The Hasty Heart (1949)

The Hasty Heart is directed by Vincent Sherman, has a screenplay by Ranald MacDougall and is based on the play by John Patrick. The film stars Ronald Reagan, Richard Todd, Patricia Neal, Orlando Martins, Ralph Michael, John Sherman and Anthony Nicholls.Burma in 1945. The Second World War is over. In a MASH unit several injured soldiers are recovering and waiting to be told they can go home. One soldier is not so lucky as his comrades. Lachie(Richard Todd)has a serious injury to his back which has destroyed one kidney and made the other one fail, there is no way he can be saved.The doctor won't tell Lachie the truth apparently to give him peace of mind. This has the opposite effect as Lachie gets angry and frustrated that he is not allowed to go home but isn't being told why. Lachie is moved to a ward where the other occupants have been told by ward nurse Sister Parker (Patricia Neal)to befriend Lachie and make him happy. The most outgoing of the group is Yank(Ronald Reagan)who tries his hardest to make Lachie welcome, only to have his kindness thrown back at him. As time goes on Lachie feels lonely and slowly comes to realise that he needs friendship.This film really makes you realise how important friendship is, we all need to build a connection with someone else so we know we're not alone and have some good times amongst the bad. This is one of the best films about friendship that I've ever seen.Richard Todd is very good as the introverted and awkward Lachie, he conveys his concerns and fears well. I love how overjoyed he becomes when he finally makes friends with his comrades and feels a part of the group.Ronald Reagan is someone who I've never thought much of as an actor, he is very impressive here as the witty and outgoing American soldier.Patricia Neal is heartbreaking as the nurse who knows the truth and tries to be kind and supportive despite Lachie proving a difficult patient, the relationship between her and Lachie is beautifully done and both Neal and Todd do such a good job of portraying the many difficult emotions involved for their characters.Orlando Martins steals all his scenes as Blossom, a soldier who doesn't speak any English, he grows to like Lachie and is the only one in the group who has no idea about his situation. He spends ages making Lachie a gift, when he rejects the gift he has made for him Yank reacts angrily, disgusted by his treatment of Blossom. Orlando is an actor who conveys so much with just a look and makes Blossom really likable and sweet.I don't understand why the doctors keep silent about Lachie's condition. Surely it is better for a patient to know the truth, even if it is unpleasant? I actually think it's cruel because if you feel ill and you are being told you're fine you will end your days distressed and anxious. I found this difficult to accept and support.

It has been some time and dozens of films since I've been so moved. Although no fan of Reagan, I appreciated him here. And I've always been charmed by Neal. The supporting cast was also quite fine. But the performance by Richard Todd deserved every bit of critical praise he's received. Was Broderick Crawford's award win more deserved that year? Tough to say now, in light of this screening. Of course, it matters not. It is history. What I can say is that of all the nominated performances from 1949, I was no where near as moved, as touched. The emotional depth caught me by surprise. The bits of humor welcome and appropriate. Albeit somewhat melodramatic, I was reminded of the decency there is. Watch this one. It'll stay with you a while. You won't be disappointed.

The Hasty Heart is the second best known work of author John Patrick, his biggest triumph being The Teahouse of the August Moon. It ran on Broadway from early to middle 1945 while there was still very much a war going on in the China-Burma-India Theater for 204 performances. It starred Richard Basehart, Anne Burr and John Lund on stage.Those same roles were taken by Richard Todd, Patricia Neal, and Ronald Reagan in the screen adaption directed by Vincent Sherman. About the only change that was made was a brief prologue showing exactly how Richard Todd got his injuries. After that the entire film is set in a hospital along the Assam front in that theater. The Hasty Heart is a story about the wounded Richard Todd who doesn't know that while seemingly recovered he lost a kidney and the other one is irreversibly damaged. He will die within a matter of weeks and nurse Patricia Neal moves him in with some other convalescent soldiers including an American, Ronald Reagan and tells them to be easy with him.Easier said than done because Todd's a really hard case. He's a bitter angry man, a foundling with no family or friends to speak of which is why they aren't writing him his ticket back home, he's got no one to go back home to. Richard Todd got his first notice in The Hasty Heart with the American public and during the Fifties he made as many films on this side of the pond as in the United Kingdom. Todd was a real life war hero so in playing this part he brought a wealth of bitter experience among dying men. Todd got an Oscar nomination for Best Actor and his competition included, John Wayne for Sands of Iwo Jima, Kirk Douglas for Champion, and Gregory Peck for Twelve O'Clock High. The eventual winner though was Broderick Crawford in All the King's Men.Patricia Neal as a young contract player with Warner Brothers also got her first really good part as the compassionate nurse. And a veteran contract player with Warner Brothers who left the movies for another career, Ronald Reagan got some of the best notices of his career. The Hasty Heart is definitely one of the three films most identified with him in a good way, the others being Knute Rockne - All American, and King's Row. The Hasty Heart is a fine film about the tragedy of war and the worst tragedy of going through life without friends. Make sure to catch it if it's ever broadcast on TCM.

This film is one of Reagan's best. I'm of Scottish descent and theScots are not exactly portrayed in the best light, yet I still loved it. Excellent movie, excellent cast. It makes you cry, it makes you laugh. What more can you ask for in a film? People of different races and cultures getting along is a sight for sore eyes these days. Bring back the old movies and maybe people will learn something about unity.It's a heart-warming film and those who don't get that just don't GET IT. I had to watch this again after President Reagan passed away and it made me sad in a whole new way.Things took on a different meaning but that's okay. What didn't change was the quality of the film.