My Reputation (B+ or 3/4 stars)
As 'My Reputation' (directed by Curtis Bernhardt) opens, Jessica Drummond (Barbara Stanwyck) is reeling from the untimely death of her beloved husband. With her 2 young sons away at a Chicago boarding school & her imperious, overbearing mother (Lucile Watson, love her) always dictating how she should properly mourn, the repressed Jessica is nearly at her wit's end; as evidenced in a freak-out, hysterical sessions she has with her good friend (the always reliable Even Arden). So yes, Jessica is a wreck. But all that starts to change when she decides to go on a skiing holiday with friends. Why? Because she meets the dashing Major Landis (George Brent, Bette Davis' longtime beau); who may have to depart for WWII duties at any time.
And so, Jessica & Major Landis spend more & more time together. All seems swell. But Jessica had formerly been a part of a group of gossipy well-to-do housewives and, once they got wind of Jessica's new man ... disapproving tongues start wagging. In no time, ugly rumors about the couple start circulating at a holiday party; even reaching the innocent ears of Jessica's impressionable sons. Suddenly, Jessica finds herself torn btwn. the demands of society, the innocence of her sons, & the urgings of her heart. Melodrama ensues.
'My Reputation' is one of those sophisticated family melodramas from the early 1940s, but it never attained much acclaim because - for one reason or another - it was filmed in 1943 and shelved for nearly 3 years for a quiet, here-it-is-there-it-went 1946 release. Even though this film is not as highly regarded as some of Barbara Stanwyck's other classics (such as her typical femme fatale turn in Double Indemnity), I was highly impressed with her performance, here {apparently, the actress also felt this was one of her better dramatic efforts}. Stanwyck is at her most vulnerable as Jessica Drummond, a guilt-ridden young widow who maintains her responsibilities as a mother, but tries to juggle that with finding true love once again.
An example of Stanwyck's superb performance is evidenced early in the film during a scene in which she reads a letter that her late husband had written with the knowledge that it would be read after his death -- she's just devastated & devastating in this stretch. That vulnerability/sadness resurfaces near the end of the film when she tries to explain to her sons the nature of her love for Maj. Landis and, again, she's devastating. For much of that scene she is filmed in shadow as she speaks, & her iconic voice alone carries the emotion of the moment -- it's just brilliant.
And yet, for all that vulnerability, there's a sequence sandwiched in-btwn. those scenes when she goes to a holiday party to really layyyy into a former friend about spreading unnecessary gossip. Stanwyck's character had been growing stronger & more confident scene by scene leading up to this moment and, the actress musters all her customary brassiness & verve to let the gossipy woman know that she won't take any nonsense from her. I loved it!!! I all but stood up from my seat to fist pump her in this scene.
Now, as mentioned above, the story is your typical 1940s melodramatic fare. There's nothing groundbreaking, unique, or overly strong about it. But many aspects are above average. Co-star George Brent is charming enough as Maj. Landis. The child actors are quite competent. Lucille Watson is excellent as the well-meaning, but over-the-top mother from Hell -- I just found her hilarious. Eve Arden is wonderful as her encouraging best friend. In addition to the acting, this film has lovely black-&-white photography (courtesy of James Wong Howe), great production values (sets, costumes), & a solid music score by Max Steiner. And so, while 'My Reputation' doesn't have the greatest reputation (or notoriety) of being a "classic", I still enjoyed the script, the upper-crust milieu, & expertise performances; led, of course, by one of my faves ... Barbara Stanwyck.
And so, Jessica & Major Landis spend more & more time together. All seems swell. But Jessica had formerly been a part of a group of gossipy well-to-do housewives and, once they got wind of Jessica's new man ... disapproving tongues start wagging. In no time, ugly rumors about the couple start circulating at a holiday party; even reaching the innocent ears of Jessica's impressionable sons. Suddenly, Jessica finds herself torn btwn. the demands of society, the innocence of her sons, & the urgings of her heart. Melodrama ensues.
'My Reputation' is one of those sophisticated family melodramas from the early 1940s, but it never attained much acclaim because - for one reason or another - it was filmed in 1943 and shelved for nearly 3 years for a quiet, here-it-is-there-it-went 1946 release. Even though this film is not as highly regarded as some of Barbara Stanwyck's other classics (such as her typical femme fatale turn in Double Indemnity), I was highly impressed with her performance, here {apparently, the actress also felt this was one of her better dramatic efforts}. Stanwyck is at her most vulnerable as Jessica Drummond, a guilt-ridden young widow who maintains her responsibilities as a mother, but tries to juggle that with finding true love once again.
An example of Stanwyck's superb performance is evidenced early in the film during a scene in which she reads a letter that her late husband had written with the knowledge that it would be read after his death -- she's just devastated & devastating in this stretch. That vulnerability/sadness resurfaces near the end of the film when she tries to explain to her sons the nature of her love for Maj. Landis and, again, she's devastating. For much of that scene she is filmed in shadow as she speaks, & her iconic voice alone carries the emotion of the moment -- it's just brilliant.
And yet, for all that vulnerability, there's a sequence sandwiched in-btwn. those scenes when she goes to a holiday party to really layyyy into a former friend about spreading unnecessary gossip. Stanwyck's character had been growing stronger & more confident scene by scene leading up to this moment and, the actress musters all her customary brassiness & verve to let the gossipy woman know that she won't take any nonsense from her. I loved it!!! I all but stood up from my seat to fist pump her in this scene.
Now, as mentioned above, the story is your typical 1940s melodramatic fare. There's nothing groundbreaking, unique, or overly strong about it. But many aspects are above average. Co-star George Brent is charming enough as Maj. Landis. The child actors are quite competent. Lucille Watson is excellent as the well-meaning, but over-the-top mother from Hell -- I just found her hilarious. Eve Arden is wonderful as her encouraging best friend. In addition to the acting, this film has lovely black-&-white photography (courtesy of James Wong Howe), great production values (sets, costumes), & a solid music score by Max Steiner. And so, while 'My Reputation' doesn't have the greatest reputation (or notoriety) of being a "classic", I still enjoyed the script, the upper-crust milieu, & expertise performances; led, of course, by one of my faves ... Barbara Stanwyck.