None But the Lonely Heart
US (1944): Drama/Romance/Family
Clifford Odets wrote and directed this unsparing melodrama that depicts the bond of love and devotion in the face of hopeless poverty. Cary Grant is a carefree ne'er-do-well in London's slums, barely on speaking terms with his mother, Ethel Barrymore, who runs a secondhand furniture shop. When he learns that she is soon to die, he becomes a devoted son, working in the shop and caring for her. They develop a real bond, and, in order to see that her son is taken care of, Barrymore starts getting involved with some of Grant's former criminal companions. Cast also includes Barry Fitzgerald, June Duprez, Jane Wyatt, George Coulouris and Dan Duryea.
In order to secure Ethel Barrymore's services for the film, RKO had to pay the expenses of temporarily closing her Broadway hit, The Corn Is Green. But, it seems their investment paid off: Barrymore won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. (amctv.com)
4 nominations, 1 Award
· Best Supporting Actress 1944: Ethel Barrymore
· Actor 1944: Cary Grant
· Film Editing 1944: Roland Gross
· Music Scoring Awards (Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture) 1944: C. Bakaleinikoff, Hanns Eisler