A Woman's Devotion (1956) User Reviews

A Pleasant Surprise

[Hernried · 7/10 · 23 August 2001]

I had no idea what to expect, especially with two very different titles ("A Woman's Devotion" vs "Battle Shock"), but this film turned out to be quite entertaining. Janice Rule (Estelle) and Rosenda Monteros (Maria) were very good, as was Paul Henreid (the police captain; he also directed this movie).

Filmed in color on location in Mexico, this picture was visually rich and gave a great sense of place. There is a very frank, unglamourous fight between two male characters that is all the better for putting awkward realism over the choreographed look.

The Mexican supporting cast, especially for the characters of Maria and the chief of police, did quite well. Smooth editing and good directing. Only two problems - Ralph Meeker wasn't the best choice for the male lead, and the ending left me wanting a bit of denouement.

Overall, very watchable and enjoyable, and I'd see it again.

Does Ralph Meeker Deserve A Woman's Devotion?

[alonzoiii-1 · 7/10 · 24 March 2015]

Ralph Meeker is a vet who has headaches, blackouts, and the alarming things that in classic cinema make him an easy target for a suspicious cop. Paul Henreid, the suspicious cop, is ready to toss the guy into a prison cell. Can A WOMAN'S DEVOTION, supplied by Janice Rule, keep Meeker out of a nasty prison in beautiful Acapulco?

This is one of those films that gets called noir -- in this case because the plot, featuring a vet who have gone bad, seems to cry out for black and white photography, bleak cynicism, and gun play amongst the Venetian blinds. But it really does not belong in that category -- partly because the focus of the picture is really on a well acted cat and mouse game between Paul Henreid -- playing a bitter Mexican cop to perfection -- and Janice Rule, who is a devoted wife, but a smart one, determined to get her husband out of the mess that is slowly surrounding him. The other star, one rendered in Republic's Technicolor variant, is Acapulco, which is seedier than what one usually sees in the movies.

The film starts slowly -- because Henreid (the director) is determined to show happiness between Rule and Meeker -- and he is also giving himself time to establish the true sour core of his character. The result is once the mystery elements finally get going, we actually feel for these characters, and that makes the (alas) inevitable end that more powerful.

Yet another scarce film that needs a release, but does not have the obvious hook for it. And the next time TCM does a Paul Henreid retrospective, they need to find this one. His direction draws out the best in his actors (except for Meeker, who misplays his part in the later reels). His own acting seems inspired by being cast a bit against type.

Love mad

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 23 August 2020]

It was interesting to have Paul Henreid, better known as an actor, in the director's chair, with 'A Woman's Devotion' is the second film he directed out of six between 1952 and 1964. Was also looking forward to seeing Ralph Meeker in the lead role, in a type of role that seemed to fit what he was best known for on paper. Really liked the concept for the film as well, with the right execution it could have been a quite tense film that didn't hold back.

Something that 'A Woman's Devotion' mostly was, a quite tense film that doesn't sugarcoat things. Deserving of more credit instead of the practically obscure status it has now. 'A Woman's Devotion' is not perfect by all means (few films are) and doesn't completely live up to its potential, with a few disappointments and a final quarter or so that didn't seem as strong as the rest of the film. Mixed with those disappointments are a lot of good things.

'A Woman's Devotion' could have been stronger. Meeker has been a lot better than he is here and disappoints, the role is one that required tough intensity and unusually Meeker didn't have that in his performance and didn't seem that engaged in the third act.

Which generally could have done with more tension and the ending felt too abrupt.

The rest of the acting is fine though, with Janice Rule, in one of the more difficult parts, having the intensity (as well as the sensuality) that Meeker didn't have. Rosenda Monteros, very close to getting the acting honours at her best, unsettles as Maria. Henreid has the authority of his role just right. He directs with assurance, really letting the atmosphere speak in the first part and personally didn't think it took too long to get to the meat of the story.

It is the middle where 'A Woman's Devotion' is at its best, where the characters (especially Stella) are at their most interesting and investable and where the more mystery aspects are at their most engaging and suspenseful. It's a great looking film, especially the photography, and the music doesn't detract from the atmosphere. The script is lean and intriguing enough at all times and there is a suitably pull no punches approach to the material.

Overall, not a great film but worth tracking down at least. 7/10

A Disturbing Film

[Bucs1960 · 7/10 · 6 September 2008]

This film, directed by accomplished actor, Paul Henreid who also plays the police captain, is a dark and disturbing film entry in the noir genre. It stars Ralph Meeker, as a returning WWII veteran who is suffering from what they called in those day, "shell shock". He gets involved with a local bar girl in Mexico and later she is found dead in a hotel room. A maid finds a clue implicating Meeker and she, in concert with the dead girl's boyfriend. try a little blackmail. This leads to another murder and Meeker is in deep trouble. The denouement takes place at the airport and Meeker come out on the short end of the stick.

We are left to draw our own conclusions as to whether Meeker actually committed the murders or not. That may be seen as a shortcoming of the film but it makes you remember this little gem. Very competent film making by Henreid.

Not That Old Amnesia Gimmick Again

[dglink · 6/10 · 30 December 2020]

Republic Pictures dragged out the tired amnesia cliche for a low-budget mystery, "A Woman's Devotion," and wasted a good cast in the process. With a title better suited to a Douglas Sirk melodrama, the film involves a young American couple on holiday in Acapulco, Mexico. The husband is an accomplished artist, and, when a young waitress that he had asked to model for him is found murdered, the local police come calling. Filmed on location by Mexican cinematographer Jorge Stahl, Jr., the film is colorful both on the Acapulco streets and waterfront and in the brightly hued hotel interiors. A young and handsome Ralph Meeker plays Trevor Stevenson, the decorated veteran, whose uncle's bequest left him sufficient funds to pursue art. Lovely Janice Rule is Trevor's wife of one year, whose trust in her husband is challenged when his hidden past is revealed. Golden Age actor Paul Henreid not only stars as Captain Monteros, the local Mexican police officer, but also directed the film.

Meeker does his best with a strange role in which he wrestles with headaches caused by loud sounds that result in war-induced amnesia; possibly being groomed for hunk parts, Meeker doffs his shirt whenever possible. Rule also has a strange role as a wife who apparently knows little about her husband's past or medical history; despite professing belief in her husband's story, she is quick to seek an escape from the country. Henreid plays himself and sprinkles his Austrian accent with a few words of Spanish to pass as Mexican in an undemanding role. The film is also of note because two of the women guests at the hotel are evidently a same-sex couple, and their presence passes without comment. Unfortunately, Robert Hill's story and screenplay are undistinguished, cliched, and predictable. The three leads have all done better work both before and after; Meeker on Broadway and Television, Rule in Film, and Henreid both in classic Hollywood movies and as a director, notably for "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" on Television. "A Woman's Devotion" is not a highlight on any of their resumes.