Cyrano de Bergerac a la World War II

Why wasn’t Marsha Hunt a bigger star? What a sweetie! And what a smile! Really well-written take on the mistaken identity romantic comedy. The scene with the great Spring Byington where Johnny’s identity was finally revealed went from laugh-out-loud funny to sad and touching. And the scene with Evie on the bed weeping her confusion when she finally learns the truth was equally well done: both by the scriptwriter and Marsha Hunt. Hume Cronyn was perfect. Who would have thought the actor so often cast as a weaselly villain could be such a romantic hero? I loved the last scene where Johnny heroically tries to “Tell her what she wants to hear” and ends at last with the romantic resolution. By the way, that scene at the rest home with the friend of the dead soldier added a bit of depth not usually expected in such a generally frothy romance. Another example of how well this was written and played. **9 stars out of 10**

January 10, 2015