Servidão Humana

One of the best films I have yet seen. (Then again it helps if you have lived a life in strong coincidence with the lives portrayed; and not merely a commentator, a mere critic of film)

This film was my first introduction to Ms. Novak, and yes I admit I was, am, smitten. Ms. Novak brings great depth to her role, a woman seemingly comprised of true grit, this only serving to hide her truths, truth which she never admits to herself.

Love will always be an ever-spring subject, and morality tales their best method to ambitiously telling the nature of human pain and suffering, of which there is much of in this film. The tale of a woman always lost, a woman whose redemption lies solely with the only man that would ever truly Love her.

Love can be a grand thing, though so often, Love disposes of people with nary a backwards glance.

Not-bad third version of W. Somerset Maugham's depressing story about a sluttish waitress in London and the sensitive future doctor who becomes obsessed with her. Ravaged by critics upon its release (and thought bannable for a time for Kim Novak's suggestive scenes), this remake isn't a classic, nor does it improve on the Bette Davis version, but it does have something. Novak is just fine; Laurence Harvey also good as the smitten medico. The biggest problem is the screenplay's faithfulness to Maugham's plot, which by 1964 standards was pretty creaky. Why couldn't they have updated it just a bit? For all the talk about this version being "too shocking", the movie disappoints by not shocking at all, by playing it too safe. A soap opera, to be sure, though a handsome and interesting one. Novak-diehards will love the film, and her. **1/2 from ****

Those are the words to describe this movie. And that honor belongs mostly to Kim Novak who brings absolute realism to the role as Mildred Rogers. The music is great and Kim Novak is so beautiful and completely believable as Maugham's character. Just a movie not to miss. I loved it and have seen it many times and I have the same opinion over and over. The other players are adequate and just as believable but the real reason for this movie is Kim Novak. She is excellent and superior in this movie. And did I say beautiful.....and she still is today as well. A movie not to be missed. A story that will hold your attention as the character of Mildred Rogers evolves.

I've not seen a version with Eleanor Parker in the lead made in the Forties, but the version in 1934 with Bette Davis and Leslie Howard set an impossible standard that sad to say Kim Novak fell short of as the acid tongued amoral Mildred Rogers in Of Human Bondage.

W. Somerset Maugham's classic of a scheming woman of the low classes is one of the great works of literature in the past 150 years, The role takes a great actress to perform it. Kim was quite a bit out of her depth as compared to Davis and Parker.

Lawrence Harvey is the club footed and socially unskilled Philip Carey, a medical student who becomes completely infatuated with a woman of the lower classes whom he first meets when she waits on he and his medical school peers in a restaurant. Harvey who in real life was quite the lady killer really took a part so totally opposite his nature. The role he got an Oscar nomination for, Joe Lampton in Room At The Top was far closer to the real Harvey. Still he does pull it off.

There are a lot of similarities to the other Maugham classic Rain, in fact Of Human Bondage is almost a looking glass version. Both concern very moral and straight forward men degrading themselves over a woman of easy to non-existent virtue. The difference is that in Rain the protagonist Reverend Davidson does destroy himself and Carey pulls himself back from the abyss.

A couple of other performances of note are Robert Morley in a serious part as Harvey's medical professor and Roger Livesey as a patient who has a daughter who's a nice girl who takes an interest in Harvey. But for the moment he's enthralled with Novak.

Kim has the beauty for the role, but there is really only one Bette Davis.

In Paris, the clubfooted aspirant painter Philip Carey (Laurence Harvey) is advised by an acquaintance to give-up his artistic ambition since he would be a mediocre artist. Philip joins the medical school in London using his inheritance to pay schooling and to have a simple but comfortable life.

When he meets the waitress Mildred Rogers (Kim Novak) in a restaurant, the shy Philip has a crush on her but she rejects him. Philip stalks Mildred and dates her; however the easy woman scorns him. When Philip proposes Mildred, she tells him that she is going to marry her lover Mille, leaving the brokenhearted Philip obsessed for her. He tries to move on, dating the intellectual Norah Nesbitt (Siobhan McKenna) in an unrequited love. However, when Mildred returns alone and pregnant, Philip lodges her at home.

Sooner Mildred becomes lover of Philip's best friend Griffiths (Jack Hedley) and leaves Philip again. When Philip finds Mildred prostituting on the red light district, he brings Mildred and her baby to live with him. Mildred unsuccessfully tries to seduce Philip but he loathes her. Mildred feels humiliated and wrecks his apartment, and Philip quits the medical school. Meanwhile Philip befriends Thorpe Athelny (Roger Livesey) that introduces his daughter Sally Athelny (Nanette Newman) to him. But Philip is still haunted by his passion for Mildred.

"Of Human Bondage" is an unpleasant romance about unrequited love, betrayal and sexual obsession. I have never read the W. Somerset Maugham's novel but John Cromwell's version of 1934 is better than this 1964 version, with a better development of the whole romance. This 1964 version reduces the whole story to an unrequited romance between Philip Carey and Mildred Rogers and does not emphasize important aspects of the romance. But Kim Novak shines with her beauty and performance, and it is easy to understand why Philip Carey falls in love with Mildred. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Servidão Humana " ("Of Human Bondage")