Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Radio review – TGA#54 – “The Old Maid” (1946) ***

Surely David Williamson had seen this before he wrote Birthrights – a woman watches another raise her illegitimate child. The film version famously starred Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins; this radio version features the two leads from the stage production, Australia’s Judith Anderson and Helen Menken. One has an illegitimate child, gives it up, sees it raised by her cousin, who then goes on to marry a rich man and adopt her daughter. The daughter turns into something of a brat; real mum tries to interfere and gets struck down. The daughter doesn’t find out who her real mother is at the end, but she does promise to be nicer to her. Enjoyable old school melodrama, full of suffering and sacrifice.

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