The Blue Veil *** (1951, Jane Wyman, Charles Laughton, Joan Blondell, Richard Carlson, Agnes Moorehead) – Classic Movie Review 12,464

Curtis Bernhardt’s 1951 black and white tear-jerker film The Blue Veil is based on a story by François Campaux, and stars Jane Wyman, Charles Laughton, Joan Blondell.

‘Who is the real Mother of this Child? The woman who gave it life… or the woman who gave it love?’

Director Curtis Bernhardt’s 1951 black and white American historical romance drama tear-jerker film The Blue Veil is based on a story by François Campaux, and stars Jane Wyman, Charles Laughton, Joan Blondell, Richard Carlson, and Agnes Moorehead, along with Don Taylor, Audrey Totter, Everett Sloane, Cyril Cusack, Natalie Wood, Vivian Vance, and Philip Ober.

Jane Wyman stars as Louise [LouLou] Mason, who loses her husband and baby in World War One and selflessly devotes her life to nursing and caring for other people’s sick children, starting with factory-owner Frederick K Begley (Charles Laughton)’s son, and later Annie Rawlins (Joan Blondell)’s daughter Stephanie (Natalie Wood). Luckily, when LouLou grows old and loses all her money, one of her former little ones is there to reciprocate the favour.

There are tears all the way in the four-hankie romantic-drama weepie, with Wyman credibly sticking out her noble chin, only to have it put out of joint by a great gallery of star support players, including Laughton, one of Hollywood’s most notable upstagers, who first falls for Wyman, but, when rejected, marries his plain secretary Alicia Torgersen (Vivian Vance} instead. It’s that kind of pat, smug and convenient sort of film, portraying a hard life without any real knocks.

Wyman swung an Oscar nomination, but it’s the support players that are the film’s mainstay.

It was originally a French film, Le Voile Bleu (1942), directed by Jean Stelli and starring Gaby Morlay, Elvire Popesco and André Alerme.

Blue veils were once worn by governesses and nannies, to distinguish them from medical nurses in white veils.

An uncredited Busby Berkeley directed the musical sequence in which Joan Blondell sings ‘Daddy’ (Written by Bobby Troup).

The screenplay is by Norman Corwin, based on a story by François Campaux, It is made by Wald/Krasna Productions, released by RKO Radio Pictures, shot by Franz Planer, and scored by Franz Waxman.

It premiered in Los Angeles on September 5, 1951 and was released on October 26, 1951.

Running time 113 minutes

Wyman won a Best Actress Oscar for Johnny Belinda (1948), and was also nominated for The Yearling (1946), The Blue Veil (1951) and Magnificent Obsession (1954).

The cast are Jane Wyman as LouLou Mason, Charles Laughton as Frederick K Begley, Joan Blondell as Annie Rawlins, Richard Carlson as Jerry Kean, Agnes Moorehead as Fleur Palfrey, Carleton G Young as Henry Palfrey, Audrey Totter as Helen Williams, Cyril Cusack as Frank Hutchins, Natalie Wood as Stephanie Rawlins, Vivian Vance as Alicia Torgersen, Dan O’Herlihy as Hugh Williams, Don Taylor as Dr Robert Palfrey, Everett Sloane as District Attorney, Alan Napier as Professor George Carter, Lisa Golm as Elsa, Philip Ober, Warner Anderson, Les Tremayne, Dan Seymour, Harry Morgan, Gary Jackson, Dee Pollack, and Gregory Marshall.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,464

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