Scandal At Scourie (1953)

Set in Ontario, Canada. A couple (Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon) of the Protestant faith adopt a little girl (Donna Corcoran) of the Catholic faith on the condition that the child must be raised in the Catholic faith. This ignites controversy in their small Protestant town. Based on the story GOOD BOY by Mary McSherry and directed by Jean Negulesco (JOHNNY BELINDA). The 8th and final teaming of Garson and Pidgeon and sorry to say, it's a turkey! Sappy and sentimental and understandably rejected by movie audiences of its day. Garson is at her treacly worst (though she does have one good scene where she loses her temper and physically attacks a newspaper editor) and Pidgeon blusters his way through the film. As the adopted child, Donna Corcoran gives one of those false child performances prevalent in this era of movie making. It's an adult's idea of an adorable moppet and doesn't resemble a real kid at all. Viewed today, its problems seem archaic (should the Protestant couple eat fish on Friday too or only the Catholic child) and why is it anybody's business if a Protestant couple adopt a Catholic child and raise it Catholic? With Agnes Moorehead, Rhys Williams, John Lupton, Margalo Gillmore and Michael Pate.