The Gift Of Love (1958)

When she discovers she has a terminal illness, a young wife (Lauren Bacall) withholds the information from her husband (Robert Stack). But she persuades him into adopting a child (Evelyn Rudie) in the hopes that the child will take her place when she is gone. Based on the story THE LITTLE HORSE by Nelia Gardner White which filmed previously in 1946 as SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY, this remake gets the lush CinemaScope treatment from 20th Century Fox with their resident melodrama master Jean Negulesco (THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN) at the helm and the cinematographer Milton Krasner (AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER) taking full advantage of beautiful Monterey locations. The inherent sentimentality in the story is tempered somewhat by the three leads, three of the least sappy actors around. Stack, in particular is very good and the 10 year old Rudie, a refreshing change of pace from the typical child actor, has all the assurance and gravitas of a 40 year old actress. Still, I could have done without the ghostly Bacall beaming over the proceedings at the film's conclusion. Vic Damone sings the title song. With Lorne Greene, Anne Seymour, Edward Platt, Steven Geray and Scatman Crothers.