Blossoms in the Dust (1941)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Mervyn LeRoy

Writers:

Ralph Wheelwright (story)
Anita Loos (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 July 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

The Great Story Of A Great Woman ! It's the grandest human drama since Boys Town !

Plot:

Edna marries Texan Sam Gladney, operator of a wheat mill. They have a son, who is killed when very young...

Plot Keywords:

Orphan | Foundling | Texas | Mill | Illegitimacy

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Greer Garson	...	Edna Kahly Gladney
Walter Pidgeon	...	Samuel 'Sam' Gladney
Felix Bressart	...	Doctor Max Breslar
Marsha Hunt	...	Charlotte Kahly
Fay Holden	...	Mrs. Kahly
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Mr. George Kahly
Kathleen Howard	...	Mrs. Sarah Keats
George Lessey	...	Mr. Keats
William Henry	...	Allan Keats
Henry O'Neill	...	Judge Hartford
John Eldredge	...	Damon McPherson, Edna's Fiancé
Clinton Rosemond	...	Zeke, Edna's Servant
Theresa Harris	...	Cleo, Edna's Maid
Charles Arnt	...	G. Harrington Hedger
Cecil Cunningham	...	Mrs. Marcus Gilworth

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #7192)

Company:

Loew's

Quotes:

Edna: Do I look like a hussy?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Miracle of Sound (1940)

Soundtrack:

We Three Kings of Orient Are

Tearjerker....But An Upbeat Movie

I found this to be a fast-moving, compassionate (supposedly) true-life story of a woman who helped babies get homes to live in while fighting to have the word "illegitimate" stricken from all record books since it was unfairly penalizing the children.

The three lead actors in the film - Greer Garson, Walter Pigeon and Felix Bressart - are all fun to watch. Garson gives a great speech to Congress near the end of the movie. It's also a nice color film, something that wasn't made much in 1941.

Story-wise, the early tragedies are not dwelled on in here. In fact, they come and go quickly and that's nice because it makes this more of an upbeat movie with a positive message. That's the intent, so why dwell on the negatives?

The only negatives, in my opinion were too much usage of the word "darling," to the point where it's annoying, and the last scene is drawn out a bit too much. But, overall, it's a very powerful movie and guaranteed to bring tears to anyone's eyes. It should appeal to most people. I would like to see this put on a DVD.