Le dernier voyage

It has been some time and dozens of films since I've been so moved. Although no fan of Reagan, I appreciated him here. And I've always been charmed by Neal. The supporting cast was also quite fine. But the performance by Richard Todd deserved every bit of critical praise he's received. Was Broderick Crawford's award win more deserved that year? Tough to say now, in light of this screening. Of course, it matters not. It is history. What I can say is that of all the nominated performances from 1949, I was no where near as moved, as touched. The emotional depth caught me by surprise. The bits of humor welcome and appropriate. Albeit somewhat melodramatic, I was reminded of the decency there is. Watch this one. It'll stay with you a while. You won't be disappointed.

I join others praising this movie. Is it sentimental? Well, yes. Is it simple? Yes. In fact, does the main character seem a little simple? Yes - the acting by Oscar nominated Richard Todd is a bit broad to my taste. (I quite admire Todd - who, in The Longest Day, played virtually the part he played in the real D Day landing; generally Todd is rather stoic and understated in his acting - e.g., D Day: The Sixth of June - not so here).

Still, there is something about this movie that really grabs you - like say, The Fantasticks - simple, yet quite true, very humane and in its own way, powerful.

Reagan is his usual fine self - I think always underrated as an actor - e.g., see his smallish part in Bette Davis' Dark Victory (he's a lazy society swell). Patricia Neal is the sort of woman you DO fall for.

The fact that they do not sugarcoat the ending - we know the future will be grim, is to the movie's benefit. These were dark days - all these men had been through the Depression, had been in a vicious War in Burma for years, had seen, and caused others, death many many times. They're far more matter of fact about death than any contemporary movie would make its characters -"oh, too bad, a bad break" is the comment. The acceptance of this grim reality made me think about the resilience of people and the stoicism of that generation.

Do see it- it's a wonderful simple tearjerker that you won't forget.

The Hasty Heart is the second best known work of author John Patrick, his biggest triumph being The Teahouse of the August Moon. It ran on Broadway from early to middle 1945 while there was still very much a war going on in the China-Burma-India Theater for 204 performances. It starred Richard Basehart, Anne Burr and John Lund on stage.

Those same roles were taken by Richard Todd, Patricia Neal, and Ronald Reagan in the screen adaption directed by Vincent Sherman. About the only change that was made was a brief prologue showing exactly how Richard Todd got his injuries. After that the entire film is set in a hospital along the Assam front in that theater.

The Hasty Heart is a story about the wounded Richard Todd who doesn't know that while seemingly recovered he lost a kidney and the other one is irreversibly damaged. He will die within a matter of weeks and nurse Patricia Neal moves him in with some other convalescent soldiers including an American, Ronald Reagan and tells them to be easy with him.

Easier said than done because Todd's a really hard case. He's a bitter angry man, a foundling with no family or friends to speak of which is why they aren't writing him his ticket back home, he's got no one to go back home to.

Richard Todd got his first notice in The Hasty Heart with the American public and during the Fifties he made as many films on this side of the pond as in the United Kingdom. Todd was a real life war hero so in playing this part he brought a wealth of bitter experience among dying men. Todd got an Oscar nomination for Best Actor and his competition included, John Wayne for Sands of Iwo Jima, Kirk Douglas for Champion, and Gregory Peck for Twelve O'Clock High. The eventual winner though was Broderick Crawford in All the King's Men.

Patricia Neal as a young contract player with Warner Brothers also got her first really good part as the compassionate nurse. And a veteran contract player with Warner Brothers who left the movies for another career, Ronald Reagan got some of the best notices of his career. The Hasty Heart is definitely one of the three films most identified with him in a good way, the others being Knute Rockne - All American, and King's Row.

The Hasty Heart is a fine film about the tragedy of war and the worst tragedy of going through life without friends. Make sure to catch it if it's ever broadcast on TCM.

I came back from work one day and this old Black and white movie was on TV Damn, Black and White ??? and i had spent a fortune on my Dolby system, after flicking through the channels i came back to it, something about the main character caught my attention (Cpl. Lachlan "Lachie" MacLachlan) he was rude, obnoxious scaving and although he acted very tough he appeared to be very very lonely. For the next hour and a half i was hooked. Its a story about people (as simple as that) how they get along , how they dont get along its a very human story, no special effects, no twisting plots just a warm hearted story that you will come away from feeling better with the world. This is one of those Sunday afternoon movies you could easily flick past like i almost did. If you ever see it advertised take time out to watch it, it will make you cry and laugh all in the same scene. Take time to watch it........Highly recomended s c...

The Hasty Heart is one of the finest and most sensetive films ever made. Ronald Reagan gives his best acting performance and this story should bring a tear to the most cynical eyes. It is a story about a man with a terminal illness and his battle with self pity. As sad as it is, it is a celebration nevertheless, of the human condition. Its about real people and real feelings, not some hyped up special effects extravaganza of all prop and no plot. Although the film is not religious, per se, and does not mention God, it is a spiritual film, a gut wrenching exercise of the soul.