Lonelyhearts (1958)
Did you ever see the 1934 comedy Hi, Nellie!? Paul Muni plays a newspaper man who gets put in charge of the “Heartthrobs” column and hates every minute of it. If you have, you should know that Lonelyhearts is nothing like it. Montgomery Clift plays a journalist relegated to the romance column by his tyrannical boss Robert Ryan. But this is a heavy drama, so buckle up.
The screenplay of Lonelyhearts is chilling. Extremely well written, it manages to be gritty without seeming over-the-top for the time period. It also has fantastically clever dialogue while still managing to be intimate and realistic. There are surprises, but not too many for the story to seem silly. Although it’s an old movie, there are passages that are still relevant in today’s world. In one great scene, Robert Ryan sounds off on the ten commandments, and how they’re bad for commerce. He’s glib, angry, amused, disgusted, and convincing. What a speech, and what a delivery, too!
He usually played villains, but in this complex role, Ryan has a three-dimensional character that gets under your skin but also makes you understand him. He’s wonderfully paired with Myrna Loy, in an against-type performance as an unhappy drunkard. If you liked Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, you’ll really appreciate their dynamic. And to see Myrna in a similar role, check her out in the Paul Newman drama From the Terrace. I’m always happy to see old timers getting meaty roles, instead of being relegated to silly or background ones.
I highly recommend Lonelyhearts. The acting is very good, and the screenplay adaptation, though based off a play, really translates well to the big screen. It’s very sad to see Montgomery Clift in movies after his accident, but he does a very good job as a conflicted, insecure writer in this movie. Maureen Stapleton plays a needy woman who writes into his column, and she immediately hooks the audience in. Robert and Myrna really steal the show, though, so if you’re a fan of either, this movie is a must-see.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More Montgomery Clift movies here!
More Myrna Loy movies here!
The screenplay of Lonelyhearts is chilling. Extremely well written, it manages to be gritty without seeming over-the-top for the time period. It also has fantastically clever dialogue while still managing to be intimate and realistic. There are surprises, but not too many for the story to seem silly. Although it’s an old movie, there are passages that are still relevant in today’s world. In one great scene, Robert Ryan sounds off on the ten commandments, and how they’re bad for commerce. He’s glib, angry, amused, disgusted, and convincing. What a speech, and what a delivery, too!
He usually played villains, but in this complex role, Ryan has a three-dimensional character that gets under your skin but also makes you understand him. He’s wonderfully paired with Myrna Loy, in an against-type performance as an unhappy drunkard. If you liked Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, you’ll really appreciate their dynamic. And to see Myrna in a similar role, check her out in the Paul Newman drama From the Terrace. I’m always happy to see old timers getting meaty roles, instead of being relegated to silly or background ones.
I highly recommend Lonelyhearts. The acting is very good, and the screenplay adaptation, though based off a play, really translates well to the big screen. It’s very sad to see Montgomery Clift in movies after his accident, but he does a very good job as a conflicted, insecure writer in this movie. Maureen Stapleton plays a needy woman who writes into his column, and she immediately hooks the audience in. Robert and Myrna really steal the show, though, so if you’re a fan of either, this movie is a must-see.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More Montgomery Clift movies here!
More Myrna Loy movies here!