THE CLOCK
US, 1945, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Judy Garland, Robert Walker, Jams Gleason, Lucile Gleason, Keenan Wynn, Marshall Thompson, Chester Clute.
Directed by Vincente Minnelli.
The Clock is a very pleasing war romance and gives a very fine performance from Judy Garland and this is matched by the sensitivity of Robert Walker. He plays a soldier on leave in New York, a nice and naive young man in the big city. He accidentally encounters her and they spend some time together, gradually falling in love, having a great deal of difficulty to get a marriage licence and then only after a short time together he goes back to the war. The film was Judy Garland's only dramatic role amongst her many musicals at M.G.M. She was to show later in A Star Is Born her capacity for dramatic acting. Robert Walker was to have a very short career. The film was directed by Vincente Minnelli who had directed Judy Garland in Meet Me In St. Louis and was soon to become her husband. (The film had been started by Fred Zinnemann but he and Judy Garland could not work together.) Somewhat dated but still has great feeling and appeal.
1. An entertaining and moving love story? The title and its symbol? Love, relationships? Time? War and time?
2. The conventions of the love story? The introduction of hero, heroine, their meeting? Contrivance? Realism? The development of the love story, friendship and companionship, shared experiences? Marriage? How conventional a love story? Differences? Quality?
3. The black and white photography, New York City as a character of the film? Streets, buildings, offices, homes, apartments? The environment of the station for the beginning and ending? The musical score?
4. How plausible was the plot? Army leave, sudden falling in love, marriage, departure for war? Wartime romances and their credibility? Genuineness, future? How persuasive was this story?
5. Joe and his background, coming from the country, his asking people the sights of the city and their answers? His loneliness? The chance encounter with Alice? Their sharing experiences together, the bond between the two, her continually going away and his following her - especially in the bus? Meeting under the clock and her being late? The happy evening? The possibility of marriage? The discussions with the Henry family? The humorous encounters e.g. with the drunk? The decision about the marriage, the rush against time and seeing so many people, persuading people to give them the licence, the health certificate etc.? The unromantic nature of the wedding, the church ceremony and their being present? The evening together, the tenderness of the breakfast sequence? His farewell and going off to war? Robert Walker's presence, style, sensitivity?
6. Judy Garland as Alice? From the country, enjoying her work in New York, the chance encounter with heel, showing him the sights, discussion, the enjoyable afternoon -the museum? His chasing her on the bus? Her discussion with her room-mate and Bill? Finally deciding to go to see him? The bond together? Mr. and Mrs. Henry? The ordinary things done - taxi rides, walking the streets? The decision about the marriage and its effect on her, the hurry and the desperation? The flatness of the ceremony itself? The church ceremony and their meal afterwards? The night, the morning and her getting Joe's breakfast? The simplicity of his going away and her being lost in the crowd? The authenticity of her character?
7. The contribution of the minor characters - the drunk, taxi-driver, Mr. and Mrs. Henry, the officials at City Hall, the helps for the health certificate etc.?
8. Alice's girlfriend and her incessant talking, advice, Bill and his silence? Characters or caricatures? The contrast with Alice and Joe?
9. The film's gentle exploration of falling in love, the qualities that attracted each of the characters, the decision to marry and its wisdom, the desperation, the sentiment of the church ceremony, the awkwardness of the meal? The tenderness of the breakfast sequence? The feeling of the ending? A satisfying romantic film?
