THE HASTY HEART
UK, 1949, 104 minutes, Black and white.
Richard Todd, Patricia Neal, Ronald Reagan, Orlando Martins, Howard Marion-Crawford?.
Directed by Vincent Sherman.
The Hasty Heart was adapted from a play by John Patrick (Teahouse of the August Moon). The film, as directed by Vincent Sherman, uses the structure of the play, the limited locations and group of characters. However, the film is not excessively stagey.
Set at the end of World War Two in the East, the film focuses on a recovery ward. Patricia Neal is effective as the Sister in Charge. There is a symbolic international group (Digger, Kiwi, Tommy, Yank - and an African who does not speak English except to say the name Blossom). They are asked to receive a cantankerous Scotsman who has only a few weeks to live. The film is a microcosm of the allies and their coping with a post-war situation.
Richard Todd received an Oscar nomination for his role as Lachlan Mc Lachlan. He is excellent - one of his best roles. Ronald Reagan is Yank - and has a good scene where he confronts the Scotsman.
The film focuses on questions of war, injury, death. It also focuses on a small community and the difficulties of interaction.
1. An entertaining film? Dramatic impact? Richard Todd and his Oscar nomination?
2. A popular stage play? Adapted for the screen? Warner Bros. production values? British- American co-production?
3. The glimpse of the war? The aftermath of the war? impact now?
4. The hospital camps, the effects of the war, injuries, the style of the hospital wards? A microcosm of the allies and their interaction? Australian, New Zealander, British, American, African? Friendship and healing? A small United Nations?
5. The situation: war and peace, health and recovery, tensions? The international characters? The getting up in the morning, the welcoming of Lachy, jokes, fights, photos, the questions about the kilt and what was worn underneath, the birthday? Hopes and dreams?
6. The title and Lachy's quoting it - hasty in anger, emotion and sorrow? Lachy as a cantankerous Scot, the experience of the war, his recovering from the operation, his resentment at being kept, his not knowing the truth? His being put in the ward? The background of his hard life, the loner, suspicious, the clashes and his verbal abuse? The exasperated reactions? The birthday and the gifts and his melting, the kilt, his speech? His being touched? Sister Barker's kiss? His proposal? Talking, sharing his life, discovering friendship? His being told the truth about his health? His reaction of bitterness, resentment against owing others anything, reaction against pity? His option to go back to Scotland? His being hurt and rejected? His anger? Throwing Blossom's necklace away? The reaction of the men, his breaking down and weeping, begging to return, reconciliation? The quality of his speeches, feeling? The reality of his illness, not wanting to face death alone?
7. Sister Barker and her efficiency, sympathy, control over the men, authority? Lachy's situation, arranging the birthday party, enjoying it, the photos, her kiss, her response to the proposal of marriage, her reaction to Lachy's disillusionment, her speeches to persuade him of the truth?
8. Yank and his style the spokesman for the group, his exasperation at Lachy, offers of friendship, devices for the birthday party, the photos, his bearing the brunt of Lachy's reaction, the device of taking the photos to help Lachy decide to stay? The other members of the group - their national backgrounds, banter amongst each other, hopes and dreams of returning home?
9. The authorities, the medical personnel, the question of telling the ill man about his illness? The final telling of the truth and its repercussions?
10. The personnel and the running of the camp - the humorous waking up sequence?
11. Themes of war, men in war, the variety of backgrounds, hard lives, dreams, frustrations, friendships and betrayal? Death and loneliness?
