Lonelyhearts (1958)

An aspiring writer (Montgomery Clift) is hired by a newspaper and is assigned to write the "Lonely Hearts" column, dispensing advice to readers with personal problems. His cynical editor (Robert Ryan) taunts him for his idealism and challenges him to actually meet one of his readers which he does with disastrous results. Based on the novel MISS LONELYHEARTS by Nathanael West (DAY OF THE LOCUST) and directed by Vincent J. Donehue (SUNRISE AT CAMPOBELLO). The film doesn't follow the novel very closely, eliminating most of the book's dark humor. Still, even in its watered down version, it's an above average melodrama. Clift is about ten years too old for the part of the young cub and he looks used up. But both Ryan as his vicious tongued editor who enjoys verbally humiliating his wife and Myrna Loy as his abused wife are both quite good as is Maureen Stapleton (who received an Oscar nomination for her performance here) as a lonely but disturbed housewife. Perhaps a noble failure at best but often quite poignant. With Dolores Hart, Jackie Coogan, Frank Overton, Mike Kellin and Frank Maxwell.