Madame Curie (1942)

Set in 1890s France, a young Polish student (Greer Garson) studying at the Sorbonne shares the lab of a physicist (Walter Pidgeon) at the behest of her tutor (Albert Basserman). Annoyed at first, the physicist soon realizes the young woman is exceptionally talented and his admiration soon turns to love. Their discovery of radium would get them the Nobel Prize. Based on the biography by Eve Curie (the couple's youngest daughter) and directed by Mervyn LeRoy (QUO VADIS). This is one of those deadly prestigious films that MGM turned out every so often to impress critics and audiences. Most of their literary output was actually very good, films like DAVID COPPERFIELD, THE GOOD EARTH, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE etc. But these stodgy biographies creak today. It's not a bad film, just dull and uninspired and reeking of self importance. As with most film bios, facts are often set aside in favor of dramatic purposes. The film is a perfect example of Garson's "great lady" performances: chin held high, indomitable, noble to the extreme and a bore to watch. Of course, it was nominated for 7 Oscars including best picture and Garson and Pidgeon for actor and actress. The undervalued Herbert Stothart's lovely underscore was also nominated. With Van Johnson, Robert Walker, Margaret O'Brien, Dame May Whitty, C. Aubrey Smith and Henry Travers.