None But The Lonely Heart (1944)

Set in pre-WWII London, a down and out drifter (Cary Grant) makes an attempt at stability when his mother (Ethel Barrymore in an Oscar winning performance) becomes seriously ill and he reluctantly falls in love with a neurotic single mother (June Duprez). Based on the novel by Richard Llewellyn (HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY) and adapted for the screen and directed by playwright Clifford Odets (GOLDEN BOY). Another example of an actor trying to move past his screen persona and take on a challenging role. In this particular case, for the most part, Grant gives a fully realized and believable performance. But the film flopped and Grant never again took as big a risk as an actor. In her most memorable screen performance, Ethel Barrymore brings a sincere mix of strength and pathos. Although filmed on a Hollywood soundstage, Odets manages to create a palpable atmosphere of East End London. With Jane Wyatt, Barry Fitzgerald (subdued for a change), Dan Duryea, George Coulouris and Konstantin Shayne.