Amantes impetuosos

A very interesting soaper, certainly much better than the Maltin review gives it credit for. The sharp dialogue is probably its best feature; the characters say things very bluntly and pseudo-honestly, like people struggling to be clever when they know, as members of a "postmodern" generation, that it's all been said before and they are doomed to re-enact old cliches themselves. They understand their own ailments and continually refer to how spoiled, afraid and enervated they are. Plot is in territory similar to "Splendor in the Grass" (love is a sickness you grow out of and can eventually re-create where you have settled) but it's real subject is how restless, discontented people spread their unhappiness around, and how this is symptomatic of these modern times. Despite Wagner playing trumpet (he does not make any attempt to sound like Chet Baker, although he IS pretty) and Pearl imitating Billie Holiday (down to a performance of "God Bless the Child") with some unfortunate prescience before Holiday's death, this is not really a music film. It's like a delayed "beat" movie that should have been made in the 50s. (Hollywood is always some years behind.) 40 years later, we needn't worry whether it seems out of date; time has been kind to this film.

I happened to see this film years ago in a sleepless night, zapping through some of the less commercial public canals we still had at the time in Europe. It really opened my soul because of the music included. I will not comment on the quality of the script or the acting of the young couple Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner; others can do better than I. But I like the slow pace, the melodramatic story, the dialogue lines that stay in your head, and - above all - I was thrilled by the singing and acting of Pearl Bailey as Ruby Jones. If ever you have to explain the feelings that gave rise to the blues, ahead of the ubiquitous slavery hardships and working in the cotton fields, then this movie is a 'must-see'. When Chad is in the lowest of spirits and ends up in a morning-after hang-out, he runs into this Ruby Jones, an alcoholic, but warm-hearted black singer. And she treats him with a song, unaccompanied, raw voice, that expresses his feelings so well, and gives him the idea he is not the only unhappy, lost man on this globe. I don't know if Mrs Bailey sung the track herself or was dubbed, but she succeeds in getting the blues feeling across as I've never heard thereafter. Same when later on in the movie she sings to Chad, playing the trumpet: "What am I heading for? Blues is knocking at my door". Alas! this song is spoiled by a dubbed in band and even background vocals if I remember well - anyhow, it takes away from the simplicity of just a singer and a "horn player" (as she puts it throughout the picture). The sad story of the twists and impossibilities of human relationships is to me more real-life than most of the soapy Hollywood plots that come to us by shiploads these days. Endearing, that's probably the word that says it all.

This film suffers from most of the shortcomings mentioned in many of the comments above. Nevertheless, it's worth watching for two principal reasons: The breath-taking, youthful beauty of Natalie Woods, the most beautiful young woman I've ever seen, and the performance of Pearl Bailey, a fascinating personality and a marvelous actress and singer. Sadly, Pearl doesn't get to sing nearly enough (2 blues songs), but her part alone was decently written, and she acquits herself quite well in the meaty role. Wagner does a creditable job despite having to recite the idiotic and banal lines of his character, and the others are passable at best. Hamilton is borderline OK and Kohner munches the scenery something awful in most of her scenes. Were it not for Woods' stunning beauty and Bailey's excellent work, this one would truly stink.

What I love about this film, is the fact that it includes a respectful and loving relationship between a black woman and a white man during the apartheid era of racism here in the United States (before the "Freedom Rides," which occurred not long after).

I admire Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood (especially), as rising young stars in Hollywood, for taking the chance to be in this type of picture at that time in history.

When Susan Kohner's character calls Pearl Bailey a "nigger," Robert Wagner whacks her one but good! And then he educates Miss spoiled brat and much misinformed Kohner, that Pearl is more decent than any of the white people in this movie! And more deserving of love and respect.

And folks, was he right. Bailey's character and performance are the most worthwhile in the film.

Yes, the basic story between Natalie Wood (poor country girl looking to move up in the world by passing Wagner's baby off as rich boy Hamilton's), Robert Wagner (poor confused misunderstood boy with talent for "race" music, but seemingly not much ambition to do anything with it), George Hamilton and Susan Kohner (spoiled RICH siblings taken in by Wood and Wagner -- but both hopelessly in love with the two)is schlock.

But the story between Wagner and Pearl Bailey (suicidal famous singer mourning the loss of her lover, who becomes charmed with Wagner and does her best to help him before she purposely succumbs to alcoholism) saves the day.

Also, Natalie Wood is simply outrageously gorgeous in this picture. And Robert Wagner and Hamilton are pretty easy on the yes as well. So, when the story gets to be too much, just enjoy the view!

I wish that Wood and Wagner had more screen time together in this film (and that they ended up together), but that's because I love RJ and Nat together as a couple under any circumstances (and believe me one has to love them unconditionally -- as their story lines and acting and accents don't feature either near the top of their talents).

Still, a brave story to undertake. Its bad/good and very interesting. I recommend it for having the guts to be ahead of its time.

Nancy J Ordinaryfool

Anderson's movie is derivative.It looks like lite Douglas Sirk: the spoiled kid sister (played by Susan Kohner who worked with Sirk) is not unlike Marylee (Dorothy Malone) in "Written on the wind" ;besides ,Ruby's funeral will fatally make you think of that of Annie in "Imitation of life" ,a black choir singing "Free at last" replacing Mahalia Jackson.The screenwriters also borrow from Kazan's "splendor in the grass" as far as the two leads' fate is concerned.And the baby trick was used a hundred times or more in the thirties and forties melodramas (notably Bette Davis' "the big lie" and "the old maid" ;Olivia De Havilland' s "to each his own").

Having said this,one must credit Natalie Wood for making the best of the stereotyped part of a go-getter;Robert Wagner's moody looks work wonders too when he plays the trumpet and in the scene when he backs Pearl Bailey's impressive vocals.

This is the kind of movie they don't do anymore;this is the kind of story which could go on and on and on and on;in a word,it's the perfect soap opera ,and it still exists today in the form of the TV series.

Like this?try these.......

Peyton Place Mark Robson 1957

Imitation of life Douglas Sirk 1959