bingoboss

Sally Field is pitch-perfect in this Depression-era story of a widowed young mother who gradually discovers her own strength while fighting to save her farm. The film was my introduction to Danny Glover and John Malkovich back in the '80s, and both give memorable performances. The actors who play Sally Field's young children are also very good.

I do have a few quibbles. Like others have noted, the secondary storyline about the cheating husband doesn't add to the main narrative and isn't compelling on its own. To make matters worse, the wife and mistress look so much alike that I couldn't initially tell them apart. It wasn't until halfway through that I realized there was even an affair happening, which left me confused about the scenes I'd seen before.

The problem extends to much of the supporting cast as well. Their similar costuming and hairstyles, combined with the film's washed-out depression palette, create a sameness that can make it hard to distinguish characters. This even undercuts the film's final scene, which should have been transcendent on first viewing but instead left me questioning who I was looking at. (I've re-watched the film since then and eventually figured everything out, but sheesh!)

Overall, though, it's a powerful and affecting film; just one that occasionally left me wondering if I was the only viewer confused by its secondary characters and plotlines.

I'll leave the plot synopsis to others, since I think the real pleasure lies in the discovery of the story as it unfolds. I went in knowing almost nothing about it. While it may have been made on a modest budget, everyone involved clearly brought their A-game. Ann Sheridan is outstanding in the lead role, carrying the film almost from start to finish. A nostalgic 1950's San Francisco serves a striking backdrop, and I thought I noticed a couple of nods to Hitchcock's 'Strangers on a Train' - only to find out this film actually came first. Anyway, if you're a film noir fan, I highly recommend you check this one out. Moody, gritty, and full of surprises, I've watched it several times now and my appreciation grows with each viewing.

This is a quiet, scenic film set in the mellow San Francisco of the early 90's, with a pair of convincing & attractive lead actors. You could almost enjoy watching it on that basis alone. When the movie starts, Nina's husband has left town on business and the story unfolds as Nina meets and begins hooking up with a new lover. There's surprisingly little drama considering the subject matter, and the movie gets downright sluggish in parts. This film isn't really an exploration of the thorniness of extramarital affairs - for that you can watch "Unfaithful." Still, there's some food for thought as well as a few really touching scenes. San Giacomo and Rhys are both good actors and manage to keep things interesting.