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Ever in My Heart More at IMDbPro »

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25 out of 31 people found the following review useful:

A Treasure

Author: jhnhnngn from USA
12 July 2002

No actress was ever more beautiful than Barbara Stanwyck in this film. Corny as can be, but I could watch it a thousand times. I wanted to show it in my American History class but don't know where to rent it. I was born in 1948 and this pix made me fall in love with a woman born in 1905 or 1907, and who has been dead 10 years. This is a real American treasure.

12 out of 13 people found the following review useful:

Stanwyck breaks our heart -- again

Author: Fred_Rap from Los Angeles, CA
27 January 2010

This poignant and graceful doomed-love weeper deals with a facet of American history rarely explored. In a beautifully restrained performance, Barbara Stanwyck plays a Daughter of the American Revolution who marries gentle German immigrant Otto Kruger. Upon the outbreak of the First World War, they become victimized by anti-German sentiments.

With tasteful understatement and an unusual attention to period detail, director Archie L. Mayo paints a vivid tableau of social intolerance that must have been quite daring in its time (the scars of the Great War were still fresh in '33). The writers, unfortunately, couldn't resist a nosedive into Mata Hari-like spy machinations, an eleventh hour plot contrivance that strikes an indelicate note. Even so, the film's quiet sensitivity stays with you long after.

With Ralph Bellamy (as the inevitable jilted boyfriend), Ruth Donnelly, Laura Hope Crews, and Clara Blandick.

8 out of 8 people found the following review useful:

Uneven Melodrama Shows Some Unflattering History

Author: henri sauvage from nashville, tn
17 April 2011

The First World War saw the debut not only of new military technology, but also new weapons of psychological warfare. It was the first war fought with means of mass persuasion as well as mass production. To get the American public in the proper fighting spirit for their inevitable entry into the war, the authorities deliberately and uncritically passed along British propaganda which wildly exaggerated or just plain fabricated German atrocities. (Sadly for all concerned, real German acts of brutality, especially in the conquered Low Countries, gave this propaganda an air of plausibility.)

It's unfortunate that, given its time and circumstances, this movie can only hint at the pervasive ugliness of these manufactured images of the gleefully nun-raping, baby-bayoneting "Bestial Hun", and the vicious persecution it inspired against German immigrants.

Though the glimpses it does show are often harrowing, as the story tracks the collapse of the blissful marriage between a professor (Otto Kruger) from Germany who teaches at a small college, and his American wife (Barbara Stanwyck), under the pressure of the growing hatred and intolerance they face from almost everyone around them. Even if the plot's predictable and the final twist is pretty contrived, and with few exceptions the acting and direction are about what you'd expect from a time when talking pictures were only four years old, I still have to give Warner Brothers some credit simply for having made a film -- even a low-budget "weeper" like this -- showing at least in some small way how war can corrode our humanity on the home front, too.

The other major thing this picture has going for it from my point of view is, of course, Barbara Stanwyck: In the moments when she subtly transcends what could otherwise have been just another mawkish, pedestrian melodrama, you can clearly see a great actress who's just beginning to hit her stride. She even manages to make the somewhat over-the-top final moments watchable, if not quite believable.

5 out of 6 people found the following review useful:

A film that history teachers like me adore...

Author: planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida
23 April 2011

For a retired history teacher, there sure is a lot to love about this film. "Ever in My Heart" discusses one of the big secrets of twentieth century American history. Few today realize that during WWI, there was a serious backlash against Germans living in the United States. This is odd, as through most of the war, Americans were roughly divided in half between those who supported the Central Powers (including the Germans) and the Allied Powers--and the average American just wanted us to stay out of the conflict. Yet, in a case o political and newspaper jingoism, the country went from very neutral (in 1916 Wilson's re-election campaign motto was "he kept us out of the war") to declaring war only three months later! And, at the same time, the pub went insane--and often persecuted anyone of German heritage--roughly 25% of the country!! Riots, beatings and even murders of German-speaking citizens (some of which were actually Swiss or Dutch) were relatively common and many German-Americans changed their names to avoid persecutions. German-language newspapers and churches ceased as well.

This film was exceptionally well directed, sensitively written and acted and it's obvious Warner Brothers believed in this film. This actually isn't surprising, as in the early 1930s, Hollywood was very pro-German--as Americans were now having second-thoughts the advisability of their involvement in this war as well as the persecutions of Germans in the country. In other words, it was a pretty safe topic to question American attitudes during WWI by 1933. Simply stated, people in America were feeling sorry for the Germans---which, ironically, coincided with the rise of fascism (oops--talk about bad timing).

In "Ever in My Heart", Mary (Barbara Stanwyck) falls in love with Hugo (Otto Kruger) and they marry. He's a very nice man and they have every reason to be happy. Soon after marrying and having a child and the household is bilingual. Hugo also becomes an American citizen and he is proud of him family and new nation. And, at about the same time, WWI begins. As the war progresses, however, anti-German sentiments begin to affect Hugo as well as his family. First, their ' friends' begin to shun them. Then, he loses his job simply because he's a German-American. And then, it gets MUCH worse....and, towards the end, a bit hard to believe--but still quite exciting. I won't say more--I don't want to spoil it. Suffice to say it's a heck of a good film--and might just bring a tear or two to your eyes.

By the way, although Otto Kruger was a fine actor and was very good here, he actually was not a German (despite his excellent German language skills) but his heritage was Dutch.

5 out of 6 people found the following review useful:

Well done and well acted but horribly depressing

Author: calvinnme from United States
16 April 2011

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

If you want to see a well crafted film you are in the right place, but if you are in the mood to be cheered up you are absolutely in the wrong place.

The film concerns the trials and tribulations of a marriage between a German college professor and his New England socialite wife set in the years 1909-1918. Mary Archer (Barbara Stanwyck) was born to one of those New England families that for some reason thinks it is a great personal accomplishment to exit the birth canal of someone whose ancestors landed on Plymouth Rock. She lives in a town named after her family - Archerville - and it seems you can't walk through the main square without tripping over a monument to one of her past relatives. However, in what seems to be a triumph over environment Mary is a down-to-earth gal that likes people for what they are not where they come from. Mary has had a lifelong friendship and understanding of probable matrimony with Jeff (Ralph Bellamy). However, one day in 1909 he brings over a friend of his, German Hugo Wilbrandt (Otto Kruger). It's love at first sight for Mary and Hugo and the whirlwind courtship and marriage is shocking to Mary's blue blood relatives who receive Hugo somewhat coolly.

Hugo gets a job at a small college as a chemistry professor, Mary gives birth to their son, and they get a small dog - a dachshund - that actually becomes a rather important part of the plot. Hugo even becomes an American citizen and the couple's friends give Hugo a loving cup in commemoration of his naturalization - all is good. Into everyone's life comes some tribulations, but it is tragic when the good comes in one lump followed by all of the bad in another lump and it is doubly tragic when the bad has nothing to do with your own failings and everything to do with prejudice and a paranoid frenzy. That's exactly what happens to the Wilbrandts after the sinking of the Lusitania when all of their friends and associates and even relatives turn against them because of Hugo's German heritage. The Wilbrandt family saga is of course fiction. The part of this story that is not fiction is how Americans treated everything and everyone German from sauerkraut to those with German sounding surnames caused by British and French propaganda that was spread to cause Americans to believe that the Germans were savages so that the United States would enter WWI on the Allied side.

This film was made when America was at the height of its post-WWI anti-war feelings, and through most of the film I figured that the moral of the story was how this largely pointless war - WWI - had ruined so many lives, including those not directly involved in battle. However, towards the end there is a troubling scene between Jeff and Mary. Jeff admits that Mary has always been the only girl for him and states that the tragic end of her marriage to Hugo was caused by her not "sticking with her own kind". Mary seems to passively agree with Jeff's self serving statement. I would be somewhat horrified if that is what the actual moral was meant to be.

I still recommend this one. It's a heart breaker but it is well done at every turn. Even the cinematography with various montages giving you an idea of what is running through Mary's mind at times is very effective.

5 out of 7 people found the following review useful:

seldom shown early Stanwyck

Author: ksf-2 from southwest US
28 August 2008

Barbara Stanwyck, the gal who could play any role, is American Mary Archer, who is fawning over her cousin "Jeff" (Ralph Bellamy), until she meets the dashing German Hugo Wilbrant (Otto Kruger). They get married, and soon Germany is invading countries during WW I , which causes turbulence and troubles for the married couple and their family.

Its a shortie, at 68 minutes. I had seen Stanwyck in Ten Cents a Dance in 1931, and in that one, she was still very much a young girl, in style and appearance; in this film "Ever in my Heart", even though only two years has gone by, she is much more grown up, in looks and in sophistication. Too bad Donald Meeks scenes were deleted - he would have spiced up the plot, which could use some humor, with more than its share of sadness. Interesting scene where the little old ladies in the sewing circle giggle and gasp over the horrible things the enemy does to captured prisoners. Technically, the acting and story here are just fine, and I guess the plot would soon be a current event again with the coming of WW II, much less still be an issue with world events going on today. Producer Hal Wallis and Archie Mayo (director) would make eleven movies together in the 1930s.

2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:

What a downer

Author: marcslope from New York, NY
4 June 2012

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Good little Warners soap, up to a point--and at that point it veers off into ridiculous plot coincidence and a rushed, depressing ending. Stanwyck contributes even more expressiveness than her considerable usual, and Kruger is an appealing leading man, until the wild contortions of the plot lead us to hate him, after the movie's spent three-quarters of its time cementing our allegiance to him. Warners, always wanting to be The Socially Conscious Studio, registers some truths about American prejudice that must have rung true and discomfiting a decade after the war. But then it hedges its bets by telling us, see, you never should have trusted this guy in the first place. Bellamy's stuck on the sidelines playing his usual Guy Who Doesn't Get the Girl, and there are tasty contributions from Elizabeth Patterson and the ever-indispensable Ruth Donnelley.

9 out of 17 people found the following review useful:

Miss Stanwyck as everyman's girl.

Author: jhnhnngn
26 July 2002

Soap Operalike, yes. Weepy eyed, yes. Over the top, yes. Cornball to the hilt, yes. But, Barbara Stanwyck was absolutely beautiful in this film. No one can watch this and not fall in love with her. The rest of the cast was good too, but I was totally engrossed in her performance.

depressing

Author: blanche-2 from United States
19 December 2012

Barbara Stanwyck and Otto Kruger star in "Ever in My Heart," a 1933 film directed by Archie Mayo and also starring Ralph Bellamy.

Stanwyck plays Mary Archer, who, in 1909, falls in love with a young German, Hugo Wilbrandt, a friend of her cousin Jeff (Ralph Bellamy). They get married right away and settle down, and eventually have a baby boy. Hugo proudly becomes an American citizen.

Tragedy strikes the couple. When World War I occurs, the anti-German sentiment forces Hugo out of his teaching job and unable to find any other work. Mary's family wants them to move back in with them, but they want Hugo to change his name, which he won't do. He talks Mary into returning with them, saying he will join in a week. He doesn't; he turns his back on America and returns to Germany to fight the war with the Germans.

Mary divorces Hugo and later goes overseas to work for the war effort. There, she runs into Hugo.

I knew the plot of this film, but there were elements of it that I did not know, so I found the film even more profoundly depressing than I expected. Barbara Stanwyck is wonderful, going from a fresh, young, happy woman to one who has to endure horrible sadness. Otto Kruger is very effective as well, but this is really Stanwyck's film. She'll break your heart.

Beautifully done film, but be prepared!

5 out of 10 people found the following review useful:

Brutally Honest and Frank Look at Racism

Author: Michael_Elliott from Louisville, KY
24 July 2011

Ever in My Heart (1933)

*** (out of 4)

Surprising powerful and effective drama from Warner has Otto Kruger playing Hugo Wilbrandt, a German man who comes to live in New England where he's accepted into American society and eventually marries Mary Archer (Barbara Stanwyck), a woman from a proud American family. All is well for the couple and their young son until WWI breaks out and soon they find themselves subject to many who now can't accept their ties to Germany. There's no question that this was made on the budget of a "B" movie but at the same time you can tell that the studio, directors, actors and writers cared so much about the subject and every inch of the film bleeds a certain love that you can't help but get caught up in their story, feel the pain of the family and at times breathe a bit of hatred for those treating the family in such a bad way. It's funny to think that at one time filmmakers were ripped apart for showing any type of sympathy towards the German people but I guess after ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, filmmakers were allowed to show things differently. It's funny that this movie tries to show the evils of what some Americans did while back in the days that this story actually took place Hollywood were turning out all sorts of propaganda, which probably helped fuel the fire of many Americans. With that said, this is an extremely powerful movie at times and this is especially true in a couple scenes that once you see you'll unlikely to ever forget. I'm not going to directly spoil either one of them but one happens with Kruger in bed with his son and the other happens at the end. Both are so true in their emotions that you're rather shocked to see the filmmakers be brave enough to show them. The performances are certainly a major plus with Kruger turning in one of the best performances I've seen from him. He was always a great character actor but he really shines in the leading role here. I always say being able to act with your eyes is a very difficult thing to do but I was constantly watching Kruger's eyes, which said so much during the various important parts of the film. Stanwyck is also extremely good in her role of the wife who finds your life falling apart when just months before it was perfect. The supporting cast includes nice work by the always reliable Ralph Bellamy and Ruth Donnelly is good as the housekeeper. EVER IN MY HEART lasts just under 70- minutes and one would think that wouldn't be enough time to really get deep into the serious subject matter but it actually works out perfectly because the mind frames of people in this country turned on a dime back when the war started and I think the film, running as fast as it does, did a terrific job showing this.

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