Ditsy and naive teenager Sally Kelton (a sound and appealing performance by Sally Forrest) falls for sullen and rootless itinerant piano player Steve Ryan (smoothly played by Leo Penn). Steve runs out on Sally, but only after he impregnates her first. Ashamed and abandoned, Sally checks into a home for unwed mothers and gives her baby up for adoption. Directed with commendable taste, restraint, and sensitivity by Elmer Clifton and Ida Lupino (who also co-wrote the thoughtful script with Paul Jerrico), this engrossing and affecting drama thankfully avoids any heavy-handed preachiness or lurid sensationalism considering its subject matter. Instead this film displays a genuine compassion for its wayward, yet still sympathetic protagonist while illustrating the strict mores of the era as well as serving as an effective cautionary tale on the perils of falling for the wrong person. Moreover, it's exceptionally well acted by an able cast: Forrest brings a winningly scatterbrained charm to her character, Penn makes for a suitably moody louse, and, best of all, Keefe Brasselle delivers an excellent, engaging, and delightfully energetic portrayal of helpful and goodhearted disabled nice guy war veteran Drew Baxter. Henry Freulich's stark black and white cinematography makes artful use of fades and dissolves. The score by Leith Stevens does the dramatic trick, too. Worth a watch.
Review of Not Wanted
