa Fairchild Cushman’s novel, is shot in black and white by Lee Garmes, is produced by Hunt Stromberg, is scored by Carmen Dragon, and is designed by Nicolai Remisoff.

The cast are Jane Russell as Joan Kenwood, Louis Hayward as Lieutenant Jim Cameron, Faith Domergue as Gerry Taylor, Marie Wilson as ‘Mac’ McCallister, Kent Taylor as Peter Waring, Penny Singleton as Peg Martin, Connie Gilchrist as Aunt Cissie, Cora Witherspoon as Aunt Emeline, Norman Lloyd as Sammy Jackson, Steve Brodie as Willie Murphy, Jessie Arnold, Richard Bailey as Bill Martin, Robert Holton as Bob Johnson, Peter Garey as Navy Lieutenant Smith, Bill Moss [William Moss] as Marine Lieutenant Pearson, William Murphy [Bill ‘Red’ Murphy] as Army Lieutenant Hope, Walter Baldwin, Harry Barris, Louise Beavers, James Burke, Betty Caldwell, Jimmie Dodd, James Flavin, Peter Garey, George Lloyd, Lloyd Meader, Gerald Mohr, William Newell, Larry Steers, and Dick Wessel.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,187

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