I MET MY LOVE AGAIN

US, 1938, 77 minutes, Black and white.
Joan Bennett, Henry Fonda, Alan Marshall, Dame May Whitty, Tim Holt.
Directed by Joshua Logan, Arthur Ripley.

1 Met My Love Again is a brief rueful romantic melodrama of the late '30s. It is a bit more melancholic than others of its kind. Henry Fonda portrays a naive young student forced to become a bit more worldly wise. Joan Bennett is the impetuous heroine. Alan Marshall is the charming ne'er-do-well and Dame May Whitty is the sympathetic aunt. The film was co-directed by Joshua Logan who was to have such success on Broadway with musicals and directed film versions of Picnic, South Pacific, Camelot.

1. Entertaining romantic melodrama? Of its time? Now?

2. The atmosphere of the '20s and 1930s? America? Paris? Musical score? The stars?

3. The title and its significance? The focus on Julie? Her relationship with Ives? The infatuation with Michael and its consequences? Meeting Ives again?

4. The focus on Julie, her youthfulness, impetuosity, romantic attachment to Ives, the engagement, the encounter with Michael Shaw after being lost in the snow, being captivated by him, jilting Ives, the marriage? The ten years in Paris? The party round with Michael? Her daughter and her love for her? The poverty? The opportunity to return to America? The reunion with Aunt Williams? The suspicions of Ives' mother and sister? The encounter with Ives? His erratic behaviour, especially with Brenda Lane? Michael's reaction? The difficulties, Brenda's false suicide attempt - and Julie’s driving her at speed to tell the truth?, The final reconciliation with Ives?

5. Ives as a Henry Fonda character? His quoting the Song of Songs? His knowledge of biology? The academic? His being hurt by Julie’s leaving? His boring lectures? Growing older? Henpecked by his mother? Sister and brother-in-law? Julie's return, his encounter with her at the fishing hole? Brenda Lane forcing herself on him? Her behaviour in class? Budge and his reactions? The dance, out all night? The final confrontation and the attempted suicide by Brenda? Reconciliation with Julie?

6. Aunt Williams and her looking after Julie, sympathy, hurt at Julie’s departure, sending the money, the reconciliation? Her being sick -and recovering on Julie’s return? Her maid? The clash with Ives' mother and sister?

7. Brenda Lane and her infatuation with Ives, behaviour in class, outings, forcing herself upon Ives, manipulating, the suicide-attempt? The confrontation with Julie - and the speed driving? Budge and his antagonism towards Ives, love for Brenda? Reconciliation?

8. Themes of youthfulness, love and infatuation, romantic idealism, reality? The author who is the ne'er-do-well - and the impetuosity of the shooting match and his death? Parisian life? The contrast with the realism and the melodrama of the United States?