Bright Victory (1951)

Director:

Mark Robson

Writers:

Robert Buckner (writer)
Baynard Kendrick (novel)

Release Date:

16 July 1951 (Denmark)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In North Africa during World War II, Sergeant Larry Nevins is blinded by a German sniper's bullet. Rehabilitation...

Plot Keywords:

Sergeant | Rehabilitation | Corporal | WWII Veteran | Blind

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Arthur Kennedy	...	Larry Nevins
Peggy Dow	...	Judy Greene
Julie Adams	...	Chris Paterson (as Julia Adams)
James Edwards	...	Joe Morgan
Will Geer	...	Mr. Nevins
Nana Bryant	...	Mrs. Claire Nevins
Jim Backus	...	Bill Grayson
Minor Watson	...	Mr. Paterson
Joan Banks	...	Janet Grayson
Richard Egan	...	Sgt. John Masterson
John Hudson	...	Cpl. John Flagg
Marjorie Crossland	...	Mrs. Paterson
Donald Miele	...	'Moose' Garvey
Murray Hamilton	...	Pete Hamilton
Larry Keating	...	Jess Coe

Also Known As:

Lights Out (UK)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

West Germany:12 (f) | Finland:S | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Florida, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

The airplane disaster that killed romantic lead actor Leslie Howard is mentioned in this film.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Sgt. Nevins is having a newspaper read to him, and the death of Leslie Howard is one of the stories. The date on the paper is given as September 3, 1943. Leslie Howard actually died on June 1, 1943.

Compares favorably with "Best Years of our Lives"

I stumbled upon this excellent and compelling film during AMC's "Veterans' Day Movie Marathon." Dealing with a soldier's (Arthur Kennedy) rehabilitation after losing his sight during WWII in surprisingly frank ways for its time (released in 1951), this seems to me to be the first time I saw raw racism and its consequences in a film. A superb love story on the surface, it's the underlying themes of classism, racism and realistically dealing with the handicapped which set it a notch above the terrific 1946 film, "The Best Years of our Lives." Face it, Harold Russell, while a hero, was no actor. The electricity between Kennedy and his new "friend" (played by Peggy Dow ~ whatever became of this talented actress? Her career lasted only 4 years) is remarkable. Happy ending doesn't detract.