Homecoming (MGM 1948)

Production Dates: Late August, 1947-Early November 1947
Release Date: April 29, 1948.
Credited Cast and Crew:
Lana Turner, Clark Gable, Anne Baxter, John Hodiak.
Directed by: Mervyn LeRoy
Writing Credits: Sidney Kingsley (story), Jan Lustig (adaptation), Paul Osborn
Produced by: Sidney Franklin, Gottfried Reinhardt
Original Music by: Bronislau Kaper
Cinematography by: Harold Rosson
Synopsis: Lana and Clark Gable against the backdrop of World War II.
My Review: Clark Gable was never the same, physically or psychologically, after the tragic death of his wife, actress Carole Lombard, in 1942. His age, and years of hard living, not to mention the tragedy, had caught up with him and it can be seen in his face and in his acting. This script must have hit a little close to home for him, as he is playing a doctor who enlists in the military (as a doctor) because it's "the right thing to do". When he returns home from the war, he is a changed man, and normal life is an adjustment. And not just because he has been seeing someone while he was away.
As for Lana, this role was a departure and she is uncharacteristically unglamorous as a nurse assisting surgeon Gable on the front line. At first they enjoy antagonizing one another, but as time goes on they gradually start to grow fond of one another. Kudos also to a pre All About Eve Anne Baxter as Gable's long suffering wife back home.
I won't give away the ending here, but it will shock you!
Your Review: What are YOUR thoughts on this film? Contact me at Liza@lanaturneronline.com
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