You Came Along (1945)

A Hal B. Wallis Production. Copyright 4 July 1945 by Hal Wallis Productions, Inc. Released through Paramount Pictures. New York opening at the Paramount: 4 July 1945. U.S. release: 14 September 1945. U.K. release: 22 October 1945. Australian release: 18 April 1946. 11 reels. 9,390 feet. 104 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Second-billed as Ivy Hotchkiss, Lizabeth was pitched in the advertisements as "Here's to Lizabeth Scott. Beautiful... blonde... aloof... alluring." And she had three acceptable leading men to bounce off her range of dramatic expression in this prefabricated bit of love, bravery, and patriotism. She was the treasury department official assigned to take three GIs (Bob Cummings, Don DeFore, and Charles Drake) on a war bond tour. Naturally, she and Cummings fall in love and marry. However...NOTES: Film debut of Lizabeth Scott.COMMENT: A ridiculous wartime escapist romantic melodrama, with boy scout pilots on a bond-selling tour falling for their chic blonde guide. Noble fellows these, whose strongest language is "Hubba-hubba!", true descendants of the Three Musketeers. Hard to believe that this tripe was boiled up by none other than Ayn The Fountainhead Rand. Even more difficult to credit that John Farrow had a hand in its direction. True, there are a few of his customary long takes, but mostly Farrow's handling comes across as boringly routine. His biggest black mark though is that he's been able to do nothing with that ebullient ham, Robert Cummings, who alas gives a truly lousy performance in what is the key role. Aside from a valiant attempt by newcomer Lizabeth Scott to dispense a bit of genuine charm to counterbalance Cummings' outlandish artificiality, the rest of the players seem cowed and overawed. Despite the sterling efforts of the photographer, the composer (who has contributed a witty and melodious score), and the art directors, all making the most of an undeniably handsome budget, the general atmosphere of this picture can be expressed in one word: Cloying.

This movie begins as a light romantic comedy and ends as a tearjerker. It doesn't work for me. Set at the end of the second world war three hero/veterans of the air-war over Europe go on a war bonds tour with a minder from the Treasury Department who turns out to be a beautiful blonde. After a series of ordinary hijinks the Robert Cummings character marries the Treasury girl. Through happenstance she learns that he is dying of leukemia and we are expected to cry.It is sort of expected that the brave soldier is to die in a war movie, but this is not a war movie. It is a light comedy set after the war. Surely they could have come up with a better plot than to have the young widow hear aircraft over her house and then the voice of her departed husband? But if you like Bob Cummings from his other works, such as "Love That Bob" where he plays another former WWII flier named Bob Collins it is worth seeing. Additionally it is an interesting view of the way our society was in 1945 and for these reasons it should be seen.

It is amazing how this film starts and how it ends. The very first scenes shows us one silly comedy about three Air Force pilots and one beautiful blonde PR (Scott). But the script makes an U turn and what we see is a very adult and realistic romance. The leading couple - Robert Cummings and Lizabeth Scott - are superb in their roles. And there is little trace of war propaganda, very subtle and always working to move the story. This is a film that could be so vain but manage to explore some deep meanings in romance and life itself. A nice piece of work from screenwriters Ayn Rand and Robert Smith, and director John Farrow. The ending is really touching.

This film is a curious, very memorable and touching romance. The vast majority of the narrative line takes place during a bond-rally tour headed by Ivy Hotchkiss, played by Lizbeth Scott, and Robert Collins, played with intelligence by Bob Cummings. The bond-selling tour becomes a voyage of discovery as well as revelation as Cummings and his two partners, beautifully played by Don Defore and Charles Drake, try to keep Scott from finding out the secret Collins is hiding; at the same time, Scott falls in love with the mysterious fun-loving and irresponsible trio, especially their leader. The film is well-directed in B/W, with very good sets, lighting, costumes and lively camera-work; but the real star is Ayn Rand's scintillating and well-crafted script that keeps "sense-of-life as a positive" foremost even as we begin to wonder at Collin's reasons for keeping all light, uninvolved and gay. The supporting cast consists of old Hollywood professionals from Franklin Pangborn and Rhys Williams to Julie Bishop and Jim Bannon. This was a deservedly popular film, a TRop TRen grossing film during WWII, with its story about the need for hope made just at the end of the conflict.; Once again, Rand's uncanny ability to use honesty and clear definitions here others would use vague ideas turns a routine sort of comedy into an idea-level satire--a triumph of an indomitable man's spirit over adversity. This is a splendid piece of film-making, and one of the most atmospheric of homefront war films, with a lovely main theme and arresting dialogue. A love story for the ages.