One for trivia buffs - what film did Alan Ladd and Raymond Chandler make together that wasn't The Blue Dahlia? This is an atypical entry on both men's CVs, being a "woman's picture" - specifically, a medical melodrama. This was popular during the 30s through to 60s, usually movies based on best sellers - Errol Flynn made one (Green Light), so did Robert Mitchum (Not as a Stranger) - and subsequently drifted towards TV where they still exist.
This has got some potentially strong dramatic situations - Loretta Young is rich, beautiful and deaf; Alan Ladd is the brilliant doctor whose immigrant father was fired by Young's father; Young's fiancee Barry Sullivan is having an affair with her sister Susan Hayward. But it doesn't really do anything with them - Young forgives Sullivan and Hayward very quickly; Ladd loves Young and she loves him and after a bit of awkwardness they get over it.
The film badly needed a real melodramatic kick - say for Ladd to really hate Young and Hayward's family and swear vengeance on them; or for Young to actually die; or for Hayward to try and kill Young (Hayward plays it that way); or for Hayward to pursue Ladd; or a mill uprising; or something. The punches feel continually pulled.
Young changes outfits a few times. It is interesting to see Ladd in an atypical role - he's not bad; very much a TV soapie style performance but he's got the looks and the voice (I wish he'd been allowed to be angrier). Young is her standard weapie self; Sullivan is alright but isn't given anything to do - Hayward looks as though she could be a terrific bitch if only allowed. Cecil Kellaway pops up as a kindly doctor.
It's also interesting to see if you can spot Raymond Chandler-isms in the script - if anyone can confirm what his contribution was I'd love to know.
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