My Reputation (1946)
1h 34m | PG-13
Tongues begin to wag when a lonely widow becomes romantically involved with a military man. Problems arise when the gossip is filtered down to her own children.
Director: Curtis Bernhardt
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre: Drama, Romance
Video: 720p
Cast
Barbara Stanwyck
as Jessica Drummond
George Brent
as Major Scott Landis
Warner Anderson
as Frank Everett
Lucile Watson
as Mary Kimball
John Ridgely
as Cary Abbott
Eve Arden
as Ginna Abbott
Reviews
To me, Barbara Stanwyck is such the prototypical noir femme fatale, but her Pre-Code works like 'Baby Face' are masterpieces, and her other works, in which she shows her vulnerability, are just as appetizing to the cinephile. Excellent for fans of drama or melodrama, especially from that era, when a widow who's nagging, overbearing mother won't let her find happiness because of what the neighbours would say, just can't take it any more. To a certain extent, with current society, our constantly trying to fit in and get approval from others makes this just as relevant today. She had a decent, not great, supporting cast to work with, and though director Bernhardt wasn't A-list (my favourite of his is 'Possessed' with Joan Crawford), he's all right for this material, and the Warner Brothers' production values, including Max Steiner doing the score and gorgeous photography from James Wong Howe, make this a lesser-known, under-the-radar, hidden gem you might enjoy.