All I Desire (1953) :
Brief Review -
A strained and complicated family drama subconsciously presented as a light soap by Douglas Sirk. All I Desire may be your story if you believe in it, or maybe it could be someone's story you know. Set in a small town called Riverdale, the film is about a stage actress who returns to the town to see her girl and family, whom she quit years ago. Her one-evening stay is extended by circumstances, and she becomes the attraction of the centre. During this period of 2 days, she discovers what she has been missing all these years, how her children love and hate her, and how the town makes a scandal out of every small thing as per their convenience. The script is very predictable sometimes. That horse riding scene, for instance. I just knew already that she was going to stay that night; she was going to go horse-riding, and she would be alone when her ex-lover would meet her and force a kiss on her. That was so repetitive, man. Even Sirk would have seen such scenes in his teenage days. The self-conclusion and self-realisation in the climax didn't make any sense. The husband knew about his wife's affair, yet he didn't do anything, and he still wants her back. He went on to confront his wife's lover and thought that he was shot by the wife because they were making love. Holy smoke! Seriously? That was too childish, and this man was a principal. Lol. Anyway, it's just an 80-minute film, so it doesn't bore you. All I Desire has some desirable performances from the lead cast. Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Carlson, Marcia Henderson, and Lori Nelson have done fine. Maureen O'Sullivan plays the most sensible character in the entire film, and she looks beautiful. Lyle Bettger is a sort of antagonist here, and he was annoying occasionally. Thanks to a pacy screenplay and light-toned presentation of a complicated family drama by Sirk, which have made All I Desire a watchable flick. Remove them, and I wouldn't desire this film at all.
RATING - 6/10*
By - #samthebestest.
A strained and complicated family drama subconsciously presented as a light soap by Douglas Sirk. All I Desire may be your story if you believe in it, or maybe it could be someone's story you know. Set in a small town called Riverdale, the film is about a stage actress who returns to the town to see her girl and family, whom she quit years ago. Her one-evening stay is extended by circumstances, and she becomes the attraction of the centre. During this period of 2 days, she discovers what she has been missing all these years, how her children love and hate her, and how the town makes a scandal out of every small thing as per their convenience. The script is very predictable sometimes. That horse riding scene, for instance. I just knew already that she was going to stay that night; she was going to go horse-riding, and she would be alone when her ex-lover would meet her and force a kiss on her. That was so repetitive, man. Even Sirk would have seen such scenes in his teenage days. The self-conclusion and self-realisation in the climax didn't make any sense. The husband knew about his wife's affair, yet he didn't do anything, and he still wants her back. He went on to confront his wife's lover and thought that he was shot by the wife because they were making love. Holy smoke! Seriously? That was too childish, and this man was a principal. Lol. Anyway, it's just an 80-minute film, so it doesn't bore you. All I Desire has some desirable performances from the lead cast. Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Carlson, Marcia Henderson, and Lori Nelson have done fine. Maureen O'Sullivan plays the most sensible character in the entire film, and she looks beautiful. Lyle Bettger is a sort of antagonist here, and he was annoying occasionally. Thanks to a pacy screenplay and light-toned presentation of a complicated family drama by Sirk, which have made All I Desire a watchable flick. Remove them, and I wouldn't desire this film at all.
RATING - 6/10*
By - #samthebestest.