John Garfield lends some Hollywood glamour to his adaptation of Sidney Howard’s play, which was recorded in San Francisco, not far from where it was set. The story of an elderly vineyard owner who attracts a mail order bride using a photo of his more handsome, younger worker has been much copied over the years (eg Love’s Brother) – but then I guess Howard was copying Cyrano de Bergerac. The deception is soon unravelled, at the end of Act One. Act Two has the old guy have a convenient accident, meaning the young guy and girl fall in love - well, lead up to them having sex. Act Three is a pregnancy and fall out. I wasn't sure exactly how it ended, who she went off as. For all that, a decent melodrama.
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