Sentimental Journey

This is indeed a sadly neglected film and the fact that it has never been made available on either video tape or DVD must remain a matter of deep regret. I must wholeheartedly agree that the performance delivered by child actress Connie Marshall is quite outstanding. Cinematic depictions of the effects of bereavement upon children are of necessity somewhat difficult to portray with any degree of conviction and the pitfall of lapsing into overt sentimentality must be avoided. However, certain films, including this one,I think convey something of a young child's pain and confusion regarding death and its consequences without becoming too morbid or sentimental. The scenes where Hitty is apparently visited by the spirit of her adoptive mother remind me very much of the closing sequences in Jacques Doillon's "Ponette" (1996) Are both of these little girls really experiencing a much longed for reunion, if only transitory, with their beloved mothers or does the whole thing exist solely within the realm of imagination a mere psychological device enabling them to accept and so come to terms with their loss? It is up to each individual viewer to construe such matters for themselves.

I love this movie. I saw if first during the 60's when I was a child and I always remembered the little girls name which was very strange more then anything else. Then I saw it later on and it was heartbreaking. I always cringed when I saw the way Bill treated Hittie after his wife died. She tried her best but he always seemed to blame her for the wife death. William Bendix is very engaging as the friend/uncle who sees that Hittie needs some fun her life and tries his best to help her. He even gets a book about the psychology of children. He has a very funny scene with the maid about him looking in all the pet stores for a unicorn to no avail. So he gets the book so he can find out how to tell Hittie he can't find one. A very nice sweet scene. The maid is also very helpful.

John Payne who plays the father is very good, but I wanted to tell him to snap out of it. Yes he was in mourning but he acted ridiculous treating his little girl like that and everyone else. If any character was in need of medication or therapy in a movie his character is it. But this movie was made in the 40's long before any thought of treatment for depression was used. Only when he thinks something bad happened to the little girl does he snap out of it. A very simplistic but sweet ending. Maureen O'Hara one of my favorite actors is also very good. But mostly she plays a ghost.

This is a typical Maureen O'Hara film where she shines as beautifully as ever in a tragical role for a change, but she couldn't be more convincing - she always is. William Bendix shines better than her husband (John Payne), Bendix is always an advantage to every film he is in, and here he at least makes an effort at child psychology, which the playwright doesn't. Cedric Hardwicke is the family doctor and as good as such as ever, while the child (Connie Marshall) makes the film. The story is interesting enough with its touch on parapsychology, but entering the imaginative mind of a child, everything is made credible. This is actually how it could work. Maureen feels she has to leave Bill which worries her, so she finds a child to adopt to take care of him when she is gone, which he at first fails to realize and appreciate. There is sugared music all through, and nothing wrong with that, it establishes the soft mood of sadness of the film and sticks to it, and it is finally the music that opens Bill's mind when everything else has failed. This is also quite obvious and natural. This is a film to love for its sincere warm-heartedness, and the stormy ocean is brought into the picture to accentuate the drama.

"Sentimental Journey" is a 1946 film starring Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Connie Marshall, Cedric Hardwicke and William Bendix. Set in New York City, it's the story of an actress, Julie Beck (O'Hara) and her director/producer husband Bill Wetherly (Payne). They have an idyllic marriage, but Julie has a precarious heart condition. Realizing she may die and leave her husband alone, she wants to adopt a child. She meets Hitty (Marshall), who was very much like her as a child, filled with fantasies and dreams, and the two hit it off immediately. However, her spoiled and somewhat jealous husband finds he isn't totally happy with the arrangement.

"Sentimental Journey" is a slow-moving film with a very attractive cast. It's not for people who, as Margo Channing said, "detest cheap sentiment." Whether you like the movie or not, you'll find yourself drawn into the story, so have a box of tissues nearby. I blubbered like a baby.

Maureen O'Hara is stunningly beautiful and gives a very gentle performance as Julie; handsome John Payne is just right as her husband, a man whose world centers around his wife. William Bendix has a film-stealing role and is terrific as Donnelly, an associate of Bill's and friend of the family. His sense of comedy is great. Cedric Hardwicke is too much of a big gun to play a small part like the doctor; he plays it beautifully, but he's wasted. Connie Marshall is Hitty. She's not only adorable, but she has to run a gamut of emotions and pulls it off very well.

Nice movie.

William and Julie Weatherly (John Payne and Maureen O'Hara) are people of the theater. He is a director and she is an actress. They have been married for quite some time, but their love for each other is stronger than ever. Unfortunately, Julie discovers that her health cannot handle the stress of her life. She takes a break from the theater and stumbles upon an orphan girl named Hitty (Connie Marshall). Hitty is imaginative and lonely, just as Julie was as a young girl. Julie is convinced that she would make a great mother for this little lost girl, so she convinces Bill to adopt her. From here, they form a family, though Bill is a bit jealous of the attention that Hitty receives.

Soon, Julie's health gets the better of her, but Hitty knows what to do. She pampers Bill just the way Julie did, hoping to bring the family back together again.

This movie has all the potential to be wonderful, but it walks a fine line that easily takes into kitsch. Sometimes, it is emotional and sweet, but the occasional lapse into over-sentimentality makes it a less than perfect film. Each actor tries hard though, which makes the characters interesting and enjoyable to watch.