No Sad Songs for Me (1950)

Mary Scott learns she only has ten months to live before dying of an incurable disease. She manages to keep the news from her husband, Brad and daughter, Polly. She tries to make every ... See full summary »

Director:

Rudolph Maté

Writers:

Howard Koch (screenplay), Ruth Southard (novel)

Stars:

Margaret Sullavan, Wendell Corey, Viveca Lindfors

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview:
Margaret Sullavan	...	Mary Scott
Wendell Corey	...	Bradford 'Brad' Scott
Viveca Lindfors	...	Chris Radna
Natalie Wood	...	Polly Scott
John McIntire	...	Dr. Ralph Frene
Ann Doran	...	Louise Spears
Richard Quine	...	Brownie
Jeanette Nolan	...	Mona Frene
Dorothy Tree	...	Frieda Miles
Raymond Greenleaf	...	Mr. Caswell
Urylee Leonardos	...	Flora, the Maid

Storyline

Mary Scott learns she only has ten months to live before dying of an incurable disease. She manages to keep the news from her husband, Brad and daughter, Polly. She tries to make every moment of her life count, but her effort is weakened by the discovery that Brad is interested in his assistant, Chris Radner. But when she learns that Brad does indeed love her and not Chris, and that Chris is leaving town, she realizes what she must do to ensure the future happiness of Brad and Polly. She persuades Chris to stay, makes a genuine friend of her and watches Polly grow towards Chris.

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Plot Keywords:

cancer | terminal illness | surveying | draftsman | piano lesson | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 April 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

Destino Amargo

Filming Locations:

Ontario, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally announced as a vehicle for Irene Dunne and, later, Olivia de Havilland before Margaret Sullavan signed on.

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Soundtracks

"Symphony no. 1 in C minor, op. 68, 4th movement"
Johannes Brahms

User Reviews

Life's Final Months

No Sad Songs For Me expresses what Margaret Sullavan wishes when she learns she has terminal cancer. She thinks she's pregnant, but that's the verdict from her doctor John McIntire. Her problem is now how best to arrange her life's final months.

She'll be leaving behind husband Wendell Corey and daughter Natalie Wood. And Sullavan has an interesting problem on her hands in the person of Viveca Lindfors, a new employee for her surveyor husband. There's a growing attraction between them and normally that would call for claws to come out. But Sullavan is thinking of Wood as well and face it Lindfors is a nice person who's not doing anything to encourage Corey.

As for Wendell he's behaving like a perfect gentleman, but the signs are there.

This is a fine and literate adult drama about a woman facing terminal illness and looking to make the best of it for herself and her family. Sullavan who mostly played tragic roles on screen gives her farewell big screen performance in No Sad Songs For Me. She did do television and stage work until her suicide in 1960.

In fact all the members of that screen family ended badly. Natalie Wood drowned way too young and Wendell Corey became a misanthropic alcoholic who died too young of liver cancer. Read Kirk Douglas's memoir The Ragman's Son to find out about how Corey's career turned bad.

But in this film all the players give strong performances and the film never turns maudlin. That final shot with Lindfors and Wood with Sullavan's shadow looming over them is unforgettable.