Movie Monday: Cluny Brown (1946)
Right now we are in the midst of the Coronavirus quarantine, and if you are stuck at home you may be already wondering what to do. Well, luckily I have a brand new classic film you may have never heard of before to keep you entertained in these early days of quarantining! Cluny Brown, starring Charles Boyer and Jennifer Jones, is a film I stumbled upon one Saturday morning a few months ago and fell in love with the story! You will see why it is so memorable if you watch it, but I will say if you enjoy a good romance film this is the movie for you!
Charles Boyer could not have been a more perfect choice for leading man in this movie. He completely embodies the character, and I cannot imagine anyone else acting in his place. The way he balanced being a man of experience with also being passionate and whimsical is unmatched with the other well known male actors of his time. Of course, the age difference in this film threw me a little bit since this is a romance film, but honestly I was so charmed I did not end up caring.
Jennifer Jones plays the character Cluny Brown which the film was named after. Before watching this movie, I have never seen Jones in any film before. However, I found her to be quite talented in as Cluny Brown, and she had the perfect touch of being a normal person you might know in real life that more famous actress of the 1940s would not have been able to achieve. I also think she had that Audrey Hepburn style of elegance that really made this film classy. There is nothing like rooting for a common girl to find love!
Cluny Brown is an absolutely adorable movie that will make you scratch your head and smile all at the same time. Somehow this movie plays the part of interesting commentary on life on the run from Nazis during World War II and an exciting story on young love. This movie balances out these two realities really well, mostly due to the subtle humor layered throughout the film.
However, Cluny Brown also never wallows in the sorrow of World War II. This film allows the audience to escape from reality for a short period of time and become hopeful again. At the end of this movie we see a couple journey off into a wonderful life together despite coming from very different places and having their very own challenges to overcome. Cluny Brown never lets these challenges become something insurmountable. It is just a season that passes and later becomes a lesson to learn from. Maybe that is the lesson we all need to take away from this time in quarantine from the Coronavirus, stay hopeful and know that this too shall pass.
Much Love,
Sarah
