According to Arthur Nolletti - whoever he is - comparing this with Tokyo Story, 'Ozu never saw the McCarey film. But he did not really need to, as his scriptwriter, Noda Kogo, had retained fond memories of it'. ('Ozu's Tokyo Story', Cambridge Film Handbooks, 1997.)
So, the film that famously Orson Welles claimed 'would make a stone cry!' is fabulous, most unusual for a Hollywood film of that period (it flopped), and not utterly relentless either. There are light touches throughout and nice people appear towards the end of the film (car salesman and hotel staff). And, as Peter Bogdanovich helpfully points out in his mini McCarey film, which was filmed for Criterion in 2009 but appears on the Eureka! Blu-Ray, there's a fresh and improvisational feel about the acting which keeps it nimble. The cast is great overall but I have to single out Beulah Bondi's old lady, which she does ever so well. With Victor Moore, Thomas Mitchell, Fay Bainter, Barbara Read, Porter Hall, Maurice Moskovitch (who we've just seen in In Name Only, but who died in 1940 - he resembles Bela Lugosi a little, but can act), Elisabeth Risdon, Minna Gombell, Ray Mayer, Ralph Remley and Louise Beavers.
One of the earlier films of William C Mellor, twice Oscar-winner in the 1950s. Music by Victor Young and George Antheil, written by Viña Delmar (from a novel by Josephine Lawrence and a play by Helen and Nolan Leary), and Leo McCarey (uncredited). The makeup isn't credited either.
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