When the Bough Breaks (1947)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Lawrence Huntington

Writers:

Muriel Box (writer)
Sydney Box (writer)

Release Date:

1948 (Austria)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Emotional strains of adoption. A young mother hands over her baby to foster parents, but struggles to let go emotionally. Her obsession affects the lives of those around her, including the child. |

Plot Keywords:

Mother | Adoption | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Patricia Roc	...	Lily Bates
Rosamund John	...	Frances Norman
Bill Owen	...	Bill Collins
Brenda Bruce	...	Ruby Chapman
Patrick Holt	...	Robert Norman
Cavan Malone	...	Jimmy
Leslie Dwyer	...	George
Sonia Holm	...	Nurse
Torin Thatcher	...	Adams
Catherine Lacey	...	Almoner
Edith Sharpe	...	Matron
Muriel George	...	1st Landlady
Ada Reeve	...	2nd Landlady
Joan Haythorne	...	Miss Brent
Edie Martin	...	Customer

Runtime:

78 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Certification:

Finland:S | UK:A

Filming Locations:

Islington Studios, Islington, London, England, UK

Company:

Sydney Box Productions

Not just for women.

When this movie was made, the position of a young single working mother would have been just about too scandalous to contemplate. The movie provides a very sympathetic portrayal of the difficulties which at that time made adoption a common outcome. We also see how difficult it can be to live with the adoption decision over time, and how many implications there can be even years later. Some of the events may seem a little unlikely today due to changing attitudes and laws, but the calm and unsensational approach of this movie makes it more than a mere tear-jerker.