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16 out of 17 people found the following comment useful :-
Interesting, 8 February 2005
7/10
Author: patricia o tuama from Illinois

Much of this movie is fiction, but the fact remains that Edna Gladley was a pioneer in the field of nursery care and adoption and her work to strike the description "illegitimate" from birth certificates as well as insure that these children could inherit from their adoptive parents has changed many lives for the better. Edna was born in Milwaukee; her father died when she was very young; she never had an adopted sister who was herself illegitimate. Because Edna suffered from respiratory disease she was sent to Fort Worth, Texas, when she was seven years old to live with her aunt and uncle. She and her husband Sam were married in Gainseville after which they moved to Wolfe City where they bought a mill to manufacture Gladiola brand flour. They were childless.

Edna began her work in helping impoverished and homeless children soon after moving to Wolfe City where she started a crusade to clean up the county poor farm during which she arranged to have homeless children moved to the Morris Children's Home and Aid Society in Fort Worth. She joined the Society's Board in 1910. She then made trips to settlement houses in Chicago and New York City to study their methods; when she returned she set up a day nursery for working mothers (the movie has her setting up the nursery first when in fact this happened seven or eight years after she became involved in child welfare issues).

As in the movie, Sam's business failed in 1924 whereupon they moved to Fort Worth where Edna continued her work in child welfare. In 1927 she was named superintendent of the Texas Children's Home and Aid Society. Sam died in 1935 after rebuilding his business. Edna spent the rest of her life advocating for children, concentrating on placing homeless and abandoned children with adoptive families. She also expanded the Society to provide health care for unwed mothers and an adoption service for their children. The Society later bought a maternity hospital that it named the Gladney Center.

I loved Greer Garson in this movie, she is strong, brave and gracious. I just wish the director and producers of this movie had used a script that portrayed the real life of Edna Gladney rather than resorting to the fictitious adopted sister who kills herself and inventing a non-existent son who dies in an accident to explain her motives. Edna was her own person who was genuinely involved in her life's work from her early 20s until she died in 1961 -- the movie didn't need these made-up people to explain why she became involved in child welfare issues.

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15 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :-
Tearjerker....But An Upbeat Movie, 8 December 2005
8/10
Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States

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.

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9 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Wonderful heart warming move, must see!, 3 July 2005
10/10
Author: (amylaurel2003@sbcglobal.net) from United States

This is a wonderful, heart warming, fantastic movie to see. Greer Garson is splendid in this movie, and it will really touch your heart. This movie has a special meaning for me, as I was adopted from the famous Edna Gladney Home in Ft. Worth, Texas. Edna Gladney personally handed me to my new adoptive parents. She called them that morning and told them she had the most beautiful baby girl ready for them to bring home. I have watched this movie so many times, and wow, what a movie! Just love Greer Garson, she is a splendid and talented actress. One more note, if it hadn't been for Edna Gladney and her crusade, I most likely would have been an orphan. She did a lot for unwanted babies.

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9 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
Just great movie - true, emotional, with great performance, 1 February 2003
Author: trpdean from New York, New York

Just wonderful - powerful enough to move anyone. The fact that this is a true story makes it even more remarkable. Greer Garson deserved the nomination for Best Actress - she covers decades in the life of Edna Gladney who varies from romantic girl to society hostess to earth-shaker.

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7 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
One of the most wonderful movies ever made, 11 January 2001
Author: (switthaus@msn.com)

"There are no illegitimate children, only illegitimate parents" what a great line. Greer Garson is wonderful in this movie. She really does a great job portraying Edna Gladney. Living in Fort Worth, were Edna Gladney's home is still in operation, and working in the Court house, this movie really made an impact on me. I have seen old adoption records actually signed by Edna Gladney. What a wonderful lady - she changed the world! What a wonderful movie - get it and watch it, you'll love it!

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6 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
A four handkerchief movie!, 23 September 1998
8/10
Author: Patrick Sullivan (sullivpj@sce.com) from Los Angeles, California

Greer Garson was cast for the first time opposite Walter Pidgeon in "Blossoms In The Dust." They would become the number one screen-team of the 1940's. Garson also won her second Academy Award nomination for her performance.

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
The Story of a Social Worker, 1 March 2006
8/10
Author: boytoyhottycmu19 from United States

Blossoms in the Dust is an interesting film because it is about a social worker. Rarely do films come to the screen about the heroic struggles social workers go through to fight social injustice and oppression. Edna Gladney is a woman who fought to remove the stigma associated with "illegitimate" children. I suggest this film to all aspiring social workers so they can see some of the history behind the profession, and in a more human light than text books can provide. It is a great way to learn some of the history behind social work!

Greer Garson is sensational as Edna Gladney. In an Oscar-nominated performance, she conveys all the spirit and passion of one of the leading activists of her day. Her struggle to have the term "illegitimate" removed from birth certificates is inspiring. At one time, conservatives believed that children without mothers and fathers were being punished by god, because of a Puritan view of inborn immorality (original sin). Edna Gladney fought against this form of inequality in the early part of the 20th century and this is her story. The story is full of passion, romance, and courage, and should be appealing to anyone with an interest in the history of social work and oppression.

Also interesting is that the film was shot in early Technicolor. The Oscar-winning set and color design, and nominated photography, are simply gorgeous. It is a joy to watch for the color alone. Blossoms in the Dust was also Oscar-nominated for best picture and it shows. The story will stay with you long after you have seen the film!

Good job, MGM, for bringing the story of a social worker, and a great woman, to the screen!

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4 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Her True Calling, 28 November 2007
9/10
Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York

Someone over at MGM saw the possibility in the story of Edna Gladney the same kind of box office appeal that Boystown had for Spencer Tracy with a female protagonist/heroine. Save for winning the Oscar it almost worked out that way for Greer Garson. As it was Blossoms in the Dust became an important film for her.

Like Boystown the film is based on a real person, still living who worked with young people although this protagonist is female. And she works with the youngest of children, abandoned babies giving them shelter and eventually a home.

Greer Garson really hit her career stride with this role. Edna Gahley sustained two tragedies in her life that propelled her to her work with foundling kids. First her sister was found out to be adopted and when facts of her real illegitimate birth came to light, she committed suicide. Marsha Hunt has a small but very key role as the tragic sister.

Secondly she marries Sam Gladney played by Walter Pidgeon and when their child is killed in an accident, after a bit of soul searching she finds her true calling in founding and running a home and orphanage for unwanted children in Fort Worth, Texas. She also campaigns vigorously and successfully for the repeal of a law that mandated births out of wedlock be stamped illegitimate. Back in the day the simple fact of an out of wedlock birth could brand someone for life in real terms concerning job and service discrimination.

Watching the film I was struck that the opponents of Garson who wanted to keep the law as is were using the same arguments that are being used against same sex marriage, that were used against repealing the miscegenation laws. It seems we have to fight the same fight over many generations.

This was the first film in which Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon were teamed by MGM. Their biggest success was in their next film the following year with Mrs. Miniver.

Blossoms in the Dust got an Oscar for Best Art and Set Design for a color film. It was nominated for Best Picture, but lost to How Green Was My Valley and Greer Garson got her first nomination for Best Actress, but she lost to Joan Fontaine for Suspicion.

Edna Gladney lived until 1961 twenty years after this film about her came out, to the last a passionate advocate for the rights of the littlest citizens on planet earth. She would have been a firm believer in what Hillary Clinton said about it taking a village to raise a child.

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4 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
This Film Could Blossom Even in the Dust, 2 February 2006
Author: edwagreen from United States

Greer Garson in a poignant memorable role as Edna Gladney in 1941's "Blossom in the Dust."

Edna (Garson) has a friend who killed herself because her illegitimacy was revealed. It will become Edna's fight to fight this wrong on birth certificates. There is no reason why a child has to be maligned when it is stated that they are illegitimate.

Garson stars with Walter Pigeon, who was to be with her in many more films. They have a son who is killed in a tragic accident as a youngster. When Garson is widowed some time after this, she devotes her life to orphaned children. She fights for their rights and their dignity.

Garson is emotionally appealing as Edna.

When she gives up the last child in her care, I guarantee that you will need a box of tissues.

A fine film of the human spirit, touching and equally absorbing. Thank you Edna Gladney for the work you did for youngsters.

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Inspiring story of a brave woman, 3 October 2009
8/10
Author: sdave7596 from United States

"Blossoms in the Dust" released in 1941 by MGM, is the wonderful and inspiring story of Edna Gladly, a sort-of social worker in the early part of 20th century. Greer Garson shines in her portrayal of Edna Gladly. She and her husband Sam (Walter Pigeon) lose a son early on in the movie, leading Gladly on a crusade to get unwanted children adopted in the state of Texas. Gladly not only provides a home for these children, but she decides to make it her mission to remove the word "illegitimate" from these children's birth certificates. It is shocking in these modern times to think that at one time such children were branded this way, leading to a stigma that followed them their entire lives. Gladly's life is not all roses -- not only does she endure the death of her child, she and her husband lose their fortune and then her husband dies later on in the film. Edna must then move her children's shelter at one point because some judgmental city councilmen obviously didn't want it in their neighborhood. But she perseveres throughout, and Greer Garson's stirring speech to the state legislature in Texas is as moving as any delivered in a film, and she finally succeeds in her quest to get the word "illegitimate" removed from birth certificates. Gladly becomes especially attached to one boy in her shelter, and she nurses him until she finally lets him go to be adopted. The scene is a tear-jerker, and I defy anyone not to have tears well up in their eyes. What makes the movie work is the talented Ms. Garson and a fine supporting cast including Walter Pigeon and Felix Bressart; and of course MGM's usual great production values. This movie is but one example of why MGM was the biggest and best studio of the golden age of Hollywood.

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