Customer Reviews

Shining Hour [VHS]

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

 

 

This is another compelling melodrama in which Joan Crawford stars as popular nightclub dancer. Tired of the tawdry world of the demi-monde, she agrees to marry a rich man (Melvyn Douglas) from Wisconsin and live a quiet and simple life on his Wisconsin farm. Unfortunately for her, his jealous and domineering sister (Fay Bainter) lives there, as does their brother (Robert Young) and his wife (Margaret Sullavan).

The brother, who had initially disapproved of the match, finds himself falling for Joan, while his wife looks helplessly on. The sister is viscious towards Joan, and Joan and her husband build their own home in hopes of riding out his sister's hatred of Joan. Alas, this is not to be, as the sister's hatred takes a dramatic turn, which brings all the parties to a crossroad in each of their lives.

Margaret Sullavan gives an achingly poignant performance as the wife who loves a husband who does not return that love. The nuances of her performance steal the show away from Joan Crawford, who also gives a strong performance but does not reach the heights that Margaret Sullavan does with hers. Melvyn Douglas and Robert Young are excellent as the brothers, who are in love with the same woman. Fay Bainter is terrific as the hateful and jealous sister, whose hatred would culminate in tragedy.

Though some of the film is somewhat preposterous, it is entertaining, nonetheless. Fans of Joan Crawford and Margaret Sullavan will enjoy it, as will all those who love classic films.

"The Shining Hour" displays the interesting meshing of two fine talents in talented actresses Joan Crawford and the magical Margaret Sullavan. Having seen very few of Sullavan's films I was amazed by her confident playing and husky appealing voice. Together these two really create an interesting pair of characters that look believable interacting with each other so natural is their rapport with each other.

"The Shining Hour" was a mildly successful Broadway play that Joan Crawford developed an interest in and got MGM to buy the option on as her next film in early 1938. She was experiencing a box office slump at the time despite having a success with Spencer Tracy in "Mannequin" and was eager to start exploring film properties that might offer her more of a challenge. While it has a similiar theme to alot of Joan's earlier work where she climbs the social ladder and is torn between the love of two men, here she is provided with fine performers and some literate dialogue that make "The Shining Hour" a memorable viewing experience. Despite being dismissed by some critics as more of a personality than an actress here Crawford delivers an honest and naturally presented performance that contrasts so well with Sullavan's very different delivery. The two became good friends during the production of "The Shining Hour" and it clearly shows in their on screen friendship as well.

The film relates the story of Olivia Riley a night club performer from a humble background who marries wealthy gentleman farmer Henry Linden and returns with him to the family property in Wisconsin. Olivia gets more than she bargained for when she meets the rest of the family as she is left to deal with the jealous and bitchy reception by Henry's sister Hannah who resents her presence in the house and the hate turned to love directed at her by David, Henry's brother. She does find an automatic friend and ally in David's wife Judy but complications set in when she finds herself falling in love with David despite knowing that those feelings are wrong and will destroy Judy's life completely.It takes a near tragedy at the farm to finally bring Olivia and David to their senses and to realise that what they already have with their respective spouses is too precious to throw away.

Out of such a romantic story comes some very fine acting indeed. I believe Joan Crawford shows a real maturity in her acting style in this film. She makes the character of Olivia a well rounded one and some of her best scenes are when she is showing the dilemma that she has found herself in over her feelings for Henry and David. Margaret Sullavan is superb as the frail and tender Judy who is prepared to sacrifice her own life for the sake of her husband. The film boasts strong performances from all the leads, a standout being the terrific Fay Bainter as Hannah Linden the nasty spinster sister of Melvyn Douglas and Robert Young. Her cold manner and nasty cuts at Olivia create a real feeling of tension which give "The Shining Hour" its dramatic edge. Melyvn Douglas and Robert Young as Henry and David Linden really are overshadowed by the three female leads but do good work and Robert Young in particular is very effective as the brother torn between his sweet wife and his sister in law. Rounding out the cast in one of the main supporting roles is the always wonderful Hattie McDaniel as Belvedere, Joan Crawford's personal maid. She has some great lines and the last scene of the film which ends on a very comical note is really hers which she handles in her usual capable and highly comic manner.

If you are a Joan Crawford or Margaret Sullavan fan you are guaranteed to enjoy "The Shining Hour". The film has the polished look typical of MGM productions of that period but really this film is more than just a prettily packaged romance story. It delivers an interesting story and some great acting by all the leads along the way.

When the very lovely, talented dancer portrayed by Joan Crawford marries a wealthy farmer and moves to the family home where the entire family lives (ala Dallas) the fireworks begin when the husband's sister is consumed with jealousy and the younger brother falls in love with the vibrant Joan Crawford (I understand perfectly). The fireworks at the end make it well worth the watch. Joan does an marvelous job and looks great, too.

"The Shining Hour" was Joan's final MGM motion pictures after a string of lackluster pictures that presented her in the same role with the same, similar plot. Although it's certainly not one of my favorite movies, I consider it one of Joan's better movies of the late '30s because it included a strong story and Joan gave such a worthwhile performance that although was by now a standard performance, also had its own identity.

In "The Shining Hour" Olivia Riley, a former club singer has to put up with her "high-society" sister-in-law Hannah (Fay Bainter). I enjoy this movie very much because we get to see Joan in both a glamour-puss role and an ordinary-everyday one. It not only displayed her authentic abilities but it also showed her real side; that multi/extra-dimension to her that has remained fascinating for all these years.

Some basic stats about "The Shining Hour"
Released: (November 13, 1938) (Studio: MGM)
Runtime Listing: 76 mins.
Color/BW: Black and White
(Joan played: Olivia Riley)
This film was made/released between Joan's movies: Mannequin (1938) and The Ice Follies of 1939 (1939)
Brief Synopsis:
A nightclub dancer marries into society and has to contend with her jealous sister-in-law
Joan's brief comments on this film: ...failed, but sort of nobly.

My favorite part(s) of the movie was the banter between Hannah and Olivia. Joan is vulnerable and sensitive as she allows Hannah the right of passage as the queen of the palace. Unlike Hannah, Olivia isn't bitter or spiteful and instead wishes that she would be accepted. Olivia also shows a very compassionate side of herself when she rescues Judy (Margaret Sullivan), her other sister-in-law, after Hanna's little scene that could have caused a lot of damage and sorrow. Joan's face during theses scenes was especially telling; only a dramatic actress could convey a million words with her eyes without saying a peep. What I most understood though was that Olivia was able to relate to Judy and in the same breath no longer considered herself inferior to heard-hearted Hannah.

"The Shining Hours" was put out on DVD earlier this year by Warner Home Video (in addition to a VHS several years ago). This is a no-frills DVD that does not include any bonuses, featurettes or special features. But if you're like me you don't give a flying fig about any of that because you know that what matters most is Joan's legacy, her films.

Unfortunately like a gaggle of Joan's late `30s movies "The Shining Hour" failed to shine at the box office. And, like Joan always did, she based her opinions of her movies and her roles on what her fans thought. The consummate perfectionist who gave all of herself was never happy unless all of her fans were happy. In Conversations with Joan Crawford, Joan commented: The Shining Hour failed, but sort of nobly. On Broadway it had been a smash hit. Margaret Sullivan, Robert Young, Melvyn Douglas and I were all wasted, and I think this was about the time my loyal public began dwindling. You can't keep `em coming back to bad films.

I do not consider this a bad film in the least, though and I strongly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Joan Crawford or classic pictures of the Golden Era. The movie is important to me because it shows that love conquers all. Olivia wasn't sure she fit into Henry's (her new husband, played by Melvyn Douglas) life (probably because of the shameless games that Hannah played). But she was able to find an unconventional happiness, that elusive and everlasting love, that acceptance and overpowering feeling of security and safeness that anyone with a beating heart wants.

The unbearably sad expression on the face of Margaret Sullavan after she kisses her husband goodbye and gives him up to her superior rival (Crawford) raises this Hollywood product momentarily to the level of art.

Every time I watch a Crawford film from the 1930s that I hadn't watched before, the oft-quoted opinion of film critics of that era about Joan's lack of acting ability/talent, surprises me even more...because each time, again and again, her acting & technique seems (to me) so fresh and contemporary, so much more natural than the acting style of most of the other ladies from the `30s.

In this entertaining film she acts and holds her own opposite a different type of talent, lovely actress Margaret Sullavan, who, as always, excels as Crawford's sister-in-law. I repeat, Crawford's playing, as a dancer married into an aristocratic rural family, looks very natural and sincere.

Kudos too, for wonderful character actress Fay Bainter, as the unpleasant spinsterish sister of Robert Young and Melvyn Douglas, who was the first screen actor to be nominated for an Academy Award in one year, in both categories: best actress for "White Banners" and best supporting actress for "Jezebel" (she won this one), and like "The Shining Hour" (MGM), both films were released in 1938 (by Warner Bros.), so it was definitely a good year for Ms. Bainter.

Robert Young and Melvyn Douglas are second fiddle to this trio of excellent actresses, but nonetheless very effective as the Linden brothers, married respectively to Sullavan and Crawford, torn between love and family. Hattie Mc Daniel (future "GWTW" Mammy) is very funny as usual, as Crawford's maid.

OK, so I bought this thinking that since this DVD is from the Warner Archive Collection, they would somehow come up with a beautifully transferred DVD from a good 35mm print that is in excellent condition, but what do we get? ...a grainy, extremely low quality effort that does not do the film justice!!! Is this the kind of sh@t they are going to keep putting out as Warner Archive Collection? If so I am not buying anymore! It looks like it was transferred from a VHS recording of a TV broadcast! Don't get me wrong, I love this movie to death. Probably one of my favorite Borzage films, with a beautiful soundtrack and casting (especially Sullivan) but come on, I have seen this in 35 and even 16 mm back in school and I remember the beautiful grays, especially those on Sullivan's dress. But in this DVD, they look muddy, grainy, sh@tty.

I am really disappointed. I thought, finally, I could watch this movie on a big screen TV at home that would remind me of watching it at the theater, but instead, it looks horrible as if I was watching VHS blown up. I hate this, and please people, comment about the quality of the DVD transfer not about the freaking movie. We buy these "older" films because we already know how great they are.

Note: this movie is also available on DVD.

"The Shining Hour" was Joan's final MGM motion pictures after a string of lackluster pictures that presented her in the same role with the same, similar plot. Although it's certainly not one of my favorite movies, I consider it one of Joan's better movies of the late '30s because it included a strong story and Joan gave such a worthwhile performance that although was by now a standard performance, also had its own identity.

In "The Shining Hour" Olivia Riley, a former club singer has to put up with her "high-society" sister-in-law Hannah (Fay Bainter). I enjoy this movie very much because we get to see Joan in both a glamour-puss role and an ordinary-everyday one. It not only displayed her authentic abilities but it also showed her real side; that multi/extra-dimension to her that has remained fascinating for all these years.

Some basic stats about "The Shining Hour"
Released: (November 13, 1938) (Studio: MGM)
Runtime Listing: 76 mins.
Color/BW: Black and White
(Joan played: Olivia Riley)
This film was made/released between Joan's movies: Mannequin (1938) and The Ice Follies of 1939 (1939)
Brief Synopsis:
A nightclub dancer marries into society and has to contend with her jealous sister-in-law
Joan's brief comments on this film: ...failed, but sort of nobly.

My favorite part(s) of the movie was the banter between Hannah and Olivia. Joan is vulnerable and sensitive as she allows Hannah the right of passage as the queen of the palace. Unlike Hannah, Olivia isn't bitter or spiteful and instead wishes that she would be accepted. Olivia also shows a very compassionate side of herself when she rescues Judy (Margaret Sullivan), her other sister-in-law, after Hanna's little scene that could have caused a lot of damage and sorrow. Joan's face during theses scenes was especially telling; only a dramatic actress could convey a million words with her eyes without saying a peep. What I most understood though was that Olivia was able to relate to Judy and in the same breath no longer considered herself inferior to heard-hearted Hannah.

"The Shining Hours" was put out on VHS several years ago, in addition to a no-frills DVD earlier this year by Warner Home Video. The DVD that does not include any bonuses, featurettes or special features. But if you're like me you don't give a flying fig about any of that because you know that what matters most is Joan's legacy, her films. The movie is also shown from time-to-time on TCM (just do a search on your DVR or visit tv-now dot com to see when/if it will be on again soon).

Unfortunately like a gaggle of Joan's late `30s movies "The Shining Hour" failed to shine at the box office. And, like Joan always did, she based her opinions of her movies and her roles on what her fans thought. The consummate perfectionist who gave all of herself was never happy unless all of her fans were happy. In "Conversations with Joan Crawford," Joan commented: The Shining Hour failed, but sort of nobly. On Broadway it had been a smash hit. Margaret Sullivan, Robert Young, Melvyn Douglas and I were all wasted, and I think this was about the time my loyal public began dwindling. You can't keep `em coming back to bad films.

I do not consider this a bad film in the least, though and I strongly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Joan Crawford or classic pictures of the Golden Era. The movie is important to me because it shows that love conquers all. Olivia wasn't sure she fit into Henry's (her new husband, played by Melvyn Douglas) life probably because of the shameless games that Hannah played. But she was able to find an unconventional happiness, that elusive and everlasting love, that acceptance and overpowering feeling of security and safeness that anyone with a beating heart wants.

This is exactly what I was looking for -- Was in excellent condition -- Very Fast Shipping --- Thank You !

A rather unusual film which is redeemed by the performance of Margaret Sullavan. In 1938, Joan Crawford's career in films was in serious jeopardy: she was considered "box-office poison". Joan demanded that MGM give her better stories with scripts written by prestigous playwrights.
This was a valiant but failed attempt to rescue her position at the box office. Here we have Joan Crawford as a glorified gal of the streets - an erst-while Tenth Avenue chippy - turned ballroom dancing queen who marries Wisconsin farmer Melvyn Douglas. The family doesn't exactly give the couple their blessings, and fireworks emit while the newlyweds stay at the cozy little farm (with 2,000 cows!). Robert Young (he's married to Maggie) develops feelings for Crawford which she reciprocates...confusion ensues. The best performance in the entire film is given by Margaret Sullavan as Judy Linden. Sullavan manages to capture some poignancy combined with a touch of hopeless heroism in her self-sacrificial role. Fay Bainter is excellent, playing with spiteful arrogance. Douglas and Young - as the gentlemen farmers - are charmingly dull. Crawford is noticeably thin here, and although she looks lovely in some becoming gowns, her performance lacks conviction; she and Sullavan, however, make for a most interesting contrast. In the original play, the story took place in Yorkshire, England.