LeonardKniffel Review of Madame Curie

Madame Curie (1943)

Greer Garson Is Luminous--So to Speak--as Polish-French Discoverer of Radium

[10/10 · 5 September 2016]

I've watched a lot of Hollywood films with an eye for those that feature Polish or Polish-American characters. Paris in the early part of the last century is the backdrop for this beautiful love story starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon, released in 1943 as World War II raged in Europe. My favorite parts are the references to Poland and the stubborn Polishness that made Marie Skłodowska one of the greatest scientists who ever lived. If you've never seen a Greer Garson film, or haven't seen one lately, she is one of the most beautiful and talented actresses Hollywood ever produced, and totally under- appreciated today. Listen for these lines: "She's a very obstinate girl," says Pierre Curie to his mother. "Well, after all, Poland is her home," the mother explains.