By Love Possessed

Director: John Sturges

Overview

Both trapped in unhappy marriages, a lawyer and his handicapped partner's wife begin an affair, but after a tragic incident, they realize the importance of commitment to their spouses.

Product Details

Release Date:	01/15/2011
UPC:	0883904237907
Original Release:	1961
Source:	MGM
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[monaural]
Language:	English
Time:	1:56:00
Sales rank:	44,262

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Efrem Zimbalist Jr.	Arthur Winner
Lana Turner	Marjorie Penrose
Jason Robards Jr.	Julius Penrose
George Hamilton	Warren Winner
Susan Kohner	Helen Detweiler
Barbara Bel Geddes	Clarissa Winner
Thomas Mitchell	Noah Tuttle
Everett Sloane	Reggie
Yvonne Craig	Veronica Kovacs
Jean Willes	Junie McCarthy
Frank Maxwell	Jerry Brophy
Gilbert Green	Mr. Woolf
Carroll O'Connor	Bernie Breck

Technical Credits

Walter Mirisch

Producer

Editorial Reviews

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.