I was so impressed (and depressed) by this movie, I wanted to comment on it immediately. Guess what? I had to contact IMDb so they could re-post it to their site. So, this is written a couple of weeks prior to TCM's broadcast. I didn't know the film existed, as most of today's general public most likely doesn't.
I agree that Montgomery Cliff ("Adam") was hard-put to get through his work. I have always been aware of the miseries in his life and the pain he experienced. On the other hand, it is perhaps because of these difficulties that he could project such a great range of "emotions" this movie required. One user didn't think he deserved his reputation of having been one of the talented actors of early film, because he hadn't made a 1,000 of them. A great performance is a great performance, even if it were the only one given. To view a variety of different roles by an actor/actress is wonderful; however, you can't deny the reality of a single, great performance. How many actors/actresses we've watched grow-up in movies who didn't change from novice to a skilled performer? Studio politics....
Montgmery Cliff was exactly what this role called-for: his role detailed minutely the emotions of true life many people experience. The fabulous comparison of the absolutely "normal" life-style of "The Sargeants" (Dolores Hart and Frank Overton, and the family's young boys) to the misery - and total drabness- of "Adam's" life was well done by screen-writer Dore Schary and director Vincent Donahue. This IS a soap-opera, but a good done.
Robert Ryan ("William Shrike") was masterful: his role was intended to be cynical, and he was cruelly so. Myrna Loy ("Florence Shrike") was a picture of a long-suffering, verbally-abused-but-loving wife. T'ain't fun! Dolores Hart ("Justy Sargeant") gave a skillful performance as a young woman craving a happy marriage - and attempting to support a confused lover - while raising her father's children. Maureen Stapleton ("Fay Doyle") was superb in a tortured wife's dilemma. Her mean-but-loving husband (Frank Maxwell) didn't miss a beat. I still can't recognize what character Jackie Coogan played.
"The story" - lots of them in here - of this plot is the star. John Alton's dreary cinematography was perfect for the unhappy tale. Not one user mentioned the great scene between "Justy" and "dad Sargeant", when he told her she had to make her own life and let her family do the best it could without her. The scene in which "Adam" 'fessed-up to "Justy" about his dad having killed his mother - and his trips were to prison, not for business - was stellar.
I wouldn't want an iota of "LonelyHearts" changed - most great films come from great novels (or stage-plays), so one has to expect changes to evolve. Judgment on THE MOVIE is what we're discussing here, and "LonelyHearts" delivered its message diamond-cut clearly. I am so glad the obstacles which kept people from forgiving (or being forgiven) to achieve happiness came at the end of this movie.......actual life is not always so kind. If you missed any of these miseries, count yourself to be lucky.
You cannot buy "LonelyHearts" on any media, so far as I know. I'll be first-in-line for the DVD. Do yourself a favor and view it whenever you can. Every individual should know the pitfalls of all-too-often lives. I rate it a 20 - Bravo !
I agree that Montgomery Cliff ("Adam") was hard-put to get through his work. I have always been aware of the miseries in his life and the pain he experienced. On the other hand, it is perhaps because of these difficulties that he could project such a great range of "emotions" this movie required. One user didn't think he deserved his reputation of having been one of the talented actors of early film, because he hadn't made a 1,000 of them. A great performance is a great performance, even if it were the only one given. To view a variety of different roles by an actor/actress is wonderful; however, you can't deny the reality of a single, great performance. How many actors/actresses we've watched grow-up in movies who didn't change from novice to a skilled performer? Studio politics....
Montgmery Cliff was exactly what this role called-for: his role detailed minutely the emotions of true life many people experience. The fabulous comparison of the absolutely "normal" life-style of "The Sargeants" (Dolores Hart and Frank Overton, and the family's young boys) to the misery - and total drabness- of "Adam's" life was well done by screen-writer Dore Schary and director Vincent Donahue. This IS a soap-opera, but a good done.
Robert Ryan ("William Shrike") was masterful: his role was intended to be cynical, and he was cruelly so. Myrna Loy ("Florence Shrike") was a picture of a long-suffering, verbally-abused-but-loving wife. T'ain't fun! Dolores Hart ("Justy Sargeant") gave a skillful performance as a young woman craving a happy marriage - and attempting to support a confused lover - while raising her father's children. Maureen Stapleton ("Fay Doyle") was superb in a tortured wife's dilemma. Her mean-but-loving husband (Frank Maxwell) didn't miss a beat. I still can't recognize what character Jackie Coogan played.
"The story" - lots of them in here - of this plot is the star. John Alton's dreary cinematography was perfect for the unhappy tale. Not one user mentioned the great scene between "Justy" and "dad Sargeant", when he told her she had to make her own life and let her family do the best it could without her. The scene in which "Adam" 'fessed-up to "Justy" about his dad having killed his mother - and his trips were to prison, not for business - was stellar.
I wouldn't want an iota of "LonelyHearts" changed - most great films come from great novels (or stage-plays), so one has to expect changes to evolve. Judgment on THE MOVIE is what we're discussing here, and "LonelyHearts" delivered its message diamond-cut clearly. I am so glad the obstacles which kept people from forgiving (or being forgiven) to achieve happiness came at the end of this movie.......actual life is not always so kind. If you missed any of these miseries, count yourself to be lucky.
You cannot buy "LonelyHearts" on any media, so far as I know. I'll be first-in-line for the DVD. Do yourself a favor and view it whenever you can. Every individual should know the pitfalls of all-too-often lives. I rate it a 20 - Bravo !