Madame Bovary (1949)
I loved this movie! I wasn’t really expecting to, since I’d seen the 2014 remake and was highly disappointed by the story and characters. In that version, the title character was incredibly unlikable and without motivation, her husband was unsympathetic, and her lover wasn’t convincing. The 1949 version was fantastic! If you’ve never seen a film adaptation of the classic story, start with this one.
Jennifer Jones is raised in a convent and pins all her hopes and dreams on getting married when she grows up. She reads romantic novels and believes she’ll feel alive, wild, and sensational once she falls in love and gets married. This early portion of her life is very important to the story, because it sets up her character’s motivations for the rest of the film. Plus, it’s wonderful to see Jennifer transition from wide-eyed innocence to disappointment and maturity.
When Jonesy falls in love with Van Heflin, she truly believes her life will follow the storybooks she read as a child. Instead of spoiled, immature, and bored—as she might have seemed if the beginning sequence was left out—Jennifer is heartbroken and disillusioned with everything she every believed in. Then, when she meets the handsome cad Louis Jourdan, she thinks she’ll find the passion she craves. . .
I love Jennifer Jones and think she’s a very fine actress; Madame Bovary is a classic vehicle for her talent. She’s sweet and beautiful, easily influenced, can cry at the drop of a hat, and no matter what her character has done through the course of the film, you can’t help but feel sorry for her and love her unconditionally. Jonesy really couldn’t have been any better. Madame Bovary is a role perfectly suited to her passionate onscreen persona, and she embodies her character during every moment. From her initial innocence to her disillusionment and longing for more, to her selfishness and desperation for popularity, and finally her humiliation and heartache, she makes the audience forget she’s an actress. It was very difficult to “vote against” her for Best Actress at the Hot Toasty Rags. However, Olivia de Havilland won the Oscar for The Heiress in 1949, and the Members of the Board did not want to “wrong the right” for an excellent performance. We righted the real wrong: that Jennifer Jones wasn’t even nominated.
Van Heflin also couldn’t have been any better in his role. Not playing his normal character, I was almost reduced to tears by his performance. Robert Audrey wrote a wonderful script and made Van’s character incredibly heart-wrenching. And when he’s up against Louis Jourdan, it’s important to have a strong foundation so the audience can understand Jonesy’s conflict.
Miklos Rozsa’s incredible theme was ignored by the Academy, for the only imaginable reason that they didn’t know it was original music. It sounds like a waltz from the time period; however, it is titled “Madame Bovary’s Waltz”, which should have clued in the voters. The Board of Directors at the Rags were quick to remedy this error and bestow Rozsa an award for the theme that completely describes the movie and effectively brings the audience to their feet for a standing ovation.
Madame Bovary is a beautiful classic, full of intricate set designs and breathtakingly gorgeous costumes. Walter Plunkett and Valles were ignored by the Academy, though, and I have no idea why, since Jennifer’s gowns are just as beautiful as those Walter designed for Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind. I highly recommend watching this glamourous drama. You’ll get to see beautiful people in beautiful clothes, narrated by James Mason’s incredible voice. What else do you need?
DLM warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. There's a scene where Jennifer is at a ball and when she dances, the camera spins. It will probably make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Jennifer Jones movies here!
More James Mason movies here!
Jennifer Jones is raised in a convent and pins all her hopes and dreams on getting married when she grows up. She reads romantic novels and believes she’ll feel alive, wild, and sensational once she falls in love and gets married. This early portion of her life is very important to the story, because it sets up her character’s motivations for the rest of the film. Plus, it’s wonderful to see Jennifer transition from wide-eyed innocence to disappointment and maturity.
When Jonesy falls in love with Van Heflin, she truly believes her life will follow the storybooks she read as a child. Instead of spoiled, immature, and bored—as she might have seemed if the beginning sequence was left out—Jennifer is heartbroken and disillusioned with everything she every believed in. Then, when she meets the handsome cad Louis Jourdan, she thinks she’ll find the passion she craves. . .
I love Jennifer Jones and think she’s a very fine actress; Madame Bovary is a classic vehicle for her talent. She’s sweet and beautiful, easily influenced, can cry at the drop of a hat, and no matter what her character has done through the course of the film, you can’t help but feel sorry for her and love her unconditionally. Jonesy really couldn’t have been any better. Madame Bovary is a role perfectly suited to her passionate onscreen persona, and she embodies her character during every moment. From her initial innocence to her disillusionment and longing for more, to her selfishness and desperation for popularity, and finally her humiliation and heartache, she makes the audience forget she’s an actress. It was very difficult to “vote against” her for Best Actress at the Hot Toasty Rags. However, Olivia de Havilland won the Oscar for The Heiress in 1949, and the Members of the Board did not want to “wrong the right” for an excellent performance. We righted the real wrong: that Jennifer Jones wasn’t even nominated.
Van Heflin also couldn’t have been any better in his role. Not playing his normal character, I was almost reduced to tears by his performance. Robert Audrey wrote a wonderful script and made Van’s character incredibly heart-wrenching. And when he’s up against Louis Jourdan, it’s important to have a strong foundation so the audience can understand Jonesy’s conflict.
Miklos Rozsa’s incredible theme was ignored by the Academy, for the only imaginable reason that they didn’t know it was original music. It sounds like a waltz from the time period; however, it is titled “Madame Bovary’s Waltz”, which should have clued in the voters. The Board of Directors at the Rags were quick to remedy this error and bestow Rozsa an award for the theme that completely describes the movie and effectively brings the audience to their feet for a standing ovation.
Madame Bovary is a beautiful classic, full of intricate set designs and breathtakingly gorgeous costumes. Walter Plunkett and Valles were ignored by the Academy, though, and I have no idea why, since Jennifer’s gowns are just as beautiful as those Walter designed for Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind. I highly recommend watching this glamourous drama. You’ll get to see beautiful people in beautiful clothes, narrated by James Mason’s incredible voice. What else do you need?
DLM warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. There's a scene where Jennifer is at a ball and when she dances, the camera spins. It will probably make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Jennifer Jones movies here!
More James Mason movies here!
Hot Toasty Rag Awards:
Best Musical Score of 1949: Miklos Rozsa
Hot Toasty Rag Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Director: Vincente Minnelli
Best Actress: Jennifer Jones
Best Supporting Actor: Van Heflin