Comments on: Portrait of Jennie (1948): A Love Beyond Time http://screensaversmovies.com/portrait-of-jennie-1948-a-love-beyond-time 40 Remarkable Movies Awaiting Rediscovery Sat, 19 May 2012 22:45:10 +0000 hourly 1 By: John DiLeo http://screensaversmovies.com/portrait-of-jennie-1948-a-love-beyond-time/comment-page-1#comment-18 John DiLeo Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:47:55 +0000 http://screensaversmovies.com/portrait-of-jennie-1948-a-love-beyond-time/#comment-18 Hi Cheryl, For those of us who love PORTRAIT OF JENNIE, it's disappointing to learn that it was such a spectacular flop when it first came out. It was the end of David O. Selznick's reign as a top producer. Too bad Selznick isn't around to see that JENNIE is developing quite a loyal following, which appears to be increasing all the time. I often meet people who tell me that they love this film. It truly was ahead of its time, and I'm so pleased that Robert Osborne will be kicking off his 5-film SCREEN SAVERS evening (Sep. 22nd) with an 8pm screening of JENNIE. It's bound to get even more fans from this prime-time exposure. Its star, Jennifer Jones, now 89, lives in California. Hope she'll be watching! The Joel McCrea film you can't think of is SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS (1941), written and directed by the great Preston Sturges. You've hit on another of my all-time favorites! I completely agree with your assessment of it. McCrea just happens to be my favorite screen actor of the Golden Age. He wasn't Hollywood's most accomplished actor, but his winning mix of humor, good looks, intelligence, and a very modern acting style of underplaying makes him my all-around favorite. Plus he's so underrated and underappreciated that I take advantage of every opportunity to praise him. Seek out other superb McCrea performances in THESE THREE, PRIMROSE PATH, THE PALM BEACH STORY (another great Sturges comedy), STARS IN MY CROWN, DEAD END, and RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY. Yes, isn't Veronica Lake luminous? She had few chances as good as SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS to show what she could do. The film, which is available on DVD, is a lasting tribute to her potential and obvious talent. You must see other Sturges classic comedies, especially THE LADY EVE and HAIL THE CONQUERING HERO. Paging Netflix! Hi Cheryl,

For those of us who love PORTRAIT OF JENNIE, it’s disappointing to learn that it was such a spectacular flop when it first came out. It was the end of David O. Selznick’s reign as a top producer. Too bad Selznick isn’t around to see that JENNIE is developing quite a loyal following, which appears to be increasing all the time. I often meet people who tell me that they love this film. It truly was ahead of its time, and I’m so pleased that Robert Osborne will be kicking off his 5-film SCREEN SAVERS evening (Sep. 22nd) with an 8pm screening of JENNIE. It’s bound to get even more fans from this prime-time exposure. Its star, Jennifer Jones, now 89, lives in California. Hope she’ll be watching!

The Joel McCrea film you can’t think of is SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS (1941), written and directed by the great Preston Sturges. You’ve hit on another of my all-time favorites! I completely agree with your assessment of it. McCrea just happens to be my favorite screen actor of the Golden Age. He wasn’t Hollywood’s most accomplished actor, but his winning mix of humor, good looks, intelligence, and a very modern acting style of underplaying makes him my all-around favorite. Plus he’s so underrated and underappreciated that I take advantage of every opportunity to praise him. Seek out other superb McCrea performances in THESE THREE, PRIMROSE PATH, THE PALM BEACH STORY (another great Sturges comedy), STARS IN MY CROWN, DEAD END, and RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY.

Yes, isn’t Veronica Lake luminous? She had few chances as good as SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS to show what she could do. The film, which is available on DVD, is a lasting tribute to her potential and obvious talent.

You must see other Sturges classic comedies, especially THE LADY EVE and HAIL THE CONQUERING HERO. Paging Netflix!

]]> By: Cheryl http://screensaversmovies.com/portrait-of-jennie-1948-a-love-beyond-time/comment-page-1#comment-8 Cheryl Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:07:07 +0000 http://screensaversmovies.com/portrait-of-jennie-1948-a-love-beyond-time/#comment-8 Dear John, My husband, David, and I love PORTRAIT OF JENNIE, too. We agree with your assessment. In addition to being eerie and romantic, it's also about the creative muse, about the inexplicable something in the psyche that gives an artist the passion to create. Another Brinkley favorite is a film with Veronica Lake and Joel McCrea wherein he plays a hotshot Holywood director and she's a down-and-out starlet and somehow they end up journeying as hoboes on a train to experience the real America of the Depression. I remember it as surprising, humorous, romantic and, ultimately quite touching/inspiring. Lake is so fun as a gamine and the 2 of them really spark off of one another. McCrea learns huge life lessons and turns from frivolous to serious. We'd love to see this one again. Do you know the name of it and if it's out on DVD yet? Thanks! Glad to have you as a resource. --CMB Dear John,
My husband, David, and I love PORTRAIT OF JENNIE, too. We agree with your assessment. In addition to being eerie and romantic, it’s also about the creative muse, about the inexplicable something in the psyche that gives an artist the passion to create.

Another Brinkley favorite is a film with Veronica Lake and Joel McCrea wherein he plays a hotshot Holywood director and she’s a down-and-out starlet and somehow they end up journeying as hoboes on a train to experience the real America of the Depression. I remember it as surprising, humorous, romantic and, ultimately quite touching/inspiring. Lake is so fun as a gamine and the 2 of them really spark off of one another. McCrea learns huge life lessons and turns from frivolous to serious. We’d love to see this one again. Do you know the name of it and if it’s out on DVD yet?
Thanks! Glad to have you as a resource.
–CMB

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