Home Before Dark (film)
7.4 /10 1 Votes
Music director Franz Waxman Duration | 7.2/10 IMDb Genre Drama Cinematography Joseph F. Biroc Country United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Release date November 16, 1958 Based on Home Before Dark by Eileen Bassing Writer Eileen Bassing (screenplay), Robert Bassing (screenplay), Eileen Bassing (novel) Cast (Charlotte Bronn), (Arnold Bronn), (Joan Carlisle), Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. (Jacob 'Jake' Diamond), (Inez Winthrop), Stephen Dunne (Hamilton Gregory)Similar movies Inglourious Basterds , Au Revoir Les Enfants , Life Is Beautiful , 2 or 3 Things I Know About Him , The Pianist , Who Framed Roger Rabbit Tagline A pretty girl and the stunning shock that marriage brings her! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Home Before Dark is a 1958 Warner Brothers drama film, directed and produced by Mervyn LeRoy, and starring Jean Simmons, Dan O'Herlihy, Rhonda Fleming and Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.. The screenplay was written by Eileen and Robert Bassing, based on the novel by Eileen Bassing. The title song was written by Sammy Cahn with music by Jimmy McHugh.
Contents
The film, and Simmons' performance in particular, attracted positive critical comment. Pauline Kael of the New Yorker: "Jean Simmons gives a reserved, beautifully modulated performance," - and film critic Philip French believed it contained "perhaps her finest performance."
Home before dark trailer
Story
Charlotte Bronn (Jean Simmons) is a neglected wife who leaves the Maraneck State Hospital mental institution in New England, after a year there, to resume her life in a chilly relationship with her distant and emotionally repressed professor husband, in their plush New England home. They all live together with Charlotte's step-sister Joan (Rhonda Fleming) as well as Joan's mother, the scattered chatterer Inez (Mabel Albertson). They also have a boarder, Dr. Jake Diamond (Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.), who according to Arnold (Dan O'Herlihy) has been experiencing anti-Semitism at the college where they both teach.
Arnold shuns Charlotte, sleeping on the couch instead of in their bed, keeping away from her with a multitude of excuses, while chumming around with Joan. Part of Charlotte's commitment to the mental facility hinged on her continuing suspicions of an attraction between her husband and her beautiful step-sister. Inez bosses Charlotte mercilessly while a maid in their kitchen scolds her. Diamond disconcertedly is a calm, pipe smoking, handsome figure who shows Charlotte gentle and knowing sympathy, tempting her into a romantic relationship.
Two acquaintances, Hamilton Gregory (Steve Dunne) and Cathy Bergner (Joan Weldon), separately imply to her that an affair between Arnold and Joan is a reality. Charlotte walks several miles through the snow to the college to confront her husband. Later, before a dinner with important faculty, she comes dressed and coiffed to resemble Joan, disrupting the dinner and appearing to be headed toward another breakdown. She also learns from Diamond that his chance for promotion at the college was sabotaged by Arnold.
Charlotte agrees to a divorce. Diamond asks her to join him in New York.
Cast
DVD
Home Before Dark was released to DVD by Warner Home Video on July 8, 2011 via its Warner Archive MOD DVD service.
References
Home Before Dark (film) WikipediaHome Before Dark (film) IMDb Home Before Dark (film) themoviedb.org