Jane Russell

Louis Hayward

Faith Domergue

Marie Wilson

Kent Taylor

Penny Singleton

Louise Beavers

Connie Gilchrist

Cora Witherspoon

Norman Lloyd

Steve Brodie

Richard Bailey

Robert Holton

Peter Garey

William Moss

William Murphy

Leigh Whipper

Walter Baldwin

Harry Barris

James Burke

Jimmie Dodd

Ben Hall

Cordell Hickman

George Meader

Gerald Mohr

William Newell

Harry Strang

James Flavin

Charles Ferguson

Jessie Arnold

Margaret Bert

George Lloyd

Thomas Martin

Chet Brandenburg

Larry Steers

James Conaty

Edward Biby

Charles Sullivan

John Kelly

Dick Wessel

Edwin L. Marin

Margaret Buell Wilder

Richard Macaulay

Clarissa Fairchild Cushman

Ruth Nordli

John M. Foley

Natalie Visart

Hunt Stromberg

Nicolai Remisoff

James E. Newcom

Carmen Dragon

Lee Garmes

Ralph Hallenbeck

Max Bertisch

Ern Westmore

Harold Godsoe

William H. Lynch

Daniel Keefe

Drama

Young Widow

United Artists

Hunt Stromberg Productions

United States of America

CinemaSerf

This film boasts two strong performances from Jane Russell and Louis Hayward. The former, a young widow still coming to terms with the death of her husband; the latter, a man she encounters on a train - and one who falls for her immediately. She is less than impressed! What ensues is a characterful romantic cat and mouse, but with a bit more depth. There is a poignancy to the grief of "Joan". It isn't a "woe is me" style grief, but Russell's portrayal delivers a glimpse of the sincerity of a character torn between her past and her future. Hayward foils this light melancholia perfectly. His cock-sure persona makes us grimace at times, but it's clear from fairly early on that he is the ying to her yang, she just has to believe it. There are a couple of decent supporting efforts that allow us to come up fo air - Marie Wilson as the femme fatale "Mac"; Cora Witherspoon as well meaning ("Aunt Emeline") and Louise Beavers as the cook who manages to inject some common sense and humour into it all. There's no denying it can be slow, and quite sluggish in parts. Russell is still finding her feet in front of the camera, and it proves too difficult for Edward Marin to sustain the intensity at times, but it's an enjoyable watch that gives us fair warning of what to expect from Jane Russell...

English