Review of Unfaithfully Yours (1948) by Michael A — 24 Nov 2009

I sometimes feel as if I'm alone in my love for this film. I'd take it over The Lady Eve any day, and maybe even Sullivan's Travels. Though I know these are not things one is supposed to say in public.

It's an insightful psychological film about male insecurity, jealousy, and hubris that is all sparked by an accident and ends without anyone but the protagonist being aware of the night's drama. It is also a film about the artist's passion and how his art influences his life, and his life his art. All the while it defies studio film expectations and subtly critiques and satires the predictability of standard cinema fare. And as it is written by Preston Sturges, it is also of course full of inimitable wit.

I believe this film was not successful upon its release because it asks more of its audience than most American films of the time. We are expected to keep track of multiple tiers of reality, one film-actual and the other according to the flights of the protagonist's fancy, in which his strength and abilities are both far greater than in actuality and the behavior of his wife and secretary are both fundamentally different. (Indeed, Linda Darnell plays roughly four different characters in this film, all exceedingly well.) Furthermore, this is a potentially rather disturbing film, black-as-pitch and perhaps touching on some taboos and uncomfortable impulses that people didn't want to be confronted with.

People tend to point out the lengthy slapstick sequence as a fault, but I think it works brilliantly. Rex Harrison is not built for this kind of thing, and that's the whole point: the dichotomy between what his character thinks he's capable of and the utter inanity of his attempts to actually carry out his plans is the lynchpin of the film. Because he is a "great man," a conductor, he thinks he can do anything, but in reality in any other area of life he is a child, who needs his wife dearly. She is the strong, committed, and understanding one, which makes her sympathetic as the unfortunate victim of her husband's impressionability, insecurity, and hostility.

Really fascinating and entertaining film, I keep hoping more people see it and feel the same.