L'ennemie bien-aimée

What happens when the leader of the Irish rebellion meets the daughter of an English nobleman? Well, when it's the passionate Merle Oberon and the ridiculously handsome Brian Aherne, they fall in love. In Beloved Enemy, you'll find a forbidden romance among the turmoil of war, similar to Romeo and Juliet. Just as in all classic romances, you can probably guess what will happen, but if you choose to watch this one, you won't be watching it for the plot twists. You'll be watching it for the eye candy, ladies, or because your girlfriend is forcing you to, gents. It is very fun, though, for voluntary watchers, because it has all the elements of a doomed, classic romance.

As you might suspect, since this is a movie about Irish people, Donald Crisp is one of the supporting characters, adding responsibility and gravity to the Irish cause. A young Jerome Cowan shines as one of the Irish rebels, and David Niven is the "designated friend" of Merle. I'd recommend this one, although it doesn't reach the heights of Duel in the Sun, because sometimes, us ladies just can't get enough dramatic love. And when you get to watch Brian's gorgeous face for ninety minutes, you're in for a great time!

This is a fine film depicting the fictitious love affair between an English Lady and an Irish rebel leader in the 1920s. Merle Oberon gives an endearing performance as Lady Helen, who coincidentally meets Dennis Riordan (played by Brian Aherne) under false pretenses. They should have been enemies. She represented everything their respective sides were fighting against. But her charms beguiled him and when they each realize they are falling in love with the enemy, it is too late.

This is a story of star-crossed lovers, each having to decide between their moral convictions and a true love that may never come again. Brian Aherne is charismatic as the clever rebel leader. Henry Stephenson is perfect as Lord Athleigh, Helen's tough but wise father, sent to Dublin to settle the Irish uprising one way or another. David Niven is splendid in a supporting role as Gerald Preston, assistant to Lord Athleigh, only a year before he is to wow audiences as Captain von Tarlenheim in "The Prisoner of Zenda".

Although this is a love story, there is plenty of action and intrigue involving the hunt for Riordan and the rebels by the English.

If you like Merle Oberon, don't miss her in "The Divorce of Lady X" or "Wuthering Heights", both with Sir Laurence Olivier.

Leave it to Sam Goldlwyn (and associates) to turn the Troubles of 1920 into a typical Hollywood melodrama and soapy love story. This is truly a curiosity, right up there with John Howard Lawson's BLOCKADE—the one about the Spanish Civil War. Whenever Hollywood touched controversial political subjects like this one there was always a chance that one side or other of the box-office might be offended. Therefore, we are never quite certain what the Irish want, other than Brian Aherne wanting Merle Oberon (and who can blame him), but somehow the message is clear that if an Irish rebel Romeo and an English lady Juliet had managed to wiggle themselves into a peace conference things might have worked out better for both sides. This is a lavish production, lit glamorously by the great Greg Toland with lots of moody sets build on the Goldwyn Formosa Street lot, and the usual collection of expatriated English and Irish character actors. The great Irish actor and Abbey Theater member, Dennis O'Dea, has a small part as one of the rebels. He was later to seen in a similar role in ODD MAN OUT. All-American Jerome Cowan, best remembered as a wise-cracking best friend or reporter, makes his screen appearance here wearing a cap cocked on his head as he uses an odd Irish accent.

This is not a true story, although it is highly inspired by the Irish liberation war and conveys well enough the sentiments and main structure and development of the difficult struggle, where the most sensible ones were the most prone to get killed by fanatics for being diplomatic. The character this film makes you think of is Michael Collins, who described about the same development of character as Brian Aherne does, but Michael Collins was ultimately killed by his own. Here the drama is soothed and balanced by the lovely Merle Oberon, who was not too famous yet but the more enchanting for her youth, seconded by the equally youthful David Niven in the most important supporting part and making a very elegant and gentlemanly impression. The drama is very Irish, you have seen these problems and passions of fanatics and freedom fighters in almost every Irish film, and they are all of outstanding power and interest for their drama and fervent pathos. This is just one of a large number of all those Irish freedom passion plays, while all the best ones are more tragic. Here Merle Oberon gets the better of the tragedy.

I admit it. I gave this film a 10 for purely subjective reasons. I love the sound, the look and the emotional content of the two stars. Brian Aherne was so very beautiful that he is quite literally stunning. Merle Oberon was never lovelier. The sound, the dialog, the vocabulary. Wow. They had faces and voices then and they had grace. If one compares the sheer heart of these performances, these scripts with the current crop, one could weep. A profound thank you for this film, even with the fictionalized ending. Lovely. Truly memorable in every meaning of that word even if the 10 is a bit of an exaggeration, it is only a very slight one. Lovely.