(1961)
2.5
Craig Butler
Perhaps if Douglas Sirk had directed it, By Love Possessed might have emerged as a soap opera classic, full of the cool irony that managed to add depth to otherwise superficial situations and blessed with color and design that becomes an intrinsic part of the viewing experience. But Sirk is nowhere to be found in Possessed; the direction is by John Sturges, a talented director who is just out of his element here. Sturges' work is capable and professional, but uninvolved and lacking commitment and imagination. He photographs beautiful luxurious homes full of decanters and crystal, without using those homes to reflect the hollowness of their owners' lives. The screenplay for Possessed is total bosh, a gathering of skin-deep characterizations, incredibly-converging circumstances, trite dialogue and everything else one associates with the typical soap opera. Fans of the genre will enjoy wallowing in all this, but those looking for something fresh or insightful will come away disappointed. Possessed does feature some performances that are noteworthy, with the greatest praise going to Barbara Bel Geddes, whose thoughtful performance does wonders with a role that is paper thin; the actress takes a stick character and turns her into a living and breath person whose sense of "real-ness" grabs the viewer. Jason Robards, Jr., an excellent actor, doesn't find as much depth in his portrayal, but he's always interesting to watch, and Thomas Mitchell is in fine form as well. Lana Turner is fine if not great, and Efram Zimbalist, Jr. and George Hamilton are a tad dull, but Susan Kohner makes a few memorable moments along the way.
By Love Possessed on AllMovie
By Love Possessed (1961)
