Sentimental Journey (1946)

An actress becomes taken with Hitty, a young orphan prone to dreaming. Julie soon finds out that she is ill and has only a short time to live. She decides to adopt the child so that her ... See full summary »

Director:

Walter Lang

Writers:

Samuel Hoffenstein (screenplay), Elizabeth Reinhardt (screenplay),

Stars:

John Payne, Maureen O'Hara, William Bendix

Cast

Cast overview:
John Payne	...	William O. Weatherly
Maureen O'Hara	...	Julie Beck / Weatherly
William Bendix	...	Donnelly aka Uncle Don
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Dr. Jim Miller (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
Glenn Langan	...	Judson
Mischa Auer	...	Gregory Petrovich Rogozhin
Kurt Kreuger	...	Walt Wilson
Trudy Marshall	...	Ruth
Ruth Nelson	...	Mrs. McMasters
Connie Marshall	...	Mehitabel, aka Hitty Weatherly

Storyline

An actress becomes taken with Hitty, a young orphan prone to dreaming. Julie soon finds out that she is ill and has only a short time to live. She decides to adopt the child so that her husband Bill will not be alone when she dies. Unfortunately, Bill is not charmed by Hitty. After Julie dies. Bill is so grief stricken, he shuts out everyone in his life, especially Hitty. Hitty begins to receive imaginary visits from Julie who offers Hitty advice on how to make Bill happy. Bill does not believe she's seen Julie and decides to send her back to the orphanage. Rather than go back, Hitty runs away. After Bill hears a record Julie recorded before she died, he finally realizes he must move on with his life and find Hitty.

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Plot Keywords:

loss of wife | melodrama | adoption | new york city | domestic | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

March 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Little Horse

Filming Locations:

Laguna Beach, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on September 23, 1946 with John Payne reprising his film role.

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Quotes

Julie Beck: Hello There
Mehitabel, aka Hitty Weatherly: I thought your hair be golden
Julie Beck: Why I, Well it was long long time ago, what your name?
Mehitabel, aka Hitty Weatherly: Hitty
Julie Beck: Oh that a lovely name, mine Julie
Mehitabel, aka Hitty Weatherly: Hitty: Oh
Julie Beck: Why don't you like it?
Mehitabel, aka Hitty Weatherly: I thought your name was the lady of charlot

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Connections

Version of The Gift of Love (1958)

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Soundtracks

"Sentimental Journey"
Written by Bud Green, Les Brown and Ben Homer
Played during the opening credits and often in the score

User Reviews

Slow and very sentimental

"Sentimental Journey" is a 1946 film starring Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Connie Marshall, Cedric Hardwicke and William Bendix. Set in New York City, it's the story of an actress, Julie Beck (O'Hara) and her director/producer husband Bill Wetherly (Payne). They have an idyllic marriage, but Julie has a precarious heart condition. Realizing she may die and leave her husband alone, she wants to adopt a child. She meets Hitty (Marshall), who was very much like her as a child, filled with fantasies and dreams, and the two hit it off immediately. However, her spoiled and somewhat jealous husband finds he isn't totally happy with the arrangement.

"Sentimental Journey" is a slow-moving film with a very attractive cast. It's not for people who, as Margo Channing said, "detest cheap sentiment." Whether you like the movie or not, you'll find yourself drawn into the story, so have a box of tissues nearby. I blubbered like a baby.

Maureen O'Hara is stunningly beautiful and gives a very gentle performance as Julie; handsome John Payne is just right as her husband, a man whose world centers around his wife. William Bendix has a film-stealing role and is terrific as Donnelly, an associate of Bill's and friend of the family. His sense of comedy is great. Cedric Hardwicke is too much of a big gun to play a small part like the doctor; he plays it beautifully, but he's wasted. Connie Marshall is Hitty. She's not only adorable, but she has to run a gamut of emotions and pulls it off very well.

Nice movie.