Review of East Side, West Side (1949) by Cli O — 25 Oct 2007

This one really took me by surprise; it's well worth the watch. Barbara Stanwyck is superb here as the long-suffering wife of James Mason, the playboy who claims to love her, but cannot seem to stop chasing other women -- especially Ava Gardner.

This might be Stanwyck's best acting job I've seen so far. It's very understated. You feel sorry for her, but she never overplays the victim role. She is too strong to do that, by far. The biggest surprise for me, however, is Van Heflin.

If this were a performance battle between him and James Mason, Heflin would clearly be the winner. Too bad he didn't have a greater career. The man can really deliver lines. As a side note, Cyd Charisse does not dance in this one.

Still, she is wonderful. A very fine actress on top of her dancing prowess.