User Reviews

This little movie has some frank lines in it -- pre-Hayes? But the most interesting thing is that the playwright of the original play upon which this movie was based was John Van Druten. Van Druten went on to greater fame as the author of the original stage plays of I Remember Mama, Bell Book & Candle, I Am A Camera (later made into the musical Cabaret) and the long-running wartime hit play Voice of the Turtle.

Here's the interesting thing for theater trivia buffs about this little movie: It was directed by Elliott Nugent who later went on to play the lead in Voice of the Turtle on Broadway (opposite Margaret Sullavan). And most intriguing is the last two lines of this movie are the SAME last two lines of Voice of the Turtle.

I guess these guys thought no one would notice that they were copying themselves. Well, I did!!

When Tono told Sara she was not a good looking woman, not the kind a man would want to be found dead in a ditch with, I thought, "Are you nuts? She is gorgeous." Who could suspend disbelief enough to see Irene Dunne otherwise?

Someone familiar with the script can come up with Tono's exact line. I couldn't find a copy of the script online but someone else may know where to get one.

I applaud TCM for showing what is not one of the best films ever made just to see Irene Dunne in her prime. It is great to see these great actresses when they were young. It also makes me wish I had been born decades earlier.

I am for the institution of marriage and feel that nowadays many couples are too quick to quit on it; yet there are times when there are actual bad marriages where the people involved really are miserable with one another and probably should get out of it, especially if they can find someone else to be happy with; as this film demonstrates. And in the end it will only serve to strengthen the institution of marriage, not weaken it.

Both Irene Dunne and Clive Brook are in unhappy marriages at the movie's beginning. Brook plays a character named Gordon who is married to Cathy, played by Lorraine MacLean. According to Gordon; the two realized they had made a mistake shortly after their marriage and it was understood between them that they would grant the other a divorce at any time. When we are first introduced to Gordon, his indifference to life is so great that while drinking with his friend and co worker Hector (played by Henry Stephenson) he purchases an entire stack of Paris postcards from a salesman and immediately proceeds to rip them all up; citing he might stop an American from coming here.

Dunne, who plays a character named Sara, is actually in an abusive marriage to her husband Tono, played by Nils Asther. Tono actually points a gun at Sara on one instance. Then company comes over (Gordon, Hector, and Hector's wife played by Vivian Tobin) and when Gordon finds Tono's gun casually lying upon the sofa; Sara waves it off by saying (my favorite part in the film), "Oh, how untidy of me!" and explains her husband enjoys target practice. Later that day, Gordon stops Sara from using that gun on herself; citing the fact that he once thought of ending it all as well. The two converse; and a relationship ensues. Gordon asks Sara if she would marry him "if I were free"; and Sara says yes.

Then the obstacles come into Sara and Gordon's relationship. Gordon can't get out of his marriage; and he tells Sara he is indeed not free. Gordon's friend Hector, realizing that their relationship is affecting Gordon's work, convinces Sara to put a stop to the relationship. Thus the relationship; while being at an early point; seems to be at an end.

Wise men say everything happens for a reason. Even things that initially are seemingly bad have a greater purpose for the long term. For Gordon Evers; it was a bullet lodged near his heart from the war that was a curse turned into a blessing. The Doctor tells Gordon he has about a year or two to live; but an extremely risky surgery could take care of the problem. Gordon; unenthusiastic about life to begin with due to his inability to get out of his unhappy marriage, and even more distraught about his ended relationship with Sara; throws all cares aside and decides to have the surgery. He doesn't tell Sara anything for her not to worry. But when Gordon's Mother, played by Laura Hope Crews, tells Sara of her son's condition and informs her of the surgery; Sara rushes to the hospital. After Gordon awakes, he weakly calls out for Sara instead of his wife. This; along with Gordon's Mom convincing Cathy to let Sara see him; brings the two together. The last scene is the two sailing along in a riverboat, paddled by Hector, arm in arm with an engagement ring on Sara's finger.

Irene Dunne is great as always; as many have said there's not a movie where she hasn't played a great role. She excels at playing a strong character who holds up through tough times. Dunne also gets to utilize her singing talents in this film.

If I Were Free is a short film; but a good and moving one nonetheless. I give it a 7 out of 10.