Eerie, magnetic and just incredibly lovely.
Eben Adams is a struggling artist who feels his work has no real substance, but one day as he mopes around Central Park, a beautiful young girl by the name of Jennie Appleton meets his acquaintance. Totally enchanting, Jennie engages Eben in a conversation that doesn't sit quite right with the time, then after singing him a haunting little tune she vanishes as quickly as she had appeared. From this point on, Eben's life will never be the same, both artistically and emotionally.
Portrait Of Jennie can be bracketed in the multi genre department, part mystery, part romance and certainly fantastical, it's a wonderfully put together picture that is ready made to lift the gloom on a dark winters night. It's the sort of picture that I personally believe you are better going into without any real sense of plot preparation, there are plenty of great reviews for this picture readily available, and all are justified, I can but merely concur with the many positives this delightful picture has garnered.
Directed with a very astute awareness of the theme by William Dieterele, the picture benefits from excellent technical aspects across the board. Joseph Cotten gives perhaps one of his greatest performances as Eben Adams, while the classically beautiful Jennifer Jones (Jennie Appleton) lights up the screen as each scene with her in becomes hauntingly emotional. Wonderful support comes from Ethel Barrymore & Cecil Kellaway, whilst Lillian Gish pops up for a crucial, and impacting piece of work. Joseph August's cinematography is simply brilliant, nominated for an academy award, the way he uses ethereal hues to influence the story is easy on the eye and fully forms the atmosphere. Dimitri Tiomkin takes up scoring duties, appealingly influenced by Claude Debussy, Tiomkin lays down a memorable score that has much to savour. And the final pat on the back goes to the special effects team who picked up the academy award for their excellent efforts.
Technically brilliant and with a story to match, Portrait Of Jennie is highly recommended viewing to those who want to be taken far away to some place rather nice, see it with someone you care about and give them a hug as the ending plays out. 8.5/10
This is a wonderfully captivating story featuring Joseph Cotton as ("Eben") a struggling artist - he just cannot find inspiration. When he visits the gallery of Ethel Barrymore, she acquires one of his paintings - sympathy or shrewdness? Well, shortly afterwards he encounters the young "Jennie" (Jennifer Jones) and all of a sudden his outlook brightens, his life begins to take shape - but, is she what he thinks she is, needs her to be - is any of it? William Dieterle has assembled a super cast to support this gently bubbling and engaging story - Cecil Kellaway as Barrymore's sidekick in the gallery "Matthews" and a very brief cameo from Lilian Gish all contribute really potently to this classy story. It is well photographed and delicately delivered, and that gave Cotton a chance to demonstrate that he was an actor with some depth to him. At the end, I thought - of course I know what is going happen. I didn't !
