Dunne & Boyer Romance Divinely in ‘Love Affair’ 1939

 

Charles Boyer & Irene Dunne sparkle like champagne in 1939's "Love Affair."

The Leo McCarey comedy-drama, Love Affair, came out in 1939, often cited as Hollywood's golden year in cinema. The idea for Love Affair came to director/screenwriter McCarey when he was on an ocean cruise with his wife. He later collaborated with romantic writer Mildred Cram to flesh out the premise. The story was then passed on to master screenwriter Donald Ogden Stewart and future director Delmer Daves. There was much improvisation on the movie set, as well. The resulting story was most collaborative!

If you are not a fan of Hollywood’s “old movies,” Love Affair may not be for you. The film is a ‘30s fairy tale for adults, as the story bears no relation to reality, but the emotions still ring true. What's fascinating about this film is that the storytelling is so stylized, yet so adult and human in regards to matters of the heart. The romantic duo is both matter of fact and humorous regarding their personal situations, both engaged to “safe” suitors, yet they can’t help but fall in love.

Charles Boyer is playboy Michel Marnay, with Irene Dunne, in "Love Affair."

Irene Dunne as Terry McKay "meets cute" w/ Charles Boyer in 1939's "Love Affair."

Irene Dunne is Terry McKay, a singer who currently works for her fiancé, (Lee Bowman). Charles Boyer plays Michel Marnay, a playboy/painter who sells more papers than paintings. His fiancee is a wealthy socialite, (Astrid Allwyn). They meet cute aboard an ocean liner, with oodles of instant chemistry. By the time they arrive home in NYC, they agree to try and see out their current commitments.  But… if they decide to reunite, they will meet at the top of the Empire State Building six months later. When that day comes, Terry is hit by a cab while distractedly dashing off to their meeting place. Now wheelchair-bound, Terry decides to give her healing another six months before possibly trying to see Michel again. He thinks she got cold feet, not helped when he sees her at a movie theater the following Christmas, with her old suitor. Before Michel heads back to Europe, he looks up Terry, to say goodbye. Terry is friendly but immobile, as she sits under a blanket. Her nonchalance toward Michel is shown to be a false front as several key possessions of Terry’s indicate her sentiments, and the secret is out when they let down their defenses. Untroubled at last, they reunite. One huge problematic plot point: Terry's reaction to her accident, which leaves her unable to walk? It feels old movie “noble” to not see Michel if she can’t walk. Irene Dunne herself stated a few years after Love Affair’s release that she would not have hidden away like Terry, but gone looking for Michel in a wheelchair. For modern audiences, you either roll your eyes or just suspend disbelief.

In any version of "Love Affair," audiences will find the heroine nobly hiding her accident either terribly moving or just plain terrible. 

The moment Michel realizes Terry's plight is beautifully expressed by Charles Boyer,
 in 1939's "Love Affair."

Charles Boyer is at his best here, as a romantic lead, and demonstrates why he quickly caught on in Hollywood. Unlike many American leading men, Boyer was so open in his emotions, especially through those dark, expressive eyes. The final scene, when Michel realizes Terry’s plight, is done silently and superbly by Boyer. His deep voice and lilting French accent didn’t hurt either! Irene Dunne reminded me of a patrician version of Barbara Stanwyck: very attractive, but not gorgeous; glamorous, but not made up into a movie star mask; charming, but not coy; dramatic, but natural. Like Stanwyck, Dunne was versatile in drama and comedy, plus Irene could sing! Dunne and Boyer had a charming rapport and went on to make two more films together, ‘39’s When Tomorrow Comes and ‘44’s Together Again.

Irene Dunne displays her versatility as Terry McKay in 1939's "Love Affair."
She's romantic, dramatic, funny, and gets to sing!

Maria Ouspenskaya is warm and wonderful in her vignette as Michel’s grandmother, and so memorable that she received a Best Supporting Oscar nomination. Maria is a delight in her moments with grandson Michel and in her heart to heart with Dunne’s Terry.

Maria Ouspenskaya is warm and wise as the grandmother in 1939's "Love Affair."

Yes, there is surplus sentiment, a McCarey film staple. Less cute kiddies on the ship and at the orphanage and more development of Terry and Michel’s prior romantic partners could have added more to the dramatic tension. Instead, Bowman and Allwyn are the nicest wealthy romantic interests to ever get dumped!

Rudolf Mate's cinematography is painterly, with the contrast between crisp composition and some soft edges that are just lovely. The score by Roy Webb is lovely and there are several songs for Dunne to sing, including Buddy DeSylva’s “Wishing,” which became popular.

The cinematography in 1939's "Love Affair" is striking and superb.

Love Affair was a huge hit in its day. Thus, the essential story of thwarted love has been re-told several times, each time to lesser effect. McCarey himself remade it as the '50s extravaganza, a 30 minutes longer An Affair to Remember, with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. Much later, 1993’s Sleepless in Seattle referenced the '57 version relentlessly. Finally—for now, Warren Beatty had a 1994 Love Affair with himself, oh, and with Annette Bening. This soft focus, over-produced, schmaltzy version was Warren at his worst. I'm surprised Love Affair hasn't been remade again, but the '39 version is just under 90 minutes, which is really just right. Think of Love Affair as cinematic version of pink champagne and just enjoy its effervescence.

A lovely vignette from 1939's "Love Affair," where Michel & Terry visit his grandmother.

Here’s my look at the sinister side of Charles Boyer’s charm, in Gaslight! https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2022/10/stars-story-light-up-mgms-gaslight-1944.html

Charles Boyer at his romantic best, in 1939's "Love Affair."