bingoboss

This family drama unfolds against the backdrop of the then-new B-52 bombers. While the movie was basically a recruitment tool for the U. S. Air Force, that doesn't make it a bad film. Karl Malden anchors the story as a career soldier nearing retirement, whose plans are disrupted when his commanding officer (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) falls for his daughter, played by a radiant Natalie Wood. Zimbalist stirs conflict on several fronts, but the film ultimately belongs to Malden. [It's interesting that, after Rebel Without a Cause and The Searchers, Warner Bros. Stuck Wood in two clear propaganda projects, this film and The Girl He Left Behind. Perhaps it was an effort to "straighten out" her image?] Anyway, the Air Force setting now feels like a relic of its era, but the family drama itself holds up, bolstered by strong performances and a brisk pace.

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.