Forever Amber (1947)

Personal tastes can affect the way you watch a movie or decide what it is you will watch. But it's also nice to extend yourself past the sort of movies you favor to see what else is out there. Such was the case when I received my copy of FOREVER AMBER. In reading the synopsis I could tell it wasn't my normal type of film to enjoy. But I watched it anyone determined to see if I would enjoy it or not. The end result was a mixed bag.The movie is based on the best-selling novel, considered scandalous at the time it was released and banned in several cities. It tells the story of a young woman named Amber St. Clair (Linda Darnell), raised by puritans, who leaves her home behind after meeting an adventurer named Bruce Carlton (Cornel Wilde). Carlton romances Amber but then leaves her behind to go off to the new world. He leaves her with some money but she is soon taken advantage of and thrown into prison.Unfortunately for Amber she discovers she is pregnant with Bruce's child. She meets a highwayman when the prison guards pimp out the female prisoners who helps her escape and sets her up in his place. But as the movie moves forward you begin to see that a pattern develops with Amber. This new beau is killed during a scam the pair have concocted and she ends up with another man who wants to marry her, never realizing she continues to pine for Bruce with the intent to marry him.Bruce continues to come and go into Amber's life. Her son grows from infant to child. And eventually she finds herself in the King's favor, King Charles II (George Sanders). But even when she finally achieves the status and social position she thinks will win her the favor of Carlton she brings ruin to her plans. It isn't until the end of the film that you discover if she succeeds or not. And even that is left up in the air when you learn that the company that released the film changed the ending.The movie runs longer than one would think at over 2 hours, long for a movie that was released in 1947. And to be honest it felt like it ran long too. That isn't to say it isn't a good movie or that the story doesn't keep you watching, but it feels repetitious at times. The acting is superb with both Darnell and Wilde giving it their all. Sanders dry way of playing the king also is worth noting.Fans of night time soaps or costume dramas will find this film to their liking. Others will be able to enjoy it but won't make an effort to seek it out. On the whole it was a nice movie with an interesting story but for me the melodrama became a bit much. Then again I'd just finished watching WUTHERING HEIGHTS before putting this one in so that may not have helped.Twilight Time has provided the cleanest version of the film to ever be offered but what would one expect from them by now? They always do a tremendous job an don't fail to do so here. Extras include an isolated music track, a featurette entitled LINDA DARNELL: HOLLYWOOD'S FALLEN ANGEL and writings by film historian Julie Kirgo. As with all Twilight Time titles this one is limited to just 3,000 copies so if interested pick yours up before they're gone.

While watching "Home Sweet Homicide"there was a reference to the novel this movie is based on,and,oh well I had seen it as a youth and hardly remembered other than I liked it.Time to revisit.What a idea for a novel over 70 years old,set in a period over 350 years old,England under King Charles 11.The story may seem like a pot boiler in todays terms,but for its day it had to be something as I'm sure this movie was,and for me,still is.Forget that Linda Darnell, Cornel Wilde, Richard Greene,George Sanders and a host of other great actors of that day made this fine film,or that Otto Preminger directed.Whats important is the story.Based on a novel by Kathleen Winsor we have a epic story of a love consummated but never achieved.By that I mean even though the two principals conceive a child on a lonely rainy night the faiths intervene to prevent them from having a true relationship despite the far reaching unbelievable attempts of the woman and the seemingly indifference of the man at that moment.Although the faiths are not done with them until………….

FOREVER AMBER (1947) - This is a film that just misses the mark. Cornel Wilde is very one dimensional and uninteresting as Bruce. Linda Darnell, while quite beautiful, is a bit too melodramatic and unnatural in her acting. Their romance seems forced and lacks chemistry. Since the main plot relies on this romance, it weakens the entire film. If it was awful, then I would have turned it off. However, it isn't something that lingers in the mind that I can't wait to see again. This story of a social-climbing, loose woman who claims to love Bruce with all her heart while doing everything to advance herself and showing no restraint or patience for him seems like it would have been very unappealing for its era. I kept hoping there would be something redeeming about it. Therefore, I kept watching.Historically, it is very interesting and that is a good reason to watch. There were also some fine performances particularly from the precious little Bruce and the King (played by the always spot on George Sanders). It is a film, though, that tries too hard, and it came off as a weak, marginal epic.

Overlong, overwrought romantic epic that lacks chemistry between the leads. Linda Darnell is passable as Amber -- if not stunningly talented, then at least gifted with screen presence. But Cornell Wilde is as flat as a wet blanket, dousing the fire out of every scene where it might possibly have ignited. Most errors in movies of this type can be overlooked if the attraction between the two lovers is palpable. Sadly, there is no indication that Wilde's Carlton even likes Amber, let alone finds her alluring. Production code aside, there were plenty of movies of this period that portrayed believable epic love, and this isn't one of them.The real highlight here is George Sanders as the licentious Charles II, a part he was born to play. I have no doubt that Vincent Price, considered for the role, could have done well (he gave the best performance of his career in another Preminger movie, "Laura"), but Sanders brings so much dripping wit and irony to everything he does that he makes every scene he's in come alive. He's not in it much, however.The production itself is pretty good, some great costumes and sets. The swordfighting scene (with thankfully little dialogue) was excellent and far too short. The story itself is a little choppy. The first scene was a non-sequitur, promising a potentially interesting plot device that never came. And the ending was a complete disaster - abrupt, unresolved, unbalanced, and worst of all, unsatisfying. Overall, the movie leaves a sour taste in the mouth, as if the decadence that was portrayed somehow got hold of the people making it and caused them to focus more on the image than on the story.