Lonelyhearts (1958) ( Miss Lonelyheart ) ( Lonely hearts )

Lonelyhearts (1958) (DVD) (*)

Out of Stock

Original Title: Miss Lonelyheart
Alternate Title: Lonely hearts
Screened, competed or awarded at:
Golden Globes
Oscar Academy Awards

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
Spanish ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
Spanish ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
Spain ( PAL/Region 2 )

Running Time:
99 min

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen

Special Features:
Interactive Menu
Photo Gallery
Scene Access
Black & White

Movie filmed in 1958 and produced in:
United States ( USA, Canada )

Directed By:
Vincent J. Donehue

Written By:
Dore Schary
Howard Teichmann

Actors:
Montgomery Clift ..... Adam White
Robert Ryan ..... William Shrike
Myrna Loy ..... Florence Shrike
Dolores Hart ..... Justy Sargeant
Maureen Stapleton ..... Fay Doyle
Jackie Coogan ..... Ned Gates
Mike Kellin ..... Frank Goldsmith
Onslow Stevens ..... Mr. Lassiter
Frank Maxwell ..... Pat Doyle
Frank Overton ..... Mr. Sargeant
John Gallaudet ..... Johnny, Bartender
Don Washbrook ..... Don Sargeant
Johnny Washbrook ..... Johnny Sargeant
JB Welch ..... Charlie
Mary Alan Hokanson ..... Edna

Synopsis:

For his film directorial debut, producer Dore Schary selected a longtime pet property: Miss Lonelyhearts, Nathaniel West's trenchant 1933 novel. Montgomery Clift delivers a haunting performance as journalist Adam White, assigned by his cynical editor Adam Shrike (Robert Ryan) to take over a newspaper advice column. Signing himself Miss Lonelyhearts, White is appalled by the human misery pouring out of the letters sent to him (one of his correspndents was born without a nose), but Shrike insists that anyone who'd write to such a column is fake. To find out for himself, White looks up one of the correspondents, unhappily married Fay Doyle (Oscar-nominated Maureen Stapleton). His pity for the seriously disturbed Fay nearly leads to tragedy (in the novel, there's no "nearly"). Meanwhile, Shrike tries to contend with his own tottering marriage to his wife Florence (Myrna Loy). In additional to shortening the title to Lonelyhearts, Dore Schary made a number of radical changes in the original, adding an overabundance of "meaningful" dialogue and softening the character of Florence Shrike. Purists were enraged by Schary's liberties, while critics carped at his perfunctory direction; audiences, however, seemed to like the film.

Young and conscientious Adam White has aspirations to write for the Chronicle newspaper. He gets his wish after meeting the newspaper's editor Bill Shrike, who offers Adam a position. It's not quite what Adam had envisioned as he is given the assignment of writing the 6 day per week, 1,000 words per edition Miss Lonelyhearts advice column. Bill has ulterior motives for offering Adam this job which concerns in part Bill's unhappy wife, Florence. Initially, Adam treats the assignment with disdain until he starts reading the sound of desperation in some of the incoming letters. Wanting to do right by those letter writers takes its toll on Adam, and in turn on his relationship with his girlfriend, Justy Sargeant. Bill, who wants Adam to write a more entertaining column, suggests that Adam actually meet one of the letter writers so that he can get a better perspective on the job. After meeting with Fay Doyle, one of those letter writers, and coming to understand her true story compared to what she actually wrote, Adam reflects further on the job, especially in relation to what he considers his dark past which he is trying to hide from Justy and himself.

Eager to land a journalistic position, Adam White goes to work as an advice-giving newspaper columnist. His editor, Shrike, takes pleasure in browbeating his alcoholic wife Florence for her past adultery, and assigning his employees journalistic jobs for which they have little aptitude or interest. Shrike goads Adam into meeting one of his correspondents, Fay Doyle, a teary, self-pitying woman who makes a play for him. Adam is torn between his loyalty to the newspaper and his girl Justy.

This product was added to our catalog on Wednesday 20 July, 2011.

Customers who bought this product also purchased

The Lady Gambles (DVD)	Violent Saturday (DVD)	Portrait of a Sinner (DVD)
The Company She Keeps (DVD)	Antoine and Antoinette (1947) (Blu-Ray)	Buddy Buddy (DVD)