Unfaithfully Yours (Criterion Collection)

Unfaithfully Yours (Criterion Collection)
by Preston Sturges

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DVD Cover Information

Actor: Barbara Lawrence, Kurt Kreuger, Linda Darnell, Rex Harrison, Rudy Vallee
Director: Preston Sturges
Brand: Image Entertainment
Cinematographer: Victor Milner
Producer: Preston Sturges
Writer: Preston Sturges
Editor: Robert Fritch
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled)
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC, Special Edition
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 105 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-07-12
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Criterion

Movie Reviews of Unfaithfully Yours (Criterion Collection)

Movie Review: "Have you ever heard of Russian Roulette?"
Summary: 4 Stars

Although it is unfortunate that this film was not successful when it was released (partially due to the Rex Harrison/Carole Landis scandal and also to the dark tones of the film), it is arguably one of the three greatest Sturges films (along with Sullivan's Travels and Hail the Conquering Hero).

If there is one film that showcases Sturges' talent as a screenwriter, this one is it. The dialogue is consistently hysterical, from the opening salvo between Sir Alfred and his brother-in-law to the 'Russian Roulette' speech. If there is one thing Sturges got right with this film, it's the dialogue - it's cuttingly funny and delivered with perfect timing.

This brings me to Rex Harrison, who gives one of the funniest performances in cinema history. He is perfect, and perfectly neurotic, as Sir Alfred, a jealous symphony conductor obsessed with the idea that his wife and confidant are having an ongoing affair. His wife, played by Linda Darnell, isn't necessarily the strong female typical of Sturges' earlier work but her leisurely composition and smooth voice give a stark contrast to Harrison's loud, uptight Alfed. And I think the dynamic really shines when Alfred is at odds with Daphne(the Darnell character).

For what is generally known for being a straight comedy, the structure of Unfaithfully Yours is really unique. The second act of the film is comprised of a series of fantasies, all of which take place in Sir Alfred's mind (while he's conducting a concert, no less). More interesting still, one of the lengthier episodes is a full-on shocker, a film noir with darkly comic undertones. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the section would work as a short film on it's own. There are also a couple of scenes that turn full-on slapstick and (again) contrast sharply with other sections of the film.

While I do feel the slapstick scenes run too long and feel a bit unnecessary, I find the contrast in styles interesting. The film is an amalgam of dialogue-driven comedy, slapstick, noir and romance. It doesn't always pay off but it's fun to watch and keeps the viewer on his/her toes. In this respect, you can see the influence Sturges had on modern film makers like Quentin Tarantino (whose also known for contrasting styles and moods).

I docked one star off of the score only because I thought the two slapstick scenes (the fire-hose scene and when Alfred frantically searches for his recorder) ran too long and weren't nearly as funny as the dialogue scenes. But don't get me wrong, this movie is terrific and the two slapstick scenes aren't enough to ruin an otherwise fantastic comedy.

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Summary of Unfaithfully Yours (Criterion Collection)

In this pitch-black comedy from legendary writer-director Preston Sturges, Rex Harrison stars as Sir Alfred De Carter, a world-famous symphony conductor consumed with the suspicion that his wife is having an affair. During a concert, the jealous De Carter entertains elaborate visions of vengeance, set to three separate orchestral works. But when he attempts to put his murderous fantasies into action, nothing works out quite as planned. A brilliantly performed mixture of razor-sharp dialogue and uproarious slapstick, Unfaithfully Yours is a true classic from a grand master of screen comedy.

Preston Sturges has his great run in 1940-44, with a series of comedy masterpieces unparalleled in Hollywood film. 1948's Unfaithfully Yours proves that he still had the touch, if only he could have found a supportive studio for his genius. (It would've helped if Unfaithfully Yours had been a hit, which it was not.) Sir Alfred De Carter (Rex Harrison) is a witty, vain orchestra conductor, a celebrated man married to a beautiful woman (Linda Darnell). He becomes convinced of her infidelity, and while he is on the podium during a concert, he fantasizes three homicidal revenge fantasies--all set to the classics.

The conductor looks suspiciously like a self-portrait by Sturges, and the delicious dialogue comes pouring out of Rex Harrison like pearls from a goblet. The film's main disappointment is that it doesn't feature the teeming stock company of character actors that crowd Sturges's earlier pictures (although Rudy Vallee, Lionel Stander, and Edgar Kennedy come through nicely). The film, while morbid, is often laugh-out-loud funny, but it also has something sneakily brilliant to say about the gulf between art and life: how the exquisite timing and perfect mechanics of Sir Alfred's imagination come a-cropper when he actually tries to enact his fantasies. Unfaithfully Yours was remade in a not-bad version with Dudley Moore in 1984, but this one's the keeper. Too bad it couldn't save Sturges--this is the last worthy film in a too-brief career. --Robert Horton

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