From the late 1930's until well after World War Two was over, the stories of women left behind as their men went off to war has been told. The best of the bunch "A Guy Named Joe" with Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunn, and Van Johnson, "Young Widow" isn't one of the best but it's not at the bottom either. Jane Russell broadens her acting range beyond playing the tough broad who has no time for male advances, in adding a soft vulnerable side. Louis Hayward plays her stalker/Love Interest doing all he can to break open the hard shell. It's just a tad ackward in having a British guy in a US Army Air Force uniform and flying a B-24, poor casting that doesn't work well. Dindbat Marie Wilson, Penny Singleton and Faith Domerque play housemates to Russell's character and they are the best, more comical, part of the film. It's not a bad film, it's watchable but it drags in places, the dialogue isn't great, and Russell's character broods far too much. It's as if the director and playwright regard the viewer are terribly slow forcing them to keep up the sad, moody and sour characterization for 3/4's of the picture or the folks won't understand.
Check out Van Johnson in "The Miracle of the Rain" or "A Guy Named Joe" first, and then look for "Young Widow".
Review of Young Widow
