Well-heeled widow Barbara Stanwyck (as Jessica "Jess" Drummond) is tearful following the death of her husband. The free-spirited Ms. Stanwyck doesn't want to wear black during the day, which infuriates appearances-conscious mother Lucile Watson (as Mary Kimball). Stanwyck becomes scared and lonely at night, especially after sending cheerful sons Scotty Beckett and Bobby Cooper (as Kim and Keith Drummond) off to boarding school. She fills her days by volunteering at the hospital, but, "When the day is over and I go up to that empty room," Stanwyck sobs, "the house is closing down on me!" Fearing a mental breakdown, Stanwyck accepts an invitation to go skiing with wise-cracking pal Eve Arden (as Ginna Abbott).
Stanwyck gets lost on the slopes, and is rescued by manly George Brent (as Scott Landis). He fills her needs, which ignites gossip among those who feel Stanwyck cut her mourning period short. Mr. Brent tells Stanwyck he's not the marrying kind, but adores seeing her regularly. Tongues really wag after Stanwyck is spotted entering Mr. Brent's room. Ultimately, the affair causes Christmas vacationing youngsters Beckett and Cooper to run away from home. This part is a dramatic highlight, but the film seems to move both too slow and too fast at other times. A scene establishing the boys' sadness on their father's death, and more about Ms. Watson's character, would have been nice. Stanwyck and Watson are fun to watch.
****** My Reputation (1/25/46) Curtis Bernhardt ~ Barbara Stanwyck, George Brent, Lucile Watson, Scotty Beckett
Stanwyck gets lost on the slopes, and is rescued by manly George Brent (as Scott Landis). He fills her needs, which ignites gossip among those who feel Stanwyck cut her mourning period short. Mr. Brent tells Stanwyck he's not the marrying kind, but adores seeing her regularly. Tongues really wag after Stanwyck is spotted entering Mr. Brent's room. Ultimately, the affair causes Christmas vacationing youngsters Beckett and Cooper to run away from home. This part is a dramatic highlight, but the film seems to move both too slow and too fast at other times. A scene establishing the boys' sadness on their father's death, and more about Ms. Watson's character, would have been nice. Stanwyck and Watson are fun to watch.
****** My Reputation (1/25/46) Curtis Bernhardt ~ Barbara Stanwyck, George Brent, Lucile Watson, Scotty Beckett