Idílio Proibido

Lord, what a dreary movie they made out of so much good talent! This is a dreary, depressing movie on a dreary subject (she's married to one, loves a different one, so they all talk, talk, talk...).

The mood is somber and dreary. The talk-talk-talk is dreary. The music is absolutely funereal.

One of the main characters was severely wounded in the war (I might say, drearily wounded in the war). His problem is, he has no further will to live. Neither will you, perhaps, once you watch this movie.

And look who they had available. First and foremost, they had Ann Harding, who epitomizes class for me -- cool and elegant in movies like "The Animal Kingdom." They had Brian Aherne -- so likable and amusing in entertaining movies like "Merrily We Live" or "A Night To Remember" or "My Sister Eileen." They had Jean Hersholt, who does the honest, salt-of-the-earth character so well as Dr. Christian, or as the husband in "Emma." They had Paul Lukas, a fine actor who played the German or generic foreigner in so many movies -- more likable than sinister, usually.

And they made of this a dreary 83-minute dirge.