BY LOVE POSSESSED
US, 1961, 116 minutes, Colour.
Lana Turner, Efrem Zimbalist Jnr., Jason Robards Jnr., Barbara Bel Geddes, George Hamilton, Susan Kohner, Thomas Mitchell, Yvonne Craig, Everett Sloane.
Directed by John Sturges.
By Love Possessed is a very glossy version of a Peyton Place type novel by James Gould Cozzens. This kind of film was very popular in the decade from the mid-50s to the mid-60s. It would probably now be the material of a miniseries. However, with the success, critically and at the box office, of Peyton Place, this kind of portrait of small town and city lives, sexual mores and relationships tangles, ambition and careers became very popular: The Bramble Bush, Ross Hunter's versions of the Fanny Hurst novels, All The Fine Young Cannibals. Lana Turner, who had appeared in Peyton Place, also appeared in the Ross Hunter films and was to make her mark during this decade as one of the leading stars of this kind of film culminating with a remake of Madame X. The leading men are Efrem Zimbalist Jnr and Jason Robards Jnr with a strong supporting cast including Barbara Bel Geddes and Thomas Mitchell.
The film is soap opera, glossy bestseller look at characters and emotional tangles. Enjoyable at this level.
Direction is by John Sturges who was better known for his action films such as The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape. Elmer Bernstein who scored those action adventures also does the musical score here.
1. The popularity of this kind of glossy bestseller book and film? Its glimpse at a range of characters? its look at the tangles of emotions? The '60s and a growing permissiveness in films?
2. The production values, the Massachusetts town, the strong cast? Colour and musical score?
3. The film as a piece of Americana? 1950s? 1960s style? The small city and its style? Audience expectations?
4.. The focus on Arthur: the good American, the lawyer and the generations, the family and law, Clarissa, Noah, Julius, Marjorie, Warren and Helen? The case and Noah? Warren and approval? Blocking? The rape, the case, the reconciliation? The clash with Clarissa? Marjorie (and the past)? Julius and Noah. reconciliation? Lust and love? Tradition?
5. The portrait of Clarissa: family, expectations, hospital, with Warren? Clashing with Arthur, separation, crisis?
6. Marjorie: spoilt, riding? The hostess? Drinking and making a scene? Divorce questions? Julius and the accident? With Arthur, with Warren and the talking? Revelations concerning Helen? Leaving?
7. Julius and the accident, the two Helens to Marry? The scene, drinking, going away? Noah and the crisis? The ending and solutions?
8. Noah and his age, the law, Helen, money and the truth? Helen and death?
9. Warren: success, expectations, father, Helen, clash, Veronica and the case, with Marjorie, Helen, running away, return?
10. Helen and love, hurt, Noah, the break, death?
11. Veronica and the rape? her mother?
12. The role of the police, of the doctors?
13. The style of life in this Massachusetts town? Typical?
14. Themes of family, tradition? Surface respectability? Expectations? The American way: marriage, work, success? The clash with drinking, violence, sexual relationships? This kind of film as a comment on American values?
