Fiori nella polvere

I found this to be a fast-moving, compassionate (supposedly) true-life story of a woman who helped babies get homes to live in while fighting to have the word "illegitimate" stricken from all record books since it was unfairly penalizing the children.

The three lead actors in the film - Greer Garson, Walter Pigeon and Felix Bressart - are all fun to watch. Garson gives a great speech to Congress near the end of the movie. It's also a nice color film, something that wasn't made much in 1941.

Story-wise, the early tragedies are not dwelled on in here. In fact, they come and go quickly and that's nice because it makes this more of an upbeat movie with a positive message. That's the intent, so why dwell on the negatives?

The only negatives, in my opinion were too much usage of the word "darling," to the point where it's annoying, and the last scene is drawn out a bit too much. But, overall, it's a very powerful movie and guaranteed to bring tears to anyone's eyes. It should appeal to most people. I would like to see this put on a DVD.

Much of this movie is fiction, but the fact remains that Edna Gladley was a pioneer in the field of nursery care and adoption and her work to strike the description "illegitimate" from birth certificates as well as insure that these children could inherit from their adoptive parents has changed many lives for the better. Edna was born in Milwaukee; her father died when she was very young; she never had an adopted sister who was herself illegitimate. Because Edna suffered from respiratory disease she was sent to Fort Worth, Texas, when she was seven years old to live with her aunt and uncle. She and her husband Sam were married in Gainseville after which they moved to Wolfe City where they bought a mill to manufacture Gladiola brand flour. They were childless.

Edna began her work in helping impoverished and homeless children soon after moving to Wolfe City where she started a crusade to clean up the county poor farm during which she arranged to have homeless children moved to the Morris Children's Home and Aid Society in Fort Worth. She joined the Society's Board in 1910. She then made trips to settlement houses in Chicago and New York City to study their methods; when she returned she set up a day nursery for working mothers (the movie has her setting up the nursery first when in fact this happened seven or eight years after she became involved in child welfare issues).

As in the movie, Sam's business failed in 1924 whereupon they moved to Fort Worth where Edna continued her work in child welfare. In 1927 she was named superintendent of the Texas Children's Home and Aid Society. Sam died in 1935 after rebuilding his business. Edna spent the rest of her life advocating for children, concentrating on placing homeless and abandoned children with adoptive families. She also expanded the Society to provide health care for unwed mothers and an adoption service for their children. The Society later bought a maternity hospital that it named the Gladney Center.

I loved Greer Garson in this movie, she is strong, brave and gracious. I just wish the director and producers of this movie had used a script that portrayed the real life of Edna Gladney rather than resorting to the fictitious adopted sister who kills herself and inventing a non-existent son who dies in an accident to explain her motives. Edna was her own person who was genuinely involved in her life's work from her early 20s until she died in 1961 -- the movie didn't need these made-up people to explain why she became involved in child welfare issues.

A good film for a Sunday afternoon, or any other time if you're busy on Sunday.

None of the scenes are dragged out, even the death scenes are treated briefly. Nothing is going to get in the way of the narrative, beginning with a woman overcoming bereavement by taking in the unwanted children an orphans of Texas.

The film then goes on the challenge the very language we use when it comes to these children, with Edna Gladney rejecting the words 'orphan' and 'illegitimate'.

'There are no illegitimate children, only illegitimate parents', she boldly announces to the Texan senate.

And so Gladney's local endeavour becomes a political, state-wide one, and though she never falters in her moral drive, her initial loss is evoked once again in the most cherished of her foundlings.

Fast-paced, fade-outs and an all round good story.

Review Date 1/15/2018

PLEASE BEWARE OF SOME REVIEWERS THAT ONLY HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW. WHEN ITS A POSITIVE THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE PRODUCTION. NOW I HAVE NO AGENDA! I REVIEW MOVIES & SPECIALS AS A WAY TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT I HAVE SEEN! I HAVE DISCOVERED MANY GEMS IN MY QUEST TO SEE AS MANY " C H R I S T M A S " MOVIES AS I CAN.

Now Someone keeps reporting my reviews. I guess they are jealous because I do tell the truth. I want to point out that I never make snide remarks about actors weight or real life sexual orientation. If there acting is terrible or limited "I talk about that". If a story is bad "I will mention that" So why am I being "picked on"? IMDB? When one of my reviews gets deleted IMDB will not even tell me what someone found offensive. Well on to this review.

I have never herd of this film it was part of 4 DVD pack of what Warner Brothers Stated as " Four Holiday Classic Films".

Well if it was never in the pack I would never would have watched it. I think Warner Brothers thinks this film qualifies as a "Christmas Movie" because the first scene and last ends on "Christmas". Truth be told both scenes together are no more then about 10% of the screen time. he story is a highly fictionalized telling of the story of Edna Gladney, an early advocate for the rights of illegitimate children in Texas.

Edna Kahly (Greer Garson) and her adopted sister, Charlotte (Marsha Hunt), are to be married. But, when Charlotte's mother-in-law-to-be discovers that Charlotte was a foundling, she declares the wedding must not occur, and Charlotte kills herself from shame. Meanwhile, Edna falls for a brash cashier, Sam Gladney, at the bank, and eventually marries him and moves with him to his home state of Texas.

Sam Gladney has a flour mill in Sherman, Texas, and at first the couple has an idyllic life, though after a difficult delivery Sam is told Edna must have no more children. Several years later, their son dies, and Sam's effort to ease the pain she still endures by trying to get her to adopt a foundling fails. But the little girl's story touches Edna's heart, and she starts a day care center for the children of working women.

The film is good not great but it is highly enjoyable. It is also a study on how this country treated children who came into this world with a single mother. It also shows how adoption was looked down upon. Very sad.

Now what is great about this film is that it does keep you glued. It also shows a young girl becoming a full fledged woman who takes on the government and forces them to look at what labels do to people and how labels follow you from cradle to grave.

Not for everyone. Most people under 40 might get bored. Adults who like to see a story unfold will be in for a treat.

Well worth watching!

"There are no illegitimate children, only illegitimate parents" what a great line. Greer Garson is wonderful in this movie. She really does a great job portraying Edna Gladney. Living in Fort Worth, were Edna Gladney's home is still in operation, and working in the Court house, this movie really made an impact on me. I have seen old adoption records actually signed by Edna Gladney. What a wonderful lady - she changed the world! What a wonderful movie - get it and watch it, you'll love it!