Saturday Night Cinema: None but The Lonely Heart

None But the Lonely Heart (1944). Cary Grant gives  an extraordinary performance in this remarkable film. Grant plays against type here, neither confident nor debonair. It is jarring to watch Grant employ his signature savoire faire as a mask  for uncertainty and fear. "A desperate Cary Grant violates the natural order of things."

Ethel Barrymore is a jewel in this  film of "profound human meaning."

It is a film you will not forget.

Here is The New York Times review:

A film of haunting moods and desperate yearnings, of souls searching restlessly for peace amid the drab and oppressive surroundings of London's pre-war East End is RKO's production, "None But the Lonely Heart," from the Richard Llewellyn novel. And such a sensitive and warmly revealing and poetically lovely film it is that one may feel wonder and amazement at seeing it on the screen. Especially may one marvel at Cary Grant in the leading role and be entranced by the thoughtfulness of casting Ethel Barrymore as his excellent support.

For this is, frankly, an uncommon picture. And if it comes as a staggering surprise to folks who are accustomed to mere eye-wash, let no one abuse it therefor. The screen is so ample in its helpings of pretty and shallow "escape" that a film of profound human meaning should prove a most stimulating change.

Happily, the fine Llewellyn novel has been adapted and directed on the screen for all of its rare and tender quality by Clifford Odets. The poignant and wistful story of the Cockney wanderer, Ernie Mott, and his sad and wonderful mother and their ever-hungry search for some sort of spiritual fulfillment has been rendered in this film with all of the beauty and feeling that one could hopefully expect.

And it is, too, a universal story—this story of a willful man who finds that the good things of living are not too easily come by and that love is eternally elusive and that one has to compromise with fate. It is the sort of tragic story that the Irish are wont to tell—or the Welsh, from whom Mr. Llewellyn and his wonder sense of form and rhythm have come.

In his adaptation and direction, Mr. Odets has captured this rhythm and form through an excellent use of dialogue and splendid consistency in pace. The rich language used in the novel has been perfectly adapted to the screen and an almost melodic progression of mood and action has been handsomely achieved. Hanns Eisler prepared for the picture a magnificent musical score and this has been worked, with sound and image, into a symphonic entity. "None But the Lonely Heart" is truly a specimen film, both in sight and sound.

Mr. Grant's performance as Ernie Mott, the "tramp of the Universe"—the "citizen of the Great Smoke" who was "barmy as the muffin man"—is an exceptional characterization of bewilderment and arrogance, and Miss Barrymore's performance as his mother glows with beauty and spiritual fire. Barry Fitzgerald is delightful and affecting as a friendly soul who passes in the night, and June Duprez sheds an aura of pathos as a girl whom Ernie hopelessly loves. George Coulouris is the very essence of cultivated wickedness as a gangster who leads Ernie astray, and other revealing performances are given by Jane Wyatt, Roman Bohnen and Konstantin Shayne. Except that the Cockney identity is not entirely suggested by all these folks, they have eloquently presented such characters as the original author conceived.

It may possibly be that this picture will not be widely accepted just now, but we are sure that it will be remembered—and revived—long after many current favorites are forgotten.

NONE BUT THE LONELY HEART; written for the screen by Clifford Odets; from the novel by Richard Llewellyn; directed by Mr. Odets; produced by David Hempstead for RKO-Radio Pictures. At the Palace.
Ernie Mott . . . . . Cary Grant
Ma Mott . . . . . Ethyl Barrymore
Twite . . . . . Barry Fitzgerald
Ada . . . . . June Duprez
Aggie Hunner . . . . . Jane Wyatt
Jim Mordinoy . . . . . George Coulouris
Len Tate . . . . . Dan Duryea
Dad Pettyjohn . . . . . Roman Bohnen
Ike Weber . . . . . Konstantin Shayne
Ma Chalmers . . . . . Eva Leonard Boyne
Taz . . . . . Morton Lowry
Sister Nurse . . . . . Helen Thimig
Knocker . . . . . William Chalee

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AuntieMadder

13 years ago

Hubba hubba. They don’t make ’em like that anymore.

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Ariel Whitman

13 years ago

Dear pam,
I didn’t know you were a fan of Hollywood of the 30s & 40s,boy you’re just like me ! why,this is a swell celebration ! Isn’t Dan Duryea great!?
God Bless You,Pamela.
-Your Friend from Israel
P.S.- alot of wonderful actresses from that era[like Jean Harlow] had a brooklin accent as you do. I love that accent 🙂

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Roc Olson

13 years ago

Indeed they don’t: …bet there are plenty of other guys out out there, like me, who want to do the make-out thing with Pam in a darkened theatre watching a movie like this. No chick flick, this movie puts everyone in the mood. Just like you, AuntieMadder, caught my eye with your ballsy hubba-hubba crack. Maybe you’re ready to substitute? If so, I could use a substitute teacher. R

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