ONE DESIRE
US, 1955, 94 minutes, Colour.
Anne Baxter, Rock Hudson, Julie Adams, Carl Benton Reid, Natalie Wood, Barry Curtis.
Directed by Jerry Hopper.
One Desire is rather lavish costume melodrama. The setting is 1900 in Oklahoma Territory. The film focuses on a young boy, Barry Curtis, who runs away to Oklahoma to find his brother, Clint, a gambler played by Rock Hudson. Clint works in a casino which is part of a brothel managed by Anne Baxter.
However, the film is about trials and tribulations of the madam, who decides that she wants to go straight and moves with Hudson and the boy away from her past life. Needless to say, it catches up with her in the form of Julie Adams portraying a woman who seems respectable but wants to take Clint away from the madam. However, the madam adopts an orphan, played by Natalie Wood who, at this stage, was on the verge of adult stardom with Rebel Without a Cause.
The film in many ways is the standard fare produced lavishly in the mid-50s. Anne Baxter had already a substantial career and an Oscar for The Razor’s Edge as well as her striking performance in All About Eve. Rock Hudson was emerging as a top star at Universal with such films as Magnificent Obsession and he was soon to make Giant.
The film was directed by Jerry Hopper who made a number of standard comedies and action adventures in the mid-50s.
1. The reasons for popularity of this kind of Americana? Costume, 19th century soap opera?
2. The appeal of soap operas and romances for audiences? The use of colour, costumes lush backgrounds and music etc.? Realistic?
3. The significance of the title, its meaning and application to each character?
4. How interesting a portrait of Tacy Cromwell? The strengths of her character? The weaknesses? The importance of her being a woman? This as a portrait of a woman? Her bad life, fate being against her and luck? Her successes her aims and ambitions? The role of good and bad in her life? Fate and the control of her own life?
5. Comment on her strengths of character: her forcefulness, survival, devotion to Clint? Her business acumen? Her response to Nugget? To Seeley? Her desire to be a mother? Her setting up household and giving her love and devotion? The fulfilment of a need?
6. Comment on her weaknesses: the background of her early life and mistakes, love girlishness? The possessiveness of her love, the quality of jealousy? The weakness in running away without word? Staying away? Her vengeful vindictiveness and its results? How admirable a character and a woman?
7. The importance of the contrast with Judith? How respectable was Judith? How selfish and possessive, in comparison with Tacy? Her lack of scruple in investigating Tacy and using documentation, while pretending to be sympathetic? Her hold over Clint? Her final weakness without her father? Her imposing on the children? Her vindictiveness against Tacy and the Pink Palace? Did she deserve her death by fire?
8. The picture of womanhood in Seeley? Her reaction to being an orphan around the town. her breaking the window etc.? Her becoming dependent on Tacy? Growth in love? Development as a girl? The importance of the court scene and the children remaining with Tacy? Her growing up and resenting Judith? Her running away and her discussion with Tacy about the meaning of life and success? The significance of her return home?
9. The women were presented strongly in the film. How strongly were the men presented? Clint as a hero the gambling hero with charm? His weaknesses and ambitions? His selfishness and use of other people, example Judith and her father, the banker? His love for Tacy and yet subordinate to his ambitions? His use of his skills in the bank? The reaction to Tacy's departure? His concern? His duty in marrying Judith? His disillusionment with her? The effect of her death on him?
10. The contribution of the character of the Senator? Especially his deathbed scene and explanation of Judith? The contribution of Mrs. O'Dell and her support of Tacy?
11. The film's focus on children, families, orphans, love?
12. How accurate and interesting a portrait of the American West, the 19th century, the world of saloons, banks, ambitions, senators etc.? What values did the film stand, for traditional values traditional understanding of right and wrong, good and evil, appearances and reality?
