Movie Review: Lighthouse (1947)
Synopsis: Connie is in love with the local lighthouse keeper, Sam, but even though he claims to love her back, he keeps making excuses whenever she brings up marriage. When he goes two weeks without visiting her, Connie takes a boat out to the lighthouse and discovers Sam has been lying to her, both about being the keeper (he's just an assistant) and the fact he is married. Determined to get back at him, Connie seduces and marries Sam's boss, Hank, and eventually falls in love with her new husband. Sam, however, isn't ready to let Connie go, leading to suspicion when Hank slips on the rocks and nearly dies.
Who's in it? The movie stars June Lang, Don Castle, John Litel, Marion Martin and Charles Wagenheim.
Review: I ended up choosing Lighthouse this morning because I saw it starred June Lang and I became a fan after seeing her in Redhead a few months ago. I didn't know much about the movie but from the description, thought it was going to be a comedy. Instead, it turned out to be a surprisingly good romantic thriller.
Connie's (Lang) decision to marry Hank (Litel) out of spite was an intriguing one, especially when I realized this wasn't going to be a comedy. It was clear, at least in the beginning, she didn't actually love her much-older husband and was still harboring feelings for Sam (Castle). I wasn't sure how that was going to play out, even as she started realizing Hank was a great guy.
As was the case with Redhead, Lang plays her character with the perfect mix of femininity and strength. She was her husband's equal in every regard and not afraid to stand up for him or herself when needed. And she was the type of woman that could have said "enough is enough" and simply walked away from both men if she chose. I like that and wish more movies would have female characters like that (even today).
Sam's transition though is what really made this movie entertaining. At first, he seemed like a good guy who, despite his early lies, was trying to do right by Connie, including seeking a divorce so he could marry her. However, as the film progressed, he grew both crueler and obsessed, making it unclear what steps he'd be willing to take to be with Connie. The movie never confirms if he was responsible for Hank's eventual accident but his hesitation to help Hank certainly proved he had no problem with his rival perishing.
At the same time, Hank was a bit of a wildcard in all of it because, while he loved Connie, it was unclear what kind of reaction he would have if/when he found out about her previous relationship with Sam and the real reason she married him. He was a nice guy, but even nice guys can be pushed too far, making a happy ending not necessarily something that would be guaranteed.
Final Opinion: This is an entertaining and suspenseful movie with some great acting. I am even more of a June Lang fan as a result of watching it and recommend taking the time to see it.
My Grade: A
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Movie Review: Heartaches (1947)
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