Customer Reviews

Back Street [VHS]

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

As the 1950's came to an end, it seemed as though the genre known as the "tear-jerker" was the sole property of Lana Turner. Having starred in "Portrait in Black" and "Imitation of Life," it was obviously the American movie-going public could not except anyone else in their "weepies." However, Universal gave Susan Hayward a shot with a remake of an earlier work "Back Street." Saddled with contract player John Gavin, a Rock Hudson "clone", Miss Hayward was good as "the other woman" romantically involved with a married man. But, the movie belongs to Vera Miles as the "scorned" wife. She ignites every scene with a bitchiness that rivals anything every filmed. Her Liz Saxon is an alcoholic, an adultress, a poor mother, and a flashy dresser, to boot. The confrontation between Hayward's Rae Smith and Miles' Saxon at a trendy Paris fashion show is a highlight for its over-the-top melodrama that only could've been made by Ross Hunter. They just don't make 'em like that any more! It's our loss.

Susan Hayward and Lana Turner battled it out on the screen in the early 1960's for the heavy weight crown of tearstained mink queen of the movies. What was left for an actress over 40 in 1961 but the highly glamorous gloss of a Ross Hunter picture or the grand gargoyle glamour of something like "Baby Jane"? Not much. To be a female movie star of a certain age at that time in Hollywood and to some extent even today meant only one thing, you're Over The Hill baby.
Both actresses had done their best work during the preceding two decades. It was Lana of the tawdry emotions versus hard Hayward of the rat-a-tat Brooklyn delivery always punctuated with a Garlandesque gesture. With films like "Ada", "Stolen Hours" and "Where Love Has Gone", Hayward wins the crown.
"Back Street" is the jewel in this crown. The essential Hayward tearjerker with all the required elements, an impossibly beautiful mannequin of a leading man for her and the audience to project their dreams upon. A truly wicked wife for him to make it almost impossible to denounce Hayward for coming between them, and two throwaway children to soften the tragic end of the film in one final surge of violins and Kleenex. All of this played out in the glamour capitals of New York, Rome and Paris provided by Universal's backlot (and a few lovely locations in Monterey County doubling for the Italian coast). Add to the mix the highly sophisticated costumes of the early 60's and sets of stunning beauty, all strung together to one of the most lyrically beautiful scores ever written for this genre. The result is the glossiest most improbably romantic film of her career that can be taken today in one of two ways, high camp comedy or lush romance. It all depends upon your point of view.
In support of Miss Hayward there is Virginia Grey as her older (and I mean much older!) sister Janenee. She provides throughout the picture the image Rae "All small letters, very chic. Smith, carries of what an ideal marriage and family means. She hits all the right notes as the loving sister who pushes Rae out of her small mid-western life in Lincoln Nebraska and into the world of high fashion in New York.
Reginald Gardner is the perfect picture of the perfunctorily gay designer Dalian who helps her to make her name and sends her off to Europe, or at least around the corner to the "Rome" set. His is just an extension of the Franklin Pangborne harmless gay man of the early years of movie history. Elegant sophisticate always ready with a bon mot and a hanky. He is alarmingly memorable in the role.
John Gavin, more beautiful than Rock Hudson and with a better body, is Paul Saxon, the spineless Ken Doll upon which Rae drapes all her dreams as if he were a mannequin to dress for each love scene. But with such a man around she and the audience need nothing more than what appears. He is the perfect vessel to dream about, create a personality for, and waste a good twenty years loving while passing up the opportunities presented for a real life.
About a quarter of the way into the film the fun arrives in the cool resplendent form of Vera Miles as Liz (perhaps the screenwriter chose that name to make a subliminal connection with the then scandalous Elizabeth Taylor) Saxon, wife to Paul. She is given all the attributes of a monster, alcoholic, unfaithful and a lousy mother. (Sounds like the tabloid "Liz" we all know and love.) She is perfectly designed to make us love Rae and her sad little back street affair. For there was just no other way to get around the taboo of infidelity in those days but to have a Liz on hand. Her confrontation with Rae is supremely bitchy and utterly wonderful.
As the beautiful Rae Susan Hayward plays one of her few completely sympathetic characters in her long and lustrous career. She approaches Rae as if this was a chance to win a second Oscar and in fact in the scene where she calls late one night from Rome back home on Thanksgiving she is magnificent. Her beautiful bourbon flavored voice is used to accentuate her loveliness in every scene. Her trademark gestures are at a minimum and only called into play when they are most needed. She carries the improbable picture on her perfect shoulders and gives a fine and detailed performance that is perfection in the soapy atmosphere of Europe. A few of the many highlights is the scene where she finds out that Paul is married, the phone call from the hospital and the race to the airport in Lincoln early on in the film. She is stunningly dressed in gowns by Jean Louis that are smart and very contemporary to what the ladies are wearing on the red carpet today. David Webs beautiful jewelery complements her and adds a feel of true richness to the picture.
As I mentioned earlier the score by Frank Skinner is perfection and punctuates the drama in so many ways that are essential in this movie.
The direction by stalwart David Miller is right on target. He should know how to do it, after all he did the same for Joan Crawford in "The Story of Esther Costello" and "Sudden Fear", as well as Doris Day in "Midnight Lace" and Lana Turner in "Diane".
This all was helmed by the master of the genre, Producer Ross Hunter who defined the genre with such hits as "Imitation of Life", "Portrait in Black", and "Madam X".
"Back Street" remains to this day the shinning beacon of the last gasp of the woman's picture where women were smart, strong, self-made in a mans world and all the while ever glamorous in tearstained mink.

I believe this is one of the best movies of all times. It is an emotion-evoking movie. The dialogue is clear and decisive and above all there is no vulgarity throughout the film. It is the type of movie that can tirelessly be seen over and over again. The story could be anybody's life. The acting is very convincing.

All the actors are great in this "tear jerker" movie. Susan Hayward is beautiful and lovable. Vera Miles is beautiful, but she is intolerable and a drunk!--proves how good an actress she is. John Gavin is effective as he portrays the man caught between these two women. If you want a great movie to watch over and over and to shed tears every time you watch it, this is the one!

For anyone who loves the old fashioned tear-jerkers, this movie is for you! Susan Hayward and John Gavin have a wonderful chemistry. Vera Miles is outstanding as the vengeful wife. I haven't seen a leading man as talented and handsome as John Gavin. He is definitely an under rated actor.

This was one of my favorite movies of all time. I love John Gavin, he is so gorgeous and Susan Hayward is a legend. This movie gave you happiness and laughter along with tears and sadness. I have never cried so much as I did in this movie. Vera Miles did a bang up job as the witchie wife. I don't believe in cheating on your spouse, but anyone would have on someone like her. He deserved a life with Rae. I just wish it could have had a different ending, but then it was great all the way through and left you spent from tears.

Susan Hayward blessed us with so many great film performmances:
"I'd Climb the Highest Mountain", "With a Song in My Heart",
"David and Bathsheba", "I'll Cry Tomorrow"...
"Back Street" gives us another dizzying performance by a red head
many of us fell in love with before Lucy (not that I think they
are comparable). The story may be a 3 hanky affair; but just to
see Susan Hayward is a joy that will never grow old. She gives
a brilliant performance. Also, Vera Miles gives a very poised
unsympathetic performance as the wronged wife.
Susan, You were one of my first screen loves and I'll never
forget you and your movies.

Grab the tissues, because you'll need several as you sympathazie with two lovers who can never have each other.

This is another great, wonderful, tearful, romantic, tragic love story and is great to watch on a rainy afternoon. Sure it's campy but it's also acting at it's peak by Susan. As far as i'm concerned she never looked better than she does in this film. But if your into tearjerker movies get those "hankies" ready. You'll sob! ...and this is coming from a guys point of view. This is right up there with "Imitation of Life." Boy,,,,they don't make them like this anymore. Just wish it was in DVD and theatre format.

I love this movie and the only thing I could wish for now is for it to come out on DVD. Anyone have a clue when that might happen?