Moviecut—Claudia

source: Claudia

Claudia

I'm not sure why I was disappointed with this film. Maybe because it was too stage-y or maybe it was Dorothy McGuire's performance or maybe it was because, when you get right down to it, the 3 basic themes of the film have all been handled better in other films. To me, the script seemed contrived. Robert Young's performance is the opposite of Dorothy McGuire's - she is unconvincing and overacts at every opportunity (and there were lots of opportunities), while he gave a nice, nuanced performance filled with genuine emotion. I found Ms. McGuire's character and performance annoying to the nth degree. Had this film not gotten good reviews, I never would have watched it all the way through. The best scenes were when Ina Claire and Robert Young were interacting. Maybe it's a chick film and that's why I didn't find myself enjoying it as much as I anticipated.

Claudia is a child bride whose insecurity and inexperience nearly destroy her idyllic marriage to an older man. During the course of the film, Claudia is forced to mature and to learn what makes a marriage between two adults. What makes this film special is the luminous portrayal of Dorothy McGuire in her film debut. Her beauty and sweetness have remained in my mind for over forty years, when I first saw this movie on TV. For students of social history, the 1940's setting also gives us a glimpse of marriage and social customs sixty years ago. But the real reason to see this film and its sequel, Claudia and David, is McGuire. I can compare her beauty only with that of the young Maria Schell.

This film starts off as a free-spirited comedy with Dorothy McGuire again in Connecticut. Remember how the latter state would form the basis 4 years later in the Oscar winning film, "Gentleman's Agreement." I wonder how many people realized that the same theme music was played in both these films. Did 20th Century-Fox have a patent on that beautiful theme music? This time, Claudia is rather immature living on a newly purchased farm in Connecticut with husband Robert Young. We see some ridiculous scenes where a writer, Reginald Gardiner, who has rented the shack next to the farm, gives McGuire a kiss just when Young walks in. We witness a nutty opera singer who desperately wants to buy the place and belts out loud singing. The film takes a sudden turn to the more dramatic when McGuire learns that she is pregnant, but at the same time that her mother is terminally ill. She has a lot of growing up to do real fast. Ina Claire is wonderful as the resolute terminal mother.

I saw this film many years ago and remembered nearly all of it. It was a real treat to see it again. Dorothy McGuire recreates her stage role in a wonderful screen debut as Claudia, the guileless child bride of Robert Young. Her naiveté gets her into some difficulty with an amorous neighbor (Reginald Gardiner) and her attachment to her ailing mother (Ina Claire) is a concern to her husband. McGuire and Young make a charming screen couple - she is all energy and he is more deadpan - it's a nice contrast, and the two characters are obviously very much in love. Ina Claire turns in a warm and touching performance as Claudia's mother. McGuire sparkles in this role, particularly in the transition when Claudia is forced to grow up almost overnight. Of course, she went on to have a great career that spanned nearly 50 years in film. It's easy to see why when you watch "Claudia." This was followed by a sequel, "Claudia and David."