All the Fine Young Cannibals (1960) User Reviews

It all started deep in the heart of Texas

[sol1218 · 6/10 · 20 July 2005]

**SPOILERS** With no money and no future to look forward to a young couple from the dirt-poor Texas town of Pine Alley Chad Bixby & Sarah "Salome" Davis, Robert Wagner & Natalie Wood, went out in the world to find a better life for themselves. With his abusive father, the town's minister, passing away Chad felt that he can now do what he wanted to do for so long pay his horn and marry Salome. Things got a bit strained when Salome turned out to be pregnant with Chad being the father of her unborn child.

Salome running away from home runs into Yale Ivy Leaguer Tony McDowell, George Hamilton,on a train going north. Tony on summer vacation had met Salome earlier back in Deep Elem, the black part of the town of Pine Valley, under not the best of circumstances.

Not having any money and with Tony having a slight acquaintance with Salome he pays her way to ride with him to New Haven Connecticut. During that long ride up north they fall in love with each other. Salome and Tony getting married and settling down soon have a new member of the McDowell family a son Peter, what Tony doesn't know is that Peter is not really his son but Chad's.

Chad meanwhile back in the sticks strikes up a friendship with the burnt out former jazz great Ruby Jones, Pearl Bailey, who since her husband left her for a younger women, as well as took all her money,is slowly drinking herself to death. It's Chad concern and compassion for her that gave Ruby a new lease on life as well as it gave Chad the opportunity to show his talents as a jazz musician. In no time at all Chad made it big in the Big Apple's,New York city, nightclub scene.

Salome now happily married and with a young child gets the news from her sister-in-law Catherine, Susan Kohner, about Clad's success in the music world. Salome talks Tony into going to New York in order to see his act which in the end opens up the old wounds, that both Salome & Chad had from their failed and sorrowful relationship back in Texas.

Big budget soap opera that has both Chad and Salome trying to get even and hurt each other, over what happened between them back in Texas. In the end only hurting those who were nothing more then innocent bystanders as well as the only one's that really and truly loved and cared for them.

Chad marries Catherine just to get back at Salome for leaving him. Cathy is driven to where she almost ends up killing herself by Chad's, being so obsessed to hurt Salome, total disregard for her and the love that she genuinely had for him. Salome is also guilt-ridden over the fact that her and Tony's son Peter isn't really Tony's and feels that if he ever found out the truth it would end up killing him. Clad is also hit with the double tragedy of Ruby dying from the effects of alcoholism and it's her sudden, but not unexpected death, that finally brings him back to earth in not just realizing what he did to Salome but what he did to his wife Cathy as well. When Tony is finally told by Salome the truth about their son Peter it hits him so hard that for a moment you would have thought that he would walk right in the middle of the highway in front of a speeding 18 wheeler and end it all.

The movie "All the Fine Young Cannibals" does in fact have a happy ending that in it's own way counterbalances all the depressing aspects that are in the film up until then. Not as bad as you would think it would be from all the bad reviews that it got "All the Fine Young Cannibals" may be a bit too depressing to take at first but the cast does it's best to keep it both interesting and poignant. The ending, though a bit too artificial, didn't hurt the storyline that much in it's attempt to right all the wrongs that were in it at the conclusion of the movie.

Underrated

[michael.e.barrett · 3 April 2001]

A very interesting soaper, certainly much better than the Maltin review gives it credit for. The sharp dialogue is probably its best feature; the characters say things very bluntly and pseudo-honestly, like people struggling to be clever when they know, as members of a "postmodern" generation, that it's all been said before and they are doomed to re-enact old cliches themselves. They understand their own ailments and continually refer to how spoiled, afraid and enervated they are. Plot is in territory similar to "Splendor in the Grass" (love is a sickness you grow out of and can eventually re-create where you have settled) but it's real subject is how restless, discontented people spread their unhappiness around, and how this is symptomatic of these modern times. Despite Wagner playing trumpet (he does not make any attempt to sound like Chet Baker, although he IS pretty) and Pearl imitating Billie Holiday (down to a performance of "God Bless the Child") with some unfortunate prescience before Holiday's death, this is not really a music film. It's like a delayed "beat" movie that should have been made in the 50s. (Hollywood is always some years behind.) 40 years later, we needn't worry whether it seems out of date; time has been kind to this film.

Soapy But Great Southern Melodrama

[Noirdame79 · 7/10 · 9 November 2004]

I remember seeing (and taping) this movie off of Superchannel one night. It was part of a "Natalie Wood Double Feature", and it was followed by "Love With The Proper Stranger", and, being a die-hard fan of her, I wasn't about to pass this one up.

This film seems, initially, as a soapy, over-the-top, melodramatic feature like many movies of the time. However, if you can overlook the flaws, you will find it very interesting and rewarding. The original attraction of this movie was, for me, the early on-screen teaming of real-life couple Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner. Wood was apparently worried as to whether Wagner could handle a dramatic role, and in retrospect she was justified in that concern. Wagner is more of a personality than an actor, and his performance as the sullen musician comes across as stiff. And Wood's southern accent can be distracting at times - her pronunciation of her lover's name, "Chaad" can get a bit grating! That aside, the most interesting aspects of the story happen later, after Sarah/Salome becomes pregnant by Chad, leaves her overbearing, zealous-nut father and her stifling, confining home life and meets up with Tony McDowall.

Her vulnerability and his love for her helped sustain my interest, as did the character of Catherine, Tony's spoiled, bored and man-hungry sister. Pearl Bailey also scores points for her portrayal of the down-on-her-luck, boozing blues singer Ruby Jones. In fact, Wagner's Chad has the best relationship and chemistry with her. When Chad reappears in Salome's life, of course that adds to the tension within the plot. After a while, though, I couldn't understand how Salome could still tolerate him (especially when he marries Catherine out of spite), and I don't get why Tony didn't suspect that the baby was not his (ever think of doing the math, Tone?) The character of Tony, for me, is one of the most sympathetic. His love and concern for Salome, his devotion to Catherine and to little Peter, makes him much more emotionally reachable.(Why didn't Salome realize that she loved him earlier?). Chad only speaks of Peter as if the boy is his property, and doesn't seem to care about his welfare, only revenge on Salome. Granted, she should have told him that she married someone else and that she was passing off the child as her husband's. You can almost feel Salome's longing for Chad, but I don't know how she could pine for him with Tony lying right next to her! When it comes right down to it, I couldn't tear myself away, even now, a few years later after I first saw it, it has some sentimental value. I was already a fan of Natalie, but I barely knew George Hamilton existed before - although was interested after! - and I developed a great respect not only for Wood but also Susan Kohner, who deserved a longer career. Fun little bit of trivia : Susan Kohner and George Hamilton were engaged for a brief time. The music makes the moody, longing tone of the film - in fact, it's one of the highlights. And if you enjoyed it, see the 1959 version of "Imitation Of Life" starring Lana Turner, Sandra Dee, John Gavin and Susan Kohner. I recommend "All The Fine Young Cannibals" to adventurous viewers who are willing to take the risk. See if you can tear your eyes away!

Eat your heart out,you cannibals!

[dbdumonteil · 11 August 2008]

Anderson's movie is derivative.It looks like lite Douglas Sirk: the spoiled kid sister (played by Susan Kohner who worked with Sirk) is not unlike Marylee (Dorothy Malone) in "Written on the wind" ;besides ,Ruby's funeral will fatally make you think of that of Annie in "Imitation of life" ,a black choir singing "Free at last" replacing Mahalia Jackson.The screenwriters also borrow from Kazan's "splendor in the grass" as far as the two leads' fate is concerned.And the baby trick was used a hundred times or more in the thirties and forties melodramas (notably Bette Davis' "the big lie" and "the old maid" ;Olivia De Havilland' s "to each his own").

Having said this,one must credit Natalie Wood for making the best of the stereotyped part of a go-getter;Robert Wagner's moody looks work wonders too when he plays the trumpet and in the scene when he backs Pearl Bailey's impressive vocals.

This is the kind of movie they don't do anymore;this is the kind of story which could go on and on and on and on;in a word,it's the perfect soap opera ,and it still exists today in the form of the TV series.

Like this?try these.......

Peyton Place Mark Robson 1957

Imitation of life Douglas Sirk 1959

A so sad story...!

[dalton2 · 7/10 · 27 October 1998]

If you're looking for happy moments, then this isn't your film. The problems grow and grow and you never see a solution for them. Under my point of view, it's not a bad film, but the story hasn't got a message and it's so sad that the only way to enjoy the film is by appreciating the acting, the directing, etc...

My rating is 7 out of 10

Ahead of its time

[OrdinaryfoolisNJ · 7/10 · 29 December 2004]

What I love about this film, is the fact that it includes a respectful and loving relationship between a black woman and a white man during the apartheid era of racism here in the United States (before the "Freedom Rides," which occurred not long after).

I admire Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood (especially), as rising young stars in Hollywood, for taking the chance to be in this type of picture at that time in history.

When Susan Kohner's character calls Pearl Bailey a "nigger," Robert Wagner whacks her one but good! And then he educates Miss spoiled brat and much misinformed Kohner, that Pearl is more decent than any of the white people in this movie! And more deserving of love and respect.

And folks, was he right. Bailey's character and performance are the most worthwhile in the film.

Yes, the basic story between Natalie Wood (poor country girl looking to move up in the world by passing Wagner's baby off as rich boy Hamilton's), Robert Wagner (poor confused misunderstood boy with talent for "race" music, but seemingly not much ambition to do anything with it), George Hamilton and Susan Kohner (spoiled RICH siblings taken in by Wood and Wagner -- but both hopelessly in love with the two)is schlock.

But the story between Wagner and Pearl Bailey (suicidal famous singer mourning the loss of her lover, who becomes charmed with Wagner and does her best to help him before she purposely succumbs to alcoholism) saves the day.

Also, Natalie Wood is simply outrageously gorgeous in this picture. And Robert Wagner and Hamilton are pretty easy on the yes as well. So, when the story gets to be too much, just enjoy the view!

I wish that Wood and Wagner had more screen time together in this film (and that they ended up together), but that's because I love RJ and Nat together as a couple under any circumstances (and believe me one has to love them unconditionally -- as their story lines and acting and accents don't feature either near the top of their talents).

Still, a brave story to undertake. Its bad/good and very interesting. I recommend it for having the guts to be ahead of its time.

Nancy J Ordinaryfool

My favourite introduction to the blues

[h-calis · 8/10 · 3 May 2005]

I happened to see this film years ago in a sleepless night, zapping through some of the less commercial public canals we still had at the time in Europe. It really opened my soul because of the music included. I will not comment on the quality of the script or the acting of the young couple Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner; others can do better than I. But I like the slow pace, the melodramatic story, the dialogue lines that stay in your head, and - above all - I was thrilled by the singing and acting of Pearl Bailey as Ruby Jones. If ever you have to explain the feelings that gave rise to the blues, ahead of the ubiquitous slavery hardships and working in the cotton fields, then this movie is a 'must-see'. When Chad is in the lowest of spirits and ends up in a morning-after hang-out, he runs into this Ruby Jones, an alcoholic, but warm-hearted black singer. And she treats him with a song, unaccompanied, raw voice, that expresses his feelings so well, and gives him the idea he is not the only unhappy, lost man on this globe. I don't know if Mrs Bailey sung the track herself or was dubbed, but she succeeds in getting the blues feeling across as I've never heard thereafter. Same when later on in the movie she sings to Chad, playing the trumpet: "What am I heading for? Blues is knocking at my door". Alas! this song is spoiled by a dubbed in band and even background vocals if I remember well - anyhow, it takes away from the simplicity of just a singer and a "horn player" (as she puts it throughout the picture). The sad story of the twists and impossibilities of human relationships is to me more real-life than most of the soapy Hollywood plots that come to us by shiploads these days. Endearing, that's probably the word that says it all.

A campy riot...

[moonspinner55 · 4/10 · 22 July 2001]

Utterly silly melodrama, adapted by Robert Thom from Rosamond Marshall's book "The Bixby Girls", plays like bad Tennessee Williams. Robert Wagner is alternately sullen and constipated as Texas trumpet-player who finds success in New York City; ex-girlfriend Natalie Wood (Wagner's wife in real-life) winds up there too--she had Wagner's baby while married to George Hamilton--and eventually their paths cross again. Unlikely, overripe star-laden product has some good jazz music to its credit, nice production design, but little else. Natalie tries hard, Pearl Bailey gets to belt out a few torchy numbers, but the dopey dialogue and characters sinks this one like a stone. ** from ****

Excruciating

[Ripshin · 17 April 2005]

The opening twenty, or so, minutes of this film are ludicrous, and I had to force myself to stay away from the delete button on my DVR. Pretty couple Wagner & Wood unconvincingly play two white-trash Texas teenagers, utilizing some of the worst faux Texas/Southern accents to ever grace (or in this case, disgrace) the screen. Granted, once the film has Pearl Bailey to work with, there are some nice moments, but they are few and far between.

Hamilton has little to do, and Susan Kohner plays spoiled rich girl Catherine so broadly, you expect the character to grow horns and carry around a pitchfork.

Sets and costumes are the usual MGM glam.

A film worth watching for two reasons

[proggey · 4/10 · 20 July 2005]

This film suffers from most of the shortcomings mentioned in many of the comments above. Nevertheless, it's worth watching for two principal reasons: The breath-taking, youthful beauty of Natalie Woods, the most beautiful young woman I've ever seen, and the performance of Pearl Bailey, a fascinating personality and a marvelous actress and singer. Sadly, Pearl doesn't get to sing nearly enough (2 blues songs), but her part alone was decently written, and she acquits herself quite well in the meaty role. Wagner does a creditable job despite having to recite the idiotic and banal lines of his character, and the others are passable at best. Hamilton is borderline OK and Kohner munches the scenery something awful in most of her scenes. Were it not for Woods' stunning beauty and Bailey's excellent work, this one would truly stink.

Great Wagner & Woods Film

[whpratt1 · 10/10 · 1 April 2005]

Whenever I can view a film with Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood and see the super star Pearl Bailey, I know it will be a great film classic of 1960. Robert Wagner,(Chad Bixby),"Banning",'67, plays the son of a preacher who has some great mental hang ups and decides to become a blues trumpet player and never stops thinking about his father. Chad meets up with Pearl Bailey(Ruby Jones),"Porgy & Bess",'59, who takes him under her arm and gives him the moral strength he is deeply lacking. Susan Kohner,(Catherine McDowall),"The Gene Krupa Story",'59, gets involved with Chad which creates problems for Catherine. Natalie Wood,(Sarah 'Salome' Davis),"Dear Brat",'51, also has a strong attraction to Chad and there are many family problems among the couples. George Hamilton,(Tony McDowall),"Love At First Bite",'79, simply cannot figure out what the problem is with his wife Catherine and seems to give her plenty of time to solve her problems. There are great musical sounds through out the picture and Pearl Bailey out shines the entire cast.

Wuthering Heights meets mid-century America

[tejanaZ · 7/10 · 8 January 2007]

They don't make films like this anymore but they made a lot of them then. This is one of the better ones ... a perfect 2 hour indulgence on a rainy afternoon.

I've seen this film many times in the course of my life but I just realized it's a modern reworking of Emily Brontes' "Wuthering Heights". It wasn't until tonight that I realized the similarity. I think that's because it works with the added elements that distinguish it.

It's full tilt melodrama of the Harlequin novel variety but its a good one ... emotional, overwrought and overacted in Technicolor. Pearl Bailey steals the show from all the beautiful people at the center of this soap opera. I just wish she sang more ...

Great Movie!!!

[dott602 · 10/10 · 16 September 2012]

I saw this movie long time ago in the 60s when I was just a little girl. I loved it and I have been trying to find out how I can purchase it. This film had a lot of my favorite actors in it. Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood, George Hamilton, Pearl Bailey. I also loved Susan Kohen, I remember her from Imitation of life. I have check Blockbusters, Columbia House movies, TCM movies, Ebay, Amazon and just putting in searches on the internet with no luck.

Someone told me it is no longer in print, can anyone confirm that? I was told the Turner Classics was the place to go because they have a wide selection of vintage movies. So if anyone can help me locate this movie I will be eternally grateful.

All the Wild Overacting!

[Poseidon-3 · 9 July 2004]

No, the film isn't about natives sitting on a log eating arms and legs. It's a metaphor for the cast of four brunettes who take turns devouring each other with their words and actions. Wood is the dirt poor daughter of a (very fertile!) farmer and spends much of her time washing off and feeding her 6 younger siblings. She does find time, however, to get cozy with Wagner before leaving town. Wagner is her childhood sweetheart who lacks ambition, but not talent. He blows a horn like no other. (The film insists he blows it well, but viewers will see otherwise as he enacts the most ridiculous and unintentionally uproarious "routines" imaginable - speaking his thoughts and then interpreting them to "music"!) Wood hooks up with rich kid Hamilton (whose hair never moves one millimeter throughout the film) and soon bobs her hair and goes from backwoods beauty to brittle, shellacked mannequin. (She is strikingly beautiful throughout though, even when one character puts her looks down, she is gorgeous.) Hamilton has a crazed, incestuously-inclined sister (Kohner) who wreaks all sorts of havoc while gnashing, salivating and shrieking continuously. Meanwhile, Wagner finds his calling with the help of down-on-her-luck singer Bailey. She decides to wish herself into dying because her man left her and refuses to sing under any circumstances. (Yet, when Wagner finally gets her to warble again, she won't shut up, singing a three-song set that seems like it might not ever end!) The romantic complications reach a fever-pitch with lots of over-the-top dialogue and face-slapping, glass-throwing and other melodramatic touches until a fairly unbelievable "happy" ending comes along. Wagner is pretty bad here. He looks nice, at times, and is clearly trying, but the script is surreally bad and he is in over his head anyway. Wood isn't in top form either, her character's motivations aren't always clear and her moods swing like a pendulum. Hamilton's character has no meat to it, so he basically stands around looking unconvincingly concerned. Kohner is too much. Nothing about her is real. She is so overwhelmingly grating and almost alien-like with her prominent eyes and throaty, screeching voice. Like most of the other characters, she resembles nothing close to a real human being. All of the leads sport the world's most horrible in-and-out Texas accents. It is astonishing how bad and intermittent they are. It sometimes seems like a high school got funding from MGM to film their latest play (though the MGM gloss is still intact with a few eye-popping sets and some lovely clothes, hairstyles, etc...) Bailey probably provides the best acting onhand, but her character is pitiful. The bulk of the supporting cast don't have a lot to do, but Gregg tries to interject some life into her role as Wood's stepmother and Albertson raises the camp level with her snooty portrayal of Hamilton and Kohner's mom. The film contains a few points of interest, but fails as human drama. You need humans for that.

passionate and complex

[tanjac · 11 June 1999]

I happened to catch this movie on TNT one night and just admire this movie. It is more realistic where not all the things happen to please the viewer, but it takes you into the life of two young adults in love.They are confused and one of them runs away and the other follows to run away and the two make each other crazy, and involve two siblings into their life. The story just revolves around their relationship with others and each other. I also couldn't believe when Chad Bixby says to Salome (not a perfect quote) : If I can't have you, then I will destroy you!"

Great Title, Insipid Movie

[Kelt Smith · 3/10 · 2 April 2005]

You see the provocative title ALL THE FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS. Then you see the cast; NATALIE WOOD, ROBERT WAGNER, PEARL BAILEY and you think, this one's going to be good !

Very glossy with obviously decent production values hardly compensates for this awful movie. Four young and very attractive actors (WOOD, WAGNER, HAMILTON & KOHNER) interact with one another in over the top soap opera that has got to be one of the most unnecessary melodramas of all time. Actresses (NATALIE WOOD & SUSAN KOHNER) are gorgeous and dressed and coiffed to the nines thanks to Helen Rose and Sydney Guilaroff, but they almost come across like little girls in dress up as you watch them wallow in miseries of their own making. WAGNER tries too hard as hip trumpet player who is befriended by PEARL BAILEY, an alcoholic singer hellbent on self-destruction over a lost love. All involved must have thought that they were making something 'cutting edge' because of the relationship of white boy WAGNER with black woman BAILEY. WAGNER evens gets to get on a soapbox, slap KOHNER afters she refers to BAILEY'S character 'Ruby' as the 'N' word and then describe the black woman as the only truly decent person he's ever known ! Aside from the visual richness of the film, you'll quickly realize that the story is so apparently vacuous that it's like witnessing a vicious circle in motion.

TRIVIA : The piano player 'Redd' is none other than REDD FOXX, a good dozen years before the success

All the Fine Young Cannibals... A true classic !

[c-vanhall · 10/10 · 7 February 2006]

I saw this film some time ago and was blown of my feet. So strong, so intense. Love is not a game...or is it once it does turn against you and your lover ? The ultimate love story of the 60's where so many uncommitted lovers turned their commitments (and families) into chaos. In that perspective it's not at all unbelievable as one of the reviewers stated here, that the 'if I can't have you, I destroy you' line comes to life. You can ask yourself how much harm was done to each other by divorces and their children through all these divorces! Well all the cruelty of that battle was concentrated here on the two people destroying each other and their partners along.

Next thing which appealed to me very much, was that the great musician shown here, seems to be a role model for one of my sax-heroes and self-destructive musician in the No Wave scene of New York City: James Chance (aka as James White). The same anger and frustration jumped out of the vinyl as it did out of the screen here.

Only much later I found out that Robert Wagner and Nathalie Wood were married twice and had a dramatic life together with love, divorce and...the death of Wood. That gives this film even more dimensions than it already has. Fantastic film indeed. For always in my mind.

LOVED IT

[Vensus · 10 January 2004]

I love this picture. I think it's one of his best. For years I have been hoping it come to VHS. It's time to go into that library of movies and put them in VHS. I hope someone take a look at this and put on tape.

reply to Miguel Ángel Díaz González

[y.ben-david · 8/10 · 22 January 2001]

I was amazed that Miguel wrote that the story had no meaning to it!!?? He is gravely mistaken!! I think the film's motto is that you cannot love somebody completely, if deep down yourself you know you have been cheating him!! Sarah could not bring herself to love Tony although he was the perfect husband for her. Only when she tells him the truth about their son being truly the son of her-once-lover Chad does she remarks : " the funny thing is that now I love him (Tony), I broke his heart but I love him..."

I am truly sorry that this film was never given the proper credits it deserved. I think it was a great movie, and pity it is not available on Video and/or DVD!! MGM - Turner please do us a favour!!

well acted, shadow of my life somewhat, seemed so real

[sox-3 · 5 April 2002]

the movie was one of my favorites because it shadowed my own life to a certain degree. it seemed so real to me it was scary. i love natalie wood and robert wagner and i felt for both of them in this film as though it was really happening. susan kohner was a very beautiful girl and i fell for her hook line and sinker

good movie

[mickymouse2323 · 20 March 2007]

I saw the movie a year ago and I have to say it is good. Salome (Wood) found out that she was pregnant by Bixby (Wagner) felt that he couldn't support her and the child so she ran away from home. It was interesting when she ran into Tony (Hamilton) on the train and got married but he was unaware that she's pregnant with Chad's baby. When they both reach the university where he was attending, Catherine (Kohner) ran away from home as well but she wasn't pregnant. Things between Catherine and Salome wasn't peaches and cream. Catherine was used to get all the attention. Right after that Salome had her baby she somewhat reunite with Chad. Well y'all just have to see the movie there is a lot of twists

Awesome!

[jesus_n_bluesky · 10/10 · 19 June 2007]

This is one of the best films I have ever seen! The story, the plot,the actors, the directing, and everything about it! It shows reality,and how people really are. Back then and now. It is awesome! It is real, and it shows how our decisions can change our life. One small decision can alter our plans forever. But I love how it shows we need to let go of the past and realize the value of what is right there in front of us. This movie has some of the best acting I have ever seen. It is completely amazing and awesome! I love Natalie Wood in everything she does. They should really remake this movie. I couldn't imagine the actors they would get for the remake. I don't know any that would compare to the originals. Yet I really think that this is a story that needs to be retold to future generations. It is a forgotten film, but it should be known by all.

You'll have the right to sing the blues after this two hour nervous breakdown of a movie.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 3 February 2021]

There is so much fascinating nonsense in this glossy MGM soap opera, made around the time of so many glossy soap operas in the late 1950's / early 1960's tradition. Even the title of the film has a soap opera sound to it, and if it's certainly not a "Peyton Place" or "A Summer Place" or even a "Butterfield 8", it has many fascinating aspects to it, and certainly some outstanding performances, both hideous and excellent.

The script of this film heads all over the place so it takes a lot of concentration at times to figure out where they are in the story and why certain things are happening. The four main characters are beautiful but vapid, not really well acted by Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood, George Hamilton and Susan Kohner. Then Pearl Bailey comes on and takes over the film, and you begin to wonder why she did not get an Oscar nomination.

The four main characters are either neurotically troubled and needy, self-centered and narcissistic, crude and racist. Bailey's character may have her issues, but she is so filled with heart even when internally dead, coming to life when she sings a stunning version of "God Bless the Child" and stealing your heart in the process.

In addition to 1959 "Imitation of Life" featured actress Kohner there's also Louise Beavers from the 1934 version, her gentle voice encouraging Wagner to reach into himself to play the horn to express what he feels, and still as beautiful a soul as she was nearly 30 years before. The MGM gloss will have you admiring all the gorgeous gowns and the soulful sound certainly will get under your skin, but this is missing a soul of its own. I've seen many William Inge/Tennessee Williams style melodramas with similar themes, but the sound this leaves tells me that the cat found the tin roof busted.

One of my all time favorite movies

[ebra54 · 10/10 · 19 January 2005]

This is one of my favorite movies. I first saw it years ago while baby sitting as a teenager. The title is misleading and I'm sure many overlooked it. I have tried to find it to purchase but no one has it. Can anyone help me. There are 2 other movies I think have misleading titles but are "Top Tens" 10 North Frederick starring Gary Cooper and Ice Place with Robert Ryan, Martha Hyer, Carolyn Jones and Jim Backus. I can't find them either. My brother told me about this website and this was the first time I have gotten this close to either movie. I am glad to see others still having an appreciation for the classics. These movies along with All Susan Hayward movies make a rainy Sat. afternoon fantastic!

Watch it for the music

[winstonfg · 3/10 · 21 August 2007]

Better still, buy the soundtrack on CD. Dated, pretentious angst-ridden nonsense that is saved only partially by the fine music; and certainly not by an over-the-top Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner. I usually like Wood (not quite so sold on Wagner), but here she seems shrill and the whole film looks and feels awfully dated. I'd rate it just ahead of the truly criminal Subterraneans of the same year (with another of my usual favourites, Leslie Caron). That also had a great soundtrack, including the great Gerry Mulligan, but in it's case it wasn't enough to induce me to watch it all the way through.

This one I did, but I'm not sure it was worth the bother.