Waterloo Bridge (1940)

Great film - super sloppy DVD

This is a fabulous film but it is Public Domain and by the Asian writing on the cover I'll assume it is one of many poor quality DVD transfers. Unfortunately it is not out in anything significantly better but this price is absurd as you can get it for $5 at any Asian Mall. Watch the film if you can but pass on this DVD. September 8, 2007

Here, love relies on ineffable mystery and destiny...

Robert Taylor was an inspired choice for the role... Not only does he have an imposing screen presence, but he brings the perfect mix of enlightenment, humor, compassion and emotion to the part...

Opposite him, Oscar Winner Vivien Leigh, perfect in her innocent lovely look, radiantly beautiful, specially that evening in a trailing white chiffon gown... Leigh floods her role with personal emotion giving her character a charismatic life of its own... As a great star, she delivers a heartfelt performance turning her character into a woman who undergoes an emotional awakening...

In this sensitive motion picture, Mervyn LeRoy captures all the tenderness and moving qualities... He makes every small thing eloquent, concentrating the highly skilled efforts of many technicians on the telling of a very simple bittersweet love story... Vivien Leigh paints a picture that few men will be able to resist... Her performance captures the audience to the point of complete absorption... Robert Taylor (carrying sympathy all the way) quietly throws all his vitality as an ambition actor into the task... Their film, a credit to both, is a heavily sentimental tale about the vagaries of wartime...

Love is the only thing this movie is about... The story is simple: Myra Lester (Leigh) is a frail creature, an innocent young ballet dancer and Roy Cronin (Taylor) is an aristocratic British army officer... When their eyes met it took no time at all for their hearts to feel the loving call... They meet on London's Waterloo Bridge during an air raid, and fall deeply in love... Their romance is sublime, and they soon agree to marry...

The lover's marriage has to be postponed when the handsome officer is suddenly called to the front... Sadly, the sweet ballerina misses her performance to see her captain off at Waterloo Station... Fired from the troupe, she is joined by her loyal friend, Virginia Field (Kitty Meredith), and the two vainly try to find work, finally sinking into poverty and the threatening fear that goes with it...

The film is replete with beautiful and poignant scenes, specially the 'Auld Lang Syne' waltz scene in the Candlelight Club, before Taylor leaves for France...

Seen today, 'Waterloo Bridge' has retained all its charm and power, all its rich sentiment, and tragic evocations...

January 17, 2007

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