CLASSIC MOVIE CORNER: 'Portrait of Jennie' (1948)

Jennifer Jones and Joseph
Cotton in 'Portrait of Jennie'“Portrait of Jennie” (1948)

MPAA Rating: Not rated
Directed by: William Dieterle
Starring: Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotton, Ethel Barrymore, Lillian Gish, David Wayne

The Gist:In the mood for something weird and mushy? You’re ready for this supernatural love story.

The Story: It’s the Great Depression and Eben Adams (Cotton) is a New York City artist struggling to earn a living. His paintings are technically accomplished, but lack zest. He needs something — or someone — to spark his fire. Walking home through Central Park one wintry afternoon, Adams meets the strangest girl. Jennie (Jones) is a charming teenager who dresses in a funny, old-fashioned way. She asks to see Eben’s portfolio, and for some reason his painting of Cape Cod’s rocky shore chills her. A few weeks later, Eben and Jennie meet again. She’s aged by several years. Eben’s mind can’t comprehend what’s happening, but Jennie soon becomes his heart’s obsession.

The Review: History has been kind to “Portrait of Jennie.” After a troubled production and failure at the box office, it’s now considered a classic. Perhaps the film was ahead of its time. Ten years later, Hitchcock would successfully revisit similar themes with “Vertigo.” If you can make it past occasionally melodramatic acting and a dorky prologue, you’ll find a haunting and sweet romance. The film’s lead performers are great, but it also boasts a solid supporting cast of colorful character actors. Cinematographer Joseph August bathed “Portrait of Jennie” in dreamlike, gauzy light. Composer Bernard Hermann also contributed to the film’s musical score, which features an eerie theremin (better known as the “eee-wee-ooo” machine from the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations.”)

The Classic Quote: Jennie: “I know we were meant to be together. The strands of our lives are woven together and neither the world nor time can tear them apart.”

(Jorge Sosa is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at sosa@hutchinsonleader.com)