I think you all know that I'm a sucker for most old movies, no matter the genre. But I'm particularly a sucker for romantic World War II melodramas. I sit there with my hanky and my popcorn and sob right along with it. So it was fun for me to see a new one (at least for me) last night, called "Force of Arms", starring William Holden and Nancy Olson. He plays a soldier, and she plays a WAC, who meet in Italy and fall in love during World War II.
William Holden seemed to specialize in playing guys who were charming, but cynical, and only wanted to live for today (think Sunset Boulevard, Stalag 17, and Bridge on the River Kwai as examples). Here, he starts out playing his typical character, but after meeting Nancy Olson, he wants more out of life. Most people today may only know Nancy Olson from her Disney movies (Pollyanna, The Absent-Minded Professor). But she got an Oscar nomination for "Sunset Boulevard", which was just her third movie. And here, she plays a WAC, who's eager to do good in the world, and who winds up falling for Holden's war-weary soldier.
Saying too much more would give away most of the plot. But trust me on this one, you're gonna love it. The music is gorgeous, the stars are fabulous, and by the time you get to the end, you'll have gone through a couple of hankies, but you'll feel that all is right with the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment