TO EACH HIS OWN

US, 1946, 122 minutes, Black and white.
Olivia de Havilland, Mary Anderson, Roland Culver, John Lund, Philip Terry, Frank Faylen.
Directed by Mitchell Leisen.

To Each His Own has a familiar story, a story from the melodramatic past. The period of unwed mothers, adoptions, separation of mothers and their love of their children from afar – the basic plot of many films, especially the classic Stella Dallas.

Olivia de Havilland won her first Oscar for her performance as the young girl who is an unwed mother from an itinerant pilot in 1916. She was to win another Oscar for her performance in the adaptation of Henry James’ Washington Square, The Heiress, in 1949.

Olivia de Havilland had a strong screen presence as well as a sweet screen presence. After several action adventures with Errol Flynn, Captain Blood, The Charge of the Light Brigade, she appeared as Melanie, all sweetness and light, in Gone With The Wind. She continued her long career with romantic stories and melodramas during the 1940s moving to character roles in the 1950s. She continued a long career appearing in a number of telemovies. Her leading man is John Lund, generally a solid if not stolid screen presence in many films, who was introduced in this film.

The film could be described as a weepy – the love of a mother for her child, given away young, watching the child develop from afar.

The film was written by Charles Brackett, usually a writer of stronger material, a former theatre critic of the New York Times who collaborated in Hollywood for twelve films with Billy Wilder including Sunset Boulevard. The film was directed by Mitchell Leisen, noted as a director of romances whose significant films include Midnight, Frenchman’s Creek, Lady in the Dark.

1. The impact of the film, in the mid-forties, now? For what audience was the film made and why?

2. The significance of the title? The style of the credits? Black and white photography, music? A vehicle for Olivia de Havilland?

3. The atmosphere of the post-war period? War and peace in theme? The post-war treatment?

4. The initial impact of meeting Miss Norris and the introduction to her? Her vigorous style and audience response to her sharp personality? What kind of character did she seem to be? Her hardness? The explanation of her as the type who worked while others enjoyed themselves?

5. The significance of her meeting with Lord Tesham? What kind of man was he? The encounter at the air raid shelter, his accident and Miss Norris' help? Their dinner? His telling his story and Miss Norris refusing? Audience curiosity aroused?

6. The flashback technique? The variety of character for Olivia de Havilland? The superimposition of her younger face on her older face and vice versa? The dramatic impact of the flashbacks?

7. What kind of person was Jodie? Her relationship to her father, her work in the shop, her life in the town, the first World War atmosphere, her romantic attitudes and dreams? The number of suitors she had? The contrast with Corinne? The detail of her style of life in the town?

8. The importance of the emphasis on planes? Hearing the sound and the impact of the flyer and the war bond effort? Cosgrove as a personality? His attitude towards war? Towards propaganda? Towards people? The townspeople fawning on him? His hurt, talk with Jodie? His falling in love with her and vice versa during the dance? The significance of their flight? The talk about the shortness of time for love? How convincing was the consummation of love, especially on Jodie*s part? The repercussions of the baby? The news of his death? The use of conventional soap opera material and its use here? Was it well used, conventionally, transformed into something
better?

9. Jodie’s father and his response to the baby? His support of her? The visits to the doctor and the confinement? The contriving of the baby's being found?

10. The dramatic impact of the disappointment when the baby was claimed by Corinne? Jodie seeing it as a kind of retribution? Her involvement with the family, her nursing her son? her growing attachment to him?

ll. Was she right to reveal the truth? The fighting that ensued? The break-up of the marriage? Did she have a right to be the mother to her son? What is the nature of motherhood? bearing the child, or bringing it up and being present in its growth?

12. The contrast of style with Jodie's life in New York? With the bootleggers and the police? Taking over the firm and succeeding? her growing wealth, expansion to England? Arranging visits to see her son, outings? Her blackmail in getting her son? The revelation of the truth and its effect on her?

13. How courageous was she in renouncing her son? The bitter effects on her personality?

14. The impact of seeing her son again during World War Two? Audience response to him, in view of the flashbacks? The fact that John Lund played father and son? How did the audience share Jodie's joy in seeing her son and providing for him? Did the audience want him to know the truth?

15. How convincing were the fairytale aspects and Lord Tesham's intervention? The war atmosphere and things happening strangely? Jodie compensating for her past? Lord Tesham showing his love for Jodie?

16. Was the sequence of the revealing of the truth emotionally satisfying?

17. How true were the characters in the film? How important the values explored? The humanity of the film? Its insight into love, marriage, family, wealth, bitterness? The meaning of life?