Critics had a blast in the 1940's and 50's blasting the films and acting of Vera Hruba Ralston, the Mary Pickford and Norma Shearer of Republic pictures, minus Oscar worthy material. She's the supposedly shady lady here, in trial for the murder of a man she key during the war, minus the truth of his marital status. By chance, she ends up being defended by his legal wife (Ruth Hussey) who learns surprising truths about the man she loved as the facts unfold. It's nasty, media obsessed trial is more scandalous than any case she's tried, and it's possible that the outcome may end up being heartbreaking for both ladies.
Within the meat of the trial story cones the soap opera, exposing the late husband (John Carroll) for all sorts of unethical goings on. Hussey has her hands full, not only for the barrage of convoluted testimony she gets but the tough rebuttal by determined Gene Lockhart. Flashbacks to Hussey finding out how dishonorable her husband was before he left for France on active duty, how Carroll and Ralston met and became involved, how Carroll dumped Ralston to return to his wife, and the final curtain in Carroll's life leads to a convoluted melodrama that requires a map to route it all out.
As an actress, Ms. Ralston follows directions very well, but is simply just bland and uncinematic. Compared to Hussey, she's a blank slate. What stands in the way of this being memorable for Hussey's performance is the unbelievably confusing script. As far as women's pictures go, this is weepy simply because you're fighting to restrain yourself from falling asleep and get more frustrated by the absurdity. Benay Venuta, Adele Mara, John Howard and especially Gene Lockhart deliver excellent performances that along with Hussey's barely escape Ralston's ineffectiveness and the shallowness of the script.
Within the meat of the trial story cones the soap opera, exposing the late husband (John Carroll) for all sorts of unethical goings on. Hussey has her hands full, not only for the barrage of convoluted testimony she gets but the tough rebuttal by determined Gene Lockhart. Flashbacks to Hussey finding out how dishonorable her husband was before he left for France on active duty, how Carroll and Ralston met and became involved, how Carroll dumped Ralston to return to his wife, and the final curtain in Carroll's life leads to a convoluted melodrama that requires a map to route it all out.
As an actress, Ms. Ralston follows directions very well, but is simply just bland and uncinematic. Compared to Hussey, she's a blank slate. What stands in the way of this being memorable for Hussey's performance is the unbelievably confusing script. As far as women's pictures go, this is weepy simply because you're fighting to restrain yourself from falling asleep and get more frustrated by the absurdity. Benay Venuta, Adele Mara, John Howard and especially Gene Lockhart deliver excellent performances that along with Hussey's barely escape Ralston's ineffectiveness and the shallowness of the script.