Product Details

• Actors: Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Felix Bressart, Marsha Hunt, Fay Holden
• Directors: Mervyn LeRoy
• Writers: Anita Loos, Dorothy Yost, Hugo Butler, Ralph Wheelwright
• Producers: Mervyn LeRoy, Irving Asher
• Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Warner)
• VHS Release Date: December 23, 1993
• Run Time: 99 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301967569
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #187 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There is no such thing as an illegitimate child, May 21, 2002

By	Simon Davis - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

So states Greer Garson in this stunningly put together masterpiece, the type of moving production not seen in Hollywood these days.

The film marked the first of the eight legendary teamings of Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon and even though their effort of the following year "Mrs. Miniver' is probably the most famous, here they are both in their prime and Greer delivers what I honestly feel is her best performance. She plays Edna Gladney a real life woman from Fort Worth Texas who was responsible for setting up the famous Texas Children's Home and Aid Society.

"Blossoms in the Dust", which refers to the little infants playing in the Texan dust, chronicles her life from the tragic suicide of her foster sister Charlotte who is revealed to be a foundling prior to her marriage, to her own her marriage to Sam Gladney (Pidgeon), a wheat grower from Texas, through their life together, the tragic loss of their own son, to her widowhood and her wonderful work with the unwanted infants in Texas. It is a totally inspiring account of her struggles to overcome prejudice and break down bureacracy and importantly to have the word "illegitimate" stricken from official records and birth certificates. The famous statement exclaimed by Greer Garson during her campaign "there is no such thing as an illegitimate child, only illegitimate parents" will definately stay with you long after the film has ended and I feel it gives all of us food for thought on this matter.

As stated before Greer Garson is the heart and soul of this production. The 1940's witnessed her golden age of stardom in such unforgettable MGM films as "Goodbye Mr. Chips", "Mrs. Miniver", "When Ladies Meet", "Mrs. Parkington", and "Valley of Decision" What a marvellous list of classics which makes you wonder just what is Hollywood really doing these days! Greer displays such total warmth in the role but at the same time is quite commanding as Edna begins her personal crusade to right this terrible wrong against orphans making her a believable character. I like the way that at times Edna displays a slight selfish streak which is wonderfully honest and how any of us would react in situations like the moving interlude when she must part with little Tony near the conclusion of the film. Her chemistry with Walter Pidgeon, as always is magical and they made up one of the most enduring screen teams in Hollywood history . Their interactions are a delight to witness and it is easy to see that they were close friends in real life as well so convincing is their working with each other. Felix Bressart so wonderful as one of Garbo's communist pals in "Ninotchka" is a joy in the role of Max , the doctor who spends a lifetime helping Edna with the children and in the process becomes her closest friend and confidant.

The film marked another directing triumph for Mervyn LeRoy responsible for some stunning work at MGM including one of my favourites "Waterloo Bridge" with Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh. His sure hand is all over this production and he had a great way about him in guiding very emotional and sentimental dramas such as this.

"Blossoms" was nominated for 4 Academy Awards, including Best Actress and quite rightly won for the stunning technicolour interior decoration. In that respect you would be hard pressed to see a more sumptous production and the exquisite gowns done by Adrian in one of his last assignments at MGM are a sight to behold. It's also a joy to finally see Greer Garson's famous red hair in beautiful colour!!

"Blossoms in the Dust" is a wonderful tear jerking experience and I never fail to be moved by the conclusion of the film when little Tony (Pat Barker, in a beautiful performance) is found a home on Christmas Eve and despite the tearful seperation Edna finds herself suddenly with a new little charge who in the last scene is seen holding her hand through the bars of his cot indicating that life will go on in the infant home. Beautiful stuff and guaranteed to not leave a dry eye in the place

If you enjoy emotional and moving dramas with first class performers and production values you cannot go past "Blossoms in the Dust". They definately dont make fine films like this one anymore!

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a tear-inducing tale, January 8, 2001

By	Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

Greer Garson stars as the real-life heroine Edna Gladney, who helped thousands of foundling children find loving and respectable homes.

After the suicide of her beloved foster sister Charlotte (Marsha Hunt), Edna learns that she killed herself because she discovered that she was a "nameless child".

Soon after, Edna marries her husband (Walter Pidgeon) and has a darling son-only for him to die very young. Edna decides to help other children the way she could never have helped Charlotte, and champions the cause of the foundlings.

Beautifully filmed in Technicolor, this charming turn-of-the-century epic is a fine entertainment, one you will not soon forget.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hollywood should take some lessons from this one!, September 30, 2000

By	"tvcole" (Manassas, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This is a delightful movie about Edna Gladney, a real-life hero who made a difference through persistence and self-sacrifice, placing children in adoptive homes, establishing orphanages, and hounding politicians. The world could use a few more Edna Gladneys, especially now that the value of human life is at a low ebb. She coined a phrase which I shall never forget: "There are no illegitimate children, only illegitimate parents." Hey, how come Hollywood doesn't make movies like this anymore??