Devotion [DVD] [1946] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

Despite the fact that this treatment of the famous Bronte sisters (Charlotte, Emily and Anne) and their tormented brother Branwell (Arthur Kennedy) gives their story a romantic glow (instead of the harsh reality of their life on the moors), it can be enjoyed on the level of a well-acted, sometimes overwrought romantic drama with sterling performances by Ida Lupino and Olivia de Havilland, as well as an excellent one from Arthur Kennedy as the brother who wastes his talent.

The large cast includes Sydney Greenstreet (effective as Thackeray), Victor Francen, Nancy Coleman, Ethel Griffies and Dame May Witty. It may not be an accurate biography (in fact some critics said it should have been called 'Distortion'), but thanks to fine performances and Erich Wolfgang Korngold's magnificent score, it's fascinating to watch. Particularly effective is the montage showing a horse and rider against a cloudy sky as death approaches Emily Bronte and Korngold's music mounts as he comes closer and closer. Wonderful moment of imagery.

Whatever its shortcomings, I cannot praise Erich Wolfgang Korngold's score enough. It's one of his most magnificent and stands with KINGS ROW as one of his best film scores, adding majesty and atmosphere to many of the film's most dramatic scenes. This wonderful score is now available on CD and well worth having if you're a Korngold admirer.

Trivia note: DEVOTION has a strange history. It was actually filmed and finished in 1943 while de Havilland was still under contract to the studio. When she launched her famous legal battle against them for adding suspension time to the end of her contract, Jack Warner decided to punish her. He gave her third billing, kept the film off the screen for three years hoping to weaken her career, and failed to invite her to the premiere of the film when it finally did open in Hollywood.

Despite all this, Olivia not only won the case in the California Supreme Court, but went on to win two Oscars after the film was released!! Proof that he was wrong all along in underestimating her.

If you're a fan of 1940s "conveyor belt" Hollywood productions that feature familiar Warner Brothers (WB) "contract" actors, you'll probably enjoy DEVOTION (if my description of such films sounds demeaning, it wasn't meant to be; after all, CASABLANCA was one such film). Or, if you're a fan of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Bronte - famed 19th century novelists - who doesn't take things too seriously, you'll probably enjoy watching this 1946 offering simply to see what biographical tidbits were referenced. Of course, without having first heard of this film, you may not even be aware that it IS a biopic about the famous sisters from Yorkshire and the cover of this dvd certainly doesn't help as it does NOT mention them at all and, indeed, shows the actors starring in it NOT in their costumes from the production, but, rather, in modern attire.

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

The plot of this film revolves around Emily's (fictitious) unrequited love for her father's curate, Arthur Bell Nicholls, and his love for Charlotte, whom he would marry in real life, but only after years of her indifference (according to acclaimed Bronte biographer, Juliet Barker, Charlotte's gradual change of feeling towards the younger man was prompted by her sympathy after turning down his offer of marriage and then learning of her father's abuse of him for not seeking Patrick's blessing first and for reaching "above his station" as a "lowly" curate [Charlotte was by that time known to be the famous "Currer Bell"]). And, the story is set in the years just before and after the sisters saw the publication of their debut novels, but with much "creative license" taken by the scriptwriter and director (for ex., Emily and Charlotte meeting Nicholls before going to Brussels to study under Monsieur Heger, with whom the elder Bronte is depicted as having been physically intimate).

*** SPOILER FINIS ***

Since it was a fairly common storyline of films of that era, I think it's safe to mention that this film concerns a love triangle, two points of which are comprised by, as the dvd cover declares, "strange sisters", one of whom who "didn't dare admit her love" and the other who "dared everything". And, the actors who star in it should be familiar to fans of '40s black and white films: Olivia DeHavilland ("Charlotte"), Ida Lupino ("Emily"), Nancy Coleman ("Anne"), Arthur Kennedy ("Branwell"), Paul Henreid ("curate Nicholls"), and Sydney Greenstreet ("William Makepeace Thackeray"). Needless to say, none of the actors cast accurately reflected the real life personalities that they depicted and, in some cases, the discrepancies are quite funny (for ex, the beautiful DeHavilland portraying the - in Thackeray's words - "tiny", "homely" longest-living Bronte sibling and Greenstreet playing the - in Charlotte's opinion - "very tall", "ugly" author of VANITY FAIR). Also, as a 1940s production, all the sets/locations were pretty much in studio, so don't expect to see the real Yorkshire moors.

Nonetheless, whether or not one has heard of the Brontes or cares for their novels, DEVOTION is an interesting and entertaining film and, as mentioned by another reviewer, features an excellent score and cinematography. And, I would think that Bronte fans will enjoy noting all the biographical references and laughing at the ones that are dead wrong, of which there are many. Def worth an hour and 45 minutes of your time.

BTW, if one is interested in learning the FACTS about the Bronte family, I can suggest nothing better than Barker's THE BRONTES (1994). For those who would rather watch than read, I recommend the 2 hour, two part 2003 BBC production IN SEARCH OF THE BRONTES, for which Barker was a consultant and which one may have to get from someone off a buy and sell site as I don't think it has yet been released on dvd.

The story of the Bronte sisters (with some literary license) who gave us Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. Ida Lupino and Olivia deHavilland play the sisters Emily and Charlotte Bronte. Paul Henreid has the role of the man they are in love with. This is one of the many motion pictures where Sydney Greenstreet appears in a supporting role (see also Casablanca, etc.) paired up with Paul Henreid who has a major role. The film was originally released in 1946, so don't expect modern theater technologies. It is a lesser known film than others featuring the cast members, and is of interest to fans of the individual actors and actresses, or to people studying the history of the real characters.