The Exhibitor (1964)

•ear Heart’ Funny md Touching Film^ Geraldine Page Delightful BY PHILIP K. SCHEUEB Tlm«» Motion Picture Idltor ’'Dear Heart.," a Warner release, has been rushed into It local theater — the' Hollywood Paramount — in order to qualify for Academy Award ^consideration, and should receive it. For Hollywood in these days it is quite unu¬ sual: a sophisticated comedy, mainly about sex, that is not ashamed to be even a little naive at the same time,, or to hint that people have hearts. I suspect we owe a great deal to Delbertl Mann, the director also of "Marty" and "Bachelor Par-1 )ty," which "Dear Heart" recalls. As it recalls, too, "Two for the Seesaw" and, if you want to go back a couple of decades, that Vincente Minnelli gem called "The Clock. I For what it is mainly about are displaced persons,] • lonely for love in a big city. Sophistication All on Surface It doesn't start off like much — Glenn Ford arriving for a promotion as a greeting-card salesman, Geraldine Page arriving to attend a post-masters' convention ("Postmistress," she says primly, "sounds a bit racy.") At first — what with the elliptical dialogue and the wacky character touches — I feared I was in for another couple of hours of the kind of empty amicable nonsense that Universal, say, turns out with clocklike regularity, [usually in the company of Doris Day, Rock Hudson, ^ony Randall, et al. Gradually, however, a deeper dimension makes itself felt. For all their outward sophistication, these people fall into the awkward stances of the inwardly unsure, j I While some of their lines are shockingly frank, they are' also true to the occasion. And funny — but also reveal¬ ing. Writer Mosel and director Mann don't always bring off precisely the effect they probably intended, but the average is high. And suddenly you find yourself caring about their people. Miss Page plays Evie Jackson, the postmaster from a small town. She's a kook who wants to help everybody, but the minute anybody lets her, she moves in and takes over. So, rebuffed, she feels frustrated, though never for long. What she really needs is a man — and it looks as if Ford is he. Only Ford doesn't know it; in fact, he is already engaged to Angela Lansbury, a determined wi¬ dow from Altoona who has a beatnik son (Michael An¬ derson Jr.) who in turn has a chick named Emile Zola Bernkrand (Joanna Crawford). There is a wonderful assortment of other types, many i of them attending the convention, and Mann has photo¬ graphed them in moments of truth like those of "Marty" and "Bachelor Party." Outstanding is Barbara Nichols | as a bored but brassy magazine-counter salesgirl on the make. Miss Page Splendid as Eyie Most splendid of all is Miss Page as the contradictory^ Evie — all outgiving, yet with the reserve of the spinster qnd the easy capacity to be hurt. Ford has divested himself of his old stumbling, stammering mannerism and still managed to convey the fellow's bewilderment, J more subtly. And Miss Lansbury is, as always, the shrew superb. i Mann has kept his tempo spirited despite confinement^ Fof the action to two hotels, a Greenwich Village apart¬ ment and the Penn Station. The production Is credited ilis* 'RARE ENTERTAINMENT Oscar Attention For 'Dear Heart' By NADINE M. EDWARDS foe of the most delightfully ifellow postmasters at a conTumorous. poignantly tender) vention in New York, plus Imd beautifully acted films ofjanother hotel occupant — a [he year — a picture which is : greeting card sales manager jound to rate Oscar attention! who is just a few days away is currently on exclusive! from marriage to a widow who dew at the Paramount Thea-'has a 17-year-old son. ler. Hollywood. It is Martini Primarily then, these are the [Manulis’ production of “Dear basic ingredients of “Dear Jeart,” a Warner Bros, release Heart.” Two essentially lonely idapted by Tad Mosel from people, who know what they lis own story. iwant from life but aren’t just Few pictures have the en i certain how to go about achievchautment and warmth of !'nR it — until they meet each1 iis black and white screenIfare. Few, if any, can comipare with its quality for exl posing human frailties, j while building character at other. And then her facade of the bright, gay, prattling wo¬ man slips away, while h i s rather worldly veneer disap¬ pears and they discover what 'the same time. Mostly, how | they’ve been looking for — •v«w *here is about this |each other. film an WMnct of oourage — the ability to laugh when there is a tear in the heart; plus the ability to face one’s [self honestly, when such exlure is ofttimes deeply cruel. A rare blend of adult emo[tions — sophistication comIbined with a homespun quality Beautifully directed by Delbert Mann — this is truly a gem among his di¬ rectional achievements — “Dear Heart” is further dis¬ tinguished by the presence of Geraldine Page, an in¬ comparable actress who baa few peers. Undoubtedly she will be singled out (again) “Dear Heart” is the story of for an Academy Award nom small town postmistress, a) ination for her remarkable performance as the lonely postmistress. Few will deny she is one of the all-time gTeats in the film industry, and if this portrayal doesn’t prove it, nothing ever will. Glenn Ford, too, is rather I Jlonely. rather plain looking) [spinster who has gone through [life seeking and searching for) something more than just the; [emptiness of overnight love! 'and fleeting passions. | A gentle, compassionate wo1 I man who often unwittingly. extraordinary. As the card covers her inner beauty with a | salesman, he not only cornloquacious air of nonsensicaliplements Miss Page’s acting, prattle, she nonetheless comj but adds another highlight to I mands the attention and rej his own career. This is probIspect of her co-workers and; ably one of his best roles to I the many people with whom: date. she comes in contact. And in j A capable supporting cast, Lthis instance, these people are 'headed by Angela Lansbury the self-centered widow; lichael Anderson Jr. as her (precocious son; Barbara (Nichols as the promiscuous | hotel counter girl; and Patricia jBarrv as a card designer, in underscore the film’s value. Others who appear to good advantage are Charles Drake. Richard Deacon.. Neva Patter¬ son, Mary Wickes. Alice Pearce, Peter Turgeon, Ken Lynoh, James O'Rear, and Nelson Olmsted. Music is by Henry Mancini, with the title song composed by Jay Livingston and Ray ’"’vans.