SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR
US, 1952, 89 minutes, Black and white.
Ray Milland, Joan Fontaine, Teresa Wright, Richard Derr, Douglas Dick.
Directed by George Stevens.
Something To Live For is polished soap opera of the '50s. George Stevens, noted for fine dramas and action adventures in the '30s and '40s, moved to such films as A Place in the Sun and Giant (winning Oscars for both) and The Diary of Anne Frank and The Greatest Story Ever Told in later decades. This brief film comes between A Place in the Sun and Shane. While it deals with alcoholism, its brief running time offers opportunity for the barest and most glossy of presentations. The strength of the cast carries the film as interesting entertainment while it is screening. Joan Fontaine gives a good performance in the central role. Teresa Wright is once again the sympathetic wife and Ray Milland is the ex-alcoholic trying to help - he did much better, of course, in his Oscar-winning role as an alcoholic in Billy Wilder's The Long Weekend. There is a musical score by Victor Young. A footnote to the career of director George Stevens.
1. The effect of the film as entertainment, melodrama, problem drama - Hollywood style? The '50s? Treatments now?
2. Hollywood production values: black and white photography, gloss? The star cast? The Victor Young score and its romantic theme?
3. The brief treatment of a social and personal problem, emotional treatment? The New York setting, theatre world, advertising, affluent? Audiences able to identify with it?
4. Audience response to alcoholism and problems? The treatment of such problems in films in the '40s and '50s? Causes, the nature of the problem, effects, help, Alcoholics Anonymous? Society and its attitude towards drink? The vressure on drinkers - restaurants. bars, parties, social and peer pressure?
5. Joan Fontaine's performance as Jenny: the initial impact, her reaction to Alan, his taking her to dinner, the need to telephone him, her failing in the play. the chance meeting and her disappointment with him, the appointment in the Egyptian Room and the chance encounter with his son, the party and her seeing Edna? The manoeuvres at the party to save each from drinking? The breaking up with Alan? Billy and his help? Tony and his cruelty to Jenny at the party? Her new part. success? Her fears before the opening? Alan helping her to the theatre? The final performance? The repetition of the scenes of dialogue from the Egyptian Room? A sketch of a fearful woman and her alcoholism?
6. Alan and the background of his drinking. A.A.? The suggestions of the effect of the drink - the visual picture of the bottles like a sky scene of New York? The focus on bottles, drinks? His relationship with Billy and his being called to help Jenny? His techniques for helping her. making her eat and not drink? The effect on him on his return home, the strained relationship with Edna? The criticism of his work at the office? His reaction, waiting for the dinner, the temptation to drink, the phone calls, Jenny meeting him and seeing him with the drink? Edna's fears? His moods and their changing with Jenny's response? The Egyptian Room and his son finding him there? The party and his shielding Jenny? His growing moroseness? Meeting Jenny at the station? Helping her to the theatre at the end? The reconciliation with Edna? An effective portrait of a tormented man?
7. Edna as the loving and faithful wife, her continued fear that Alan would revert to drinking, pregnancy, her poised patience in the situation, sympathy towards Jenny, the play?
8. Tony and his attitudes towards Jenny, abusing her, using her, humiliating her?
9. The advertising world and the pressures - and the satire on sex for advertising? The comments on Alan's drinking?
10. Billy and his elevator-driving, concern about Jenny - a good friend?
11. The set pieces to illustrate the pressures on alcoholics? The play within the film - and its rather turgid melodramatic lines?
12. The style and elegance brought to the filming of the screenplay? Insight in a brief melodrama?
