THE DECISION OF CHRISTOPHER BLAKE

US, 1948, 75 minutes. Black and white.
Alexis Smith, Robert Douglas, Ted Donaldson, Cecil Kellaway, John Hoyt, Harry Davenport, Mary Wickes.
Directed by Peter Godfrey.

The Decision of Christopher Blake is a short film about marriage, divorce, the effect on children. It takes a very strong stand against marriage break-up, a strong stand for reconciliation and forgiveness.

The film has very strong credentials: written by Ranald Mac Dougall (writer of such films as We’re No Angels, Mildred Pierce) and photographed by veteran Karl Freund, scored by Max Steiner.

Alexis Smith, twenty-six at the time of the making of the film, plays the mother of a thirteen-year-old with great dignity. Robert Douglas (with his very thin pencil moustache) is the erring husband. Cecil Kellaway is the genial judge who finds a way to test out which parent the young boy wants to go with – as a means of effecting reconciliation. Mary Wickes enjoys herself as the cook (over forty years later she was to be a stand-out in Sister Act).

The film is very much of its period, a Warner Bros drama, directed by veteran Peter Godfrey. In terms of later attitude towards marriage and divorce, it seems to come from a very distant past. However, it is a reminder of the values of marriage, especially as they affect the child. The child is very well played by Ted Donaldson who had only a very short career in films from the mid-40s to 1953.

1. The impact of the film in its time? Marriage, divorce, children? Seen in retrospect of the changes during the 20th century?

2. Warner Bros production, photography, musical score? The cast?

3. The title, the focus on Christopher, the audience understanding his experience of the marriage and the divorce? The skill of Ted Donaldson’s performance?

4. The device of using Christopher’s daydreams, the animation, his place in the daydreams, the place of his parents, of Ruth (with Alexis Smith portraying her as well)? The American president? Marriage and divorce, the other woman... as interpreted through animation for a thirteen-year-old’s mentality?

5. Christopher and his mother, returning from the camp, expecting his father? His disappointment? At home, his laboratory, his enjoying chemical sets? The gifts for his birthday, the new set and the bike? His wanting to go out with his mother to the lawyer? An ordinary boy? The outings with his father – fishing? His love for his father?

6. The picture of Ken and Evelyn, Evelyn as sympathetic, the wounded person? Ken, his arrival, his manner? His story of the relationship with Ruth – expressed in the very proper ways of 1948? Evelyn and her being hurt? The request for divorce? The issue of custody of the boy – and his decision?

7. The visit to the lawyer, acrimonious? Christopher and his being outside, the secretary asking what he felt? His learning the truth? His dismay?

8. Clara, the cook, genial, talking with Christopher? Helping him? Her taking a stand with Evelyn about telling Christopher? Clara appearing in his fantasies, friendly?

9. Christopher and his time with his father? Returning to his mother? The preparation for the court? Each parent talking with him?

10. The judge, benign? The court attendant and his friendliness? The hearing? The judge and his questioning Christopher? Taking him into chambers? Their discussion? The device of having each parent come in, Christopher telling his mother he would choose his father, the mother hearing, after her sadness and willingness to let him go, hearing that he chose to go with his father, his father’s willingness to give him up? The effect on Evelyn of hearing her husband? Going after him? The reconciliation?

11. Credible for 1948? The possibilities of this kind of thing happening in the 21st century?