A Life of Her Own (1950)

Small town Kansas girl, Lily James, is the latest model working for the Thomas Callaway Agency in New York City. Despite her small town roots, Lily is street-wise because of her tough ... See full summary »

Director:

George Cukor

Writer:

Isobel Lennart

Stars:

Lana Turner, Ray Milland, Tom Ewell

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Lana Turner	...	Lily Brannel James
Ray Milland	...	Steve Harleigh
Tom Ewell	...	Tom Caraway
Louis Calhern	...	Jim Leversoe
Ann Dvorak	...	Mary Ashlon
Barry Sullivan	...	Lee Gorrance
Margaret Phillips	...	Nora Harleigh
Jean Hagen	...	Maggie Collins
Phyllis Kirk	...	Jerry
Sara Haden	...	Smitty
Hermes Pan	...	Specialty Dancer

Storyline

Small town Kansas girl, Lily James, is the latest model working for the Thomas Callaway Agency in New York City. Despite her small town roots, Lily is street-wise because of her tough growing up experiences, and as such she is a good judge of character. She believes she can escape her troubles through professional success. Because of her hard work ethic, she quickly does rise to the top of her profession. She attracts the attention of Steve Harleigh, a wealthy copper mine owner. Despite they both knowing that nothing can come between them, they fall in love. The issues are that he lives and works in Montana, and that he is already married. Steve feels guilty about his marital infidelity as his wife, Nora, is physically disabled from a car accident in which he was the cause. Lily has to decide if her own happiness is worth destroying the life of a woman - an invalid - she's never met.

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Plot Keywords:

love | model | new york city | female protagonist | ambition | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 September 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Abiding Vision

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The haunting theme music here by Bronislau Kaper was reused two years later in MGM's _Invitation (1952)_, and under the title Invitation became an enduring jazz standard, especially associated with tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson.

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Goofs

Lily James appears as "Top Model" on the cover of a Life magazine being read by Jim Leversoe. The scene immediately dissolves to the cover of the same Life magazine in a plane with Steve Harleigh, but the cover shot of the Life magazine on the plane is an entirely different pose (but the same outfit and hairdo).

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Quotes

Lily Brannel James: I can't live without you... but I'm going to. I'm gonna turn my back on ya Steve, I'm sorry.

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Soundtracks

"A Life of Her Own"
(uncredited)
Music by Bronislau Kaper

User Reviews

An average movie with an above average soundtrack

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