That Brennan Girl

That Brennan Girl was restored as part of Martin Scorcese's project to restore worthy films. It is rare that a low-budget movie from Republic studios would get this treatment, and I was pleased to see it screened at the Wexner Center in February.

Part family drama, part crime film, part romance, the film begins in flashback with Mona Freeman as a young girl on Mother's Day disappointed that her own mother writes her off as her sister so she can project youth to snag a rich man. As she grows up, she learns her own tricks to survival as a woman and hardens into a free-wheeling gold digger. James Dunn, a con-man with a soft spot for his Irish mother, takes a shine to her and tries to win her over, but she keeps him at arm's length. Then she meets a soldier on leave, and while she starts off cold against him, his earnestness softens her.

A solid film that keeps us entertained an engaged in spite of its many twists and turns, That Brennan Girl features a solid cast and competent direction by Alfred Santell, who was disillusioned by the producers and retired after this film.