| An unremarkable (by today's standards) | | | | children anymore. But why did they have to go |
| childrearing melodrama in which Cary Grant | | | | to Japan to arrive at that point is a moot |
| delivers a performance so good that he was | | | | script question that is left unanswered. |
| nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. George | | | | Couldn't the same fate befall Julie if she |
| Stevens directed the script by Morrie | | | | had another accident closer to home? Why did |
| Ryskind.The whole movie unfolds as a series | | | | they have to go all the way to Japan, is not |
| of linear flashbacks, each triggered by the | | | | clear. The whole "Tokyo episode" stands out |
| LP records a disconsolate Julie (Irene Dunne) | | | | like a joke without a punch line.The rest of |
| is playing on a gramophone just before she | | | | this drama unfolds as the story of the |
| leaves her house for good. The reason? There | | | | married couple's desperate effort to adopt a |
| does not seem to be anything left in her | | | | child, and once adopted, not to lose |
| marriage to keep her there. We are soon to | | | | her.There is yet another "baby sequence" in |
| learn the reason why and all the tragic | | | | the middle of the movie which could easily be |
| events that led her to that wistful | | | | part of an unrelated comedy. Grant again |
| moment.The first couple of times the | | | | excels in this sequence, almost paying |
| revolving LP record dissolves into a "memory | | | | tribute to the early years he spent during |
| hole" through which we enter a slice of life | | | | his teens as a pantomime and acrobat with Bob |
| in Julie's past, we enjoy it as a | | | | Pender's troupe. We see the young couple |
| manifestation of a director's creativity. But | | | | going through many of the anxieties in taking |
| the sixth or the seventh time that happens, | | | | care of their adopted 5-week daughter. (Is |
| we wonder how many times we have to suffer | | | | she asleep or did she quit breathing?)They |
| the same unrelentingly mechanical idea. It | | | | are so inexperienced, they don't even know |
| gets old pretty quickly proving that | | | | how to hold a baby or bath her and change her |
| consistency is not always a virtue.Cary Grant | | | | diaper.But we can't also help notice the |
| plays the young and dashing newspaper | | | | progress of a father-daughter bonding |
| reporter Roger Adams who marries the love of | | | | between Grant and his infant daughter despite |
| his life Julie (played by Irene Dunne) on the | | | | the fact that originally he asked for a |
| eve of his departure to Tokyo to take over | | | | 2-year old boy "with blond curly hair and |
| his newspaper's Japan bureau. It also happens | | | | blue eyes."For the first couple of years |
| to be the Christmas night, complete with the | | | | Roger's newly established weekly newspaper |
| obligatory snowfall (as in another Cary Grant | | | | business, helped by the press veteran |
| movie, BISHOP'S WIFE (1948)).Once established | | | | Applejack, seems to be making the ends meet. |
| in Tokyo, Roger has Julie join him at his new | | | | But then his business takes a sudden downturn |
| opulent digs complete with a family of | | | | and suddenly he is a man without an |
| Japanese house servants. Julie is both | | | | income.Since they are still at a |
| delighted and astonished that Roger can | | | | "probationary period" in their adoption |
| sustain that level of luxury with only a | | | | process, the ever-vigilant adoption agency in |
| reporter's salary. We remember an earlier | | | | the person of Miss Oliver (Beulah Bondi) |
| scene in which her friend Applejack (Edgar | | | | takes Roger to court. The judge is supposed |
| Buchanan) warned her against getting involved | | | | to take the girl back because a family |
| with a journalist. Is there something shady | | | | without income is not a fit place for any |
| about Roger or past that we would know about | | | | child to grow up in.However, Cary grant in |
| yet?Two interesting things happen during the | | | | yet another excellent scene, delivers this |
| "Tokyo sequence" that bring both Roger's | | | | really emotional monologue about the pain of |
| character and the script's strength into | | | | separation from his daughter, and the |
| question.In the first scene, Roger announces | | | | absurdity of taking a child back as though |
| Julie that he has quit his job thanks to his | | | | she was a car or a furniture repossessed |
| family inheritance. Now they can go travel | | | | because the owner has been late in payments. |
| around the world before they settle down and | | | | His appeal as a heartbroken father wins the |
| raise a family, although during their dating | | | | day and the judge allows him to take her back |
| period Roger showed some reluctance to suffer | | | | home.After so many spinning gramophone |
| pranks of children (the beach scene) | | | | records dissolving into flashback scenes, we |
| gladly.It turns out what Roger calls "an | | | | watch the child grow and take a small part in |
| inheritance" is just about ten thousand | | | | a Christmas play at school as her very proud |
| dollars, which shrinks further down to $8,000 | | | | parents watch her and give all their support |
| after he pays his outstanding bills. It is a | | | | despite a minor mishap on the stage that |
| let down for Julie. He accuses Roger by | | | | ruins her day.Then disaster strikes, as it |
| acting "childishly." We'll see this pattern | | | | should in a tragedy. We read in a letter |
| for the rest of the movie: Roger will always | | | | written to Miss Oliver that the child has |
| come across as a man with grand ideas and | | | | died following an illness. Since up to that |
| much self-confidence who, however, can't | | | | point we have not seen a single scene in |
| deliver the bacon at the end.The second | | | | which the child suffered from any physical |
| important development in the "Tokyo sequence" | | | | ailments, this also comes across as contrived |
| is the earthquake that levels their home. As | | | | a plot point as the earlier " Tokyo |
| we continue to watch to see the "payoff" of | | | | earthquake."After the death of their daughter |
| this totally unexpected natural disaster, the | | | | Roger and Julie's union starts to unravel |
| film abruptly shifts back to San Francisco | | | | quickly. The girl was the bond that kept them |
| where Julie is lying in a hospital and she | | | | together. |
| learns that she will not be able to bear | | | | |