September Affair (1950)

Low-Grade Romantics

For a movie starring Joseph CottenJoan Fontaine and Jessica TandySeptember Affair was a real stinker!  Completely predictable within the first 15 minutes, acting was flat and the 


premise, so sad, the whole movie was gloomy. And not gloomy in the Se7en sense of the word... just  flat out gloomy.  As a matter of fact, this picture represents the only good part of the film:


What's it all about?

Mark Driscoll provides a synopsis of the movie on IMDB:  An industrialist (Joseph Cotten) and a pianist (Joan Fontaine) meet on a trip and fall in love. Through a quirk of fate, they are reported dead in a crash though they weren't on the plane. This gives them the opportunity to live together free from their previous lives. Unfortunately, this artificial arrangement leads to greater and greater stress. Eventually the situation collapses when they come to pursue their original, individual interests without choosing a common path.

All the while, the victims are left wondering why? What happened?

Jessica Tand in September Affair

Get 'em Bosley!

I gotta tell ya, Bosley Crowther, in his February 2, 1951 New York Times critique was absolutely scathing and I can't disagree with him!

Not even the lovely background settings of Naples, Pompeii, Capri and the beautiful city of Florence, which are toured in the course of the tale, succeed in conveying apt illusion to the low-grade romantics of the yarn. For the painful fact is that Hal Wallis and his associates in the production of this film have set down a hopelessly silly story in front of some beautiful scenery and a haunting song.I so over the top, whole-heartedly agree!

RATED: Bad 

WATCH IT AGAIN: No 

DO I WANT TO OWN IT?:  No

Thanks for stopping by - see ya at the movies!

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2 Comments

  1. But the movie shows romantic Italy of the 50s. Rome, Florenc,e Naples...

    "Do you know the land where the lemon-trees grow,
    in darkened leaves the gold-oranges glow,
    a soft wind blows from the pure blue sky,
    the myrtle stands mute, and the bay-tree high?
    Do you know it well?
    It’s there I’d be gone,
    to be there with you, O, my beloved one!

    Do you know the house? It has columns and beams,
    there are glittering rooms, the hallway gleams,
    and figures of marble looking at me?
    ‘What have they done, child of misery?
    Do you know it well?
    It’s there I’d be gone,
    to be there with you, O my true guardian..."

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  2. But Joan Fontaine has the classy Italy travel style of the 50s...

    "From her to you comes loving thought,
    that leads to highest good, while you pursue it,
    counting as little what all men desire:
    from her comes that spirit full of grace
    that shows you heaven by the true way':
    so that in hope I fly, already, to the heights..."

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