Review of Waterloo Bridge (1940) by Bernard A — 26 Jul 2009

I have to admit that I had a strong bias for the original 1931 version of WATERLOO BRIDGE, a true classic of the pre-code era, prior to watching this remake. I just didn't have very high expectations for this. It turns out that, no - I still don't think it's as great as the original - but it's also not as bad as I thought it would be.

The key for my enjoyment of this film revolves around the main character of Myra (Vivien Leigh), a ballerina dancer. It is WWI era London and during an air raid alert - Myra meets a soldier, Captain Roy Cronin (Robert Taylor). Cronin is immediately smitten with Myra's beauty and he goes out of his way to try to meet up with her again. Myra too is intrigued by the handsome Captain and agrees to see him despite warnings not to do so by Madame Olga (Maria Ouspenskaya), the head of Myra's ballet troupe. They have a sort of whirlwind fling because the Captain is scheduled to be shipped out to war within the next day or two. The next morning Myra espies the Captain standing just outside her rain-streaked window and she becomes as giddy as a school girl...so much so that Myra's roommate, Kitty (Virginia Field) has to help her dress. Some of the better romantic moments happen in this first part of the film.

* WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD *.

My problem with this remake comes to the fore during the next third of the film. Myra, having disobeyed Madam Olga's order not to see the soldier, is summarily dismissed from the troupe. Having come to Myra's defense, Kitty too is fired by Madam Olga. What happens next is what stretches your plausibility threshold. Kitty, then Myra having lost their primary source of income all of a sudden have to resort to streetwalking in order to support themselves. At least in the 1931 original, both Myra & Kitty (if I remember correctly) were already streetwalkers. So this fall from grace - especially by the virginal Myra seems a bit too much to swallow IMO.

...and then the scene when Myra meets Captain Roy's mother, the Lady Margaret (Lucile Watson) at a restaurant. What is left unsaid during the dialogue between the two bothers me somewhat...but I suppose it can be explained as creating "drama". Also, since I knew how the original ended also blunted my enjoyment somewhat for the ending here.

What else is there to say - other than Vivien Leigh was a very beautiful actress and she looked so young here. I couldn't help myself from just staring at her.

8 / 10.