Review of Penny Serenade (1941) by Adrian B — 29 Apr 2012

Sad film in which a couple (Irene Dunne and Cary Grant) meet, marry, and decide to live in Japan. Dunne becomes impregnated and Grant is about to inherit a fortune from a deceased relative as well initiate a newspaper business, in which life for them seems good.

However, that takes a brutal turn in which an earthquake occurs, severely injuring the wife and causing her to miscarriage. This puts the couple in a tragic situation, but soon after they decide to adopt.

After several struggles, they finally obtain a young infant. They have their child for several years, until they lose it to an illness, which then ultimately threatens to destroy the couple's marriage.

I would like to think a situation like this does not occur often, but director George Stevens does a pretty good job of chronicling a couple that are going through significant hardships. Both Grant and Dunne perform quite well.

It is a little slow and overly depressing at times, but it overall, "Penny Serenade" works.