"The Man I Love" is a 1947 film (though made in 1945) directed by Raoul Walsh. The stars are Ida Lupino, Robert Alda, Andrea King, Martha Vickers, Bruce Bennett, Delores Moran, and Alan Hale.
Lupino plays a nightclub singer, Petey, who goes home to visit her family - two sisters and a brother. They're all in one way or another pretty messed up, so Petey, the strong one, sticks around to try and help. Her brother Johnny (Don McGuire) is married to Gloria (Delores Moran). They're the parents of twins, but Gloria is out a lot visiting "friends." With Johnny working at night, Gloria gets bored easily.
One of Petey's sisters (King) has a husband (Jon Ridgeley) who is institutionalized due to a breakdown after the war. Petey gets a job at Nicky Toresca's (Robert Alda) nightclub. Toresca is a slimeball who is constantly on the make, but Petey ignores him and goes crazy for a pianist who has seen better days, Sand Thomas (Bennett). But Sand is still grieving over his ex-wife, who comes back to town during the time he and Petey have together before he ships out on a merchant steamer.
Basically, this is a story about not so great men and the women who love them, except for Gloria's poor husband Johnny - but since Gloria is crazy about Nick Tedesco, we can leave Johnny out. All I can say is, with those twins, Johnny is darn lucky his sisters live across the hall. And Sand's not a bad guy but let's face it, he's carrying a torch for the ex.
There is music throughout, including the title song played a great deal in the background. Other music: "Why Was I Born," "If I Could Be With You," and "Liza." Peg LaCentra dubbed for Lupino.
Ida Lupino looks fabulous and wears some great gowns. She plays the strong, independent, no-nonsense Petey well, there for her family for as long as it takes. Robert Alda is smooth with a hint of sleaze, perfect as Nick Tedesco.
As Sand, Bruce Bennett is good. Bennett was one of the most interesting men in show business. Under his real name of Herman Brix, he was a silver medalist for shotput in the 1928 Olympics. Going into films, Bennett enjoyed a good career in supporting roles, including Mildred Pierce's husband, and roles in "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," "Dark Passage," "A Stolen Life," etc., and tons of TV. He died in 2007 at the age of 100. I can't imagine what it was like watching his old films and realizing that he'd outlived every single person in the movie.
Atmospheric with its nightclub scenes and fog, "The Man I Love" is a different kind of film - it looks like a noir, is part love story, and part an unusual family drama.
