A Life of Her Own (1950)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

George Cukor

Writer:

Isobel Lennart (written by)

Release Date:

1 September 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Small town Kansas girl, Lily James, is the latest model working for the Thomas Callaway Agency in New York City...

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

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

Also Known As:

The Abiding Vision (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

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.

Goofs:

Continuity: 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).

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.

"Studio Mixing"

By the time Lana Turner and Ray Milland were paired in this romantic drama, they both seemed to have the "mark" of their respective studios written over them.

Turner's was MGM, and indeed this film was made at that studio. Milland's was Paramount, and he seemed a "guest visitor" to the Metro ambiance.

While both actors were certainly equally successful in their respective careers, their casting did seem a bit strange to me. I kept thinking, what's Paramount doing at MGM?

Not that Milland offered anything but his usual solid work; he just seemed a bit unusual in the total scheme of things. However, being the solid pro he was, he carried off his "slumming millionaire" role with aplomb; likewise Turner gave her part her all.

The script was fair, and Director George Cukor made the most of what he had to work with. In the end an interesting "hybrid," adequately carried off by two thespian entities of varying affiliations.