Customer Reviews

My Foolish Heart [VHS]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's a shame that MY FOOLISH HEART is not currently available on video. For the movie is an excellent, bittersweet love story with one of Susan Hayward's finest performances.

The film is based on a short story written by J.D. Salinger for The New Yorker magazine (although I've read the story and the movie's script is MUCH expanded from the original). A trusting and somewhat naive college girl named Eloise Winters falls for a charming but irresponsible man on the eve of WWII. She gives her heart a little too quickly, and tragedy results.

Although some reviewers peg MY FOOLISH HEART as little more than an old-fashioned "weepie," the movie actually has many sound virtues. The script is sharp and realistic, with some welcome touches of humor. The black-and-white, deep-focus photography is excellent. And Victor Young's musical score--with its famous title tune--is beautiful.

Dana Andrews and the supporting players do fine work (with Robert Keith, as Hayward's loving, level-headed father being a real stand-out). But it's Hayward who truly wraps up the film with her outstanding performance. She may not always be entirely convincing, especially in some of her early scenes as a dewy-eyed college girl. But when the script turns darker, she reponds with an acting job that is stunning and deeply felt. She really gets to the heart of Eloise's fear, longing and regret. Even in shots where she has no dialogue, Hayward's facial expressions can be absolutely devastating.

If you look to movies for a good, emotionally cathartic experience, you won't be disappointed with MY FOOLISH HEART.

I saw this movie on t.v. only once.... approximately 25 years ago.. And to this day I remember it as if it were just yesterday!

It is one of my all time favorite movies.. it had it all... and whenever talking about old movies I ALWAYS tell people about that one!

THIS IS A VERY ROMANTIC, SAD, & TOUCHING STORY SET DURING WWII. I FIRST SAW THIS MOVIE AS A YOUNG GIRL WATCHING IT ON TV WITH MY MOTHER AND I LOVED IT THEN! I ALWAYS LOOK FOR IT IN VIDEO STORES & ON TV & CAN NEVER SEEM TO FIND IT. SUSAN HAYWARD & DANA ANDREWS PLAY THE ILL FATED LOVERS AND THEY ARE JUST GREAT. I ALSO READ THE STORY "UNCLE WIGGLY IN CONNECTICUT" ON WHICH THE MOVIE IS BASED. FOR ANYONE WHO LOVES A GOOD OLD FASHIONED LOVE STORY THIS ONE IS FOR YOU!

I always loved this movie. It is so heart wrenching and touching. It is worth watching over and over. This is the movie that made me fall in love with Dana Andrews.

It was in very good condition.

For years, I have been a fan of Salinger's works. Primarily, this includes The Catcher in the Rye and Nine Stories. This film was an adaptation of his short story from the latter book: "Uncle Wiggly In Connecticut." The attempts at realism by star Susan Hayward is a little forward and SLIGHTLY unconvincing, yet you sure as heck have to give her some credit for trying in a difficult role. Dana Andrews is better as a more down-to-earth soldier. My favorite part of the film is the scoring however. Without the terrific musical composition, I would have rated this as only a two star flick. As Maltin said, it does help add to the movie's spice. Victor Young, the composer, is a man of great talent. You can catch his work "Stella by Starlight" in the excellent 1944 mystery-thriller The Uninvited.