The Proud and Profane

Considering the cast this oddly obscure WWII war drama is nothing special but is ultimately an entertaining drama.

The basic story is a standard one of a clash of values between two people with very different life experiences.

The best performance as usual comes from Thelma Ritter as a no nonsense nurse, whenever she's on screen she cuts right through the somewhat sugary dramatics with astringent fortitude.

Deborah Kerr and William Holden perform their assigned roles well but their characters are both pretty selfish and unsympathetic to involve you in their story.

It was strange, but interesting watching this movie. Deborah Kerr plays an American Red Cross volunteer who pulls strings to get assigned to the South Pacific to find out the circumstances of her husband's death on Guadalcanal. Thelma Ritter (excellent as always) plays her supervisor who becomes close to Kerr and is not liking what is going on. William Holden (who is unrecognizable, except for the voice) plays sadistic Colonel Black, who is attracted in to the upper middle class Deborah Kerr. It is an unusual role for Holden since his roles typically are suave, sophisticated and the handsome leading man type of parts. Compared to movies from current adolescent-minded writers, directors and producers, it is palatable.

Deborah Kerr is a war widow during the Second World War. Her husband joined the Marines, despite being an architect and thus made for the Engineers, became a paratrooper, and died on Guadalcanal. So she has joined the American Red Cross and is working under Thelma Ritter. Tough-as-nails William Holden sees her, decides he wants her, and they begin an affair preparatory to getting married. It doesn't work out well.

Somehow we are to think that these two manipulative characters matters a hill of beans, when the supporting characters have so little trouble stealing our attention whenever they're onscreen. Thelma Ritter, of course, but also Dewey Martin as a Marine whom Miss Ritter saved from prison by running a settlement house in his terrible neighborhood; Adam Williams, as the man who tells Miss Kerr off; even Michele Montau as a man-hungry widow.

George Seaton had been an auteur since before they coined the term, and this was the 1950s, so there's certainly some bloating here, with almost two hour elapsing from start to finish. He certainly offers the audience enough big shots, with Puerto Rico standing in for New Caledonia. Holden and Miss Kerr play their roles to the hilt, but I kept waiting for Frank Gorshin or Ross Bagdasarian to show up again.

William Holden and Deborah Kerr demonstrate strong acting here about how war changes lives. And, how perhaps we make different decisions in war, then we would in normal life, such as risks to take (we take more in war), relationships (Holden: I don't know what's going to happen next so life is day to day.). Emotional hurt, widowhood, also play into vulnerability from these characters as well as the emotional hurt from lower society status.

The acting from Holden and Kerr was intense and realistic. I think perhaps some people might not like seeing them as imperfect people. Both make mistakes. They aren't always likelable, warm, and you'll only see Holden's radiant smile once. I admire them both for going against type, and they did it very successfully. Very flawed people, going through life -- like us all.

It was fascinating and i would see it again. It became more about the human condition than the romance, which I highly respected. There is no cute bowtie to tie it all up at the end, and it leaves you with life will continue, and how will each character continue on, communicate, make decisions when tough things happen in life.

I recommend this movie and I'll see it again. Different character acting by Kerr and Holden; their fine acting independently and together; make this extraordinarily watchful. Additionally, the key thing is not the romance, but the transformation of each character to a greater self honesty and honesty with the world.

This film does capture the negativity of war! It's wonderful to see William Holden play a part where he may not be the most lovable man in the world. It's just as rewarding to see Deborah Kerr as a woman of great beauty and sexuality! I think the acting of all the cast is wonderful! The acting of the chaplain maybe a little over the top( just my opinion.) I wasn't going to watch this film all the way through, however; once I got into it I got hooked!! It is a sad film! But I can't say that any movie about war is to make a person happy!! It is about loss, but there is also some redeeming qualities in the characters. Especially at the end!!!