Why I love "Beloved Infidel" (1959)

Last night I saw (again) Beloved Infidel (1959; Henry King), this time with my mom. While I re-watched it I thought about why I like it so much, when it's not a very popular movie (Imdb users give it a 5.9). Plus it's about the relationship between Francis Scott Fitzgerald and Hollywood columnist Sheilah Graham, which should make me very bitter, since I've read some books about Scott and his wife, Zelda. 

Scott and Sheilah.

The Hollywood version of the couple.

I love it, first, because of the cast.

Gregory Peck and Deborah Kerr are superb as Scott and Sheilah. He, making so palpable the dichotomy between a sober person, in this case, a supportive, understanding and kind Scott and a drunk person. Drunk Scott is sometimes very annoying, and talks and talks and can be even funny. Drunk people sometimes are. But then he can be a violent, hurtful man, a man that has lost all the social filters and can't restrain himself. Gregory is so great at both.

And she, starting the movie as her elegant, witty characters. My mom thought I had chosen An affair to remember again. At the beginning, Sheilah Graham is a British reporter recently arrived to the States that --according to herself-- has many contacts with noblemen and the royalty. Is a woman that writes what she thinks about Hollywood actors and criticize them.

But when she meets Scott, all the masquerade melts and it's so touching, so human the way it does. This is one of my favorite scenes and contains a really powerful performance from both actors:

Heartbreaking, don't you guys think? 

Another thing I love from this movie, is the attention to the details in terms of the gestures and common little actions one makes everyday. Deborah passes some sheets and a pen to Gregory, so he can make some corrections. He starts writing a bit uncomfortable because he has no support for the sheets, so Deborah passes him a magazine, so he can write over it. You know, small things that make the performance more human. 

Deborah was great a little gestures. Sometimes she reinforces what she's saying with a little smile or a wink. Or she nods playfully. Gregory too, I noticed yesterday, that for example, when he was evaluating the idea of going to Malibu, he had his arms crossed and he drummed with his fingers against his ribs. It was a small gesture, that maybe audience wouldn't notice, but it meant that Gregory was really thinking in what his character was feeling.

Eddie Albert, as Bob Carter (a character based on Robert Benchley, friend of Scott) brings logic to the whole drama: he advices Scott and explains things to Sheilah. I tried to recognize him as photographer Irving Radovich from Roman Holiday, but six years after, he looked totally different. 

Watching this movie, you go like in a roller coaster. When Sheilah and Scott meet, things go fine for both: he's working in some scripts for Hollywood, earning money to support his mentally ill wife and their daughter. And she is enjoying her success. Their relationship is fun and constructive.

The script contains so many little scenes that are fun/interesting to watch, like their visit to a small book shop in which the owner gives Scott some hope about his decadent career or when Scott offers Sheilah to make a list of books to read together. So it's painful to watch how Scott is dragged to hell and how he tries to overcome his problems.

I know there are a lot of cheesy aspects in this Hollywood version of the story, especially the combination of the main song and the beach scenes, the main song and most of the romantic scenes...plus the score is very intrusive at some points. BUT they can be totally overlooked in my opinion. And the main song by itself is not that bad.

If you haven't seen this because of the reviews, give it an opportunity. Greg and Deb's performances deserve it.

Deborah & Sheilah.

I only have one doubt: have any of you read Sheilah Graham's book? I wish I could, it must be great, even when I don't really like the gossip columnist job she did.

On a side note, it's so, so sad to know the real background of this story the way it ended for the official Fitzgeralds. Zelda dying in a fire in a mental hospital. Her letters to Scott were so profound and beautiful, I'll transcribe some of them for you one of these days. 

 I'd love to know your opinion about this movie.