Daughters Courageous

This is an odd digression from the series begun with "Four Daughters." Claude Rains has left the Lane sisters and their mother. She is about to remarry. John Garfield reappears and Pricilla Lane is drawn to his bad-boy ways.

I found the mother, Fay Bainter, the most poignant player. Bainter is always touching. She is given many close-ups -- which allow us to see her beautiful eyes. They are amazingly warm. I have a similar fondness for Bealah Bondi. She isn't in this -- but May Robson, another real charmer is. She plays the family housekeeper.

Bainter's beau is played beautifully by the versatile Donald Crisp. He gives a fine performance as a stuffy but goodhearted man.

And of course there is Rains. I suppose he was too major a star to be called a character actor. But was he a romantic lead? He was extraordinarily versatile and seemingly incapable of turning in a bad performance.