I just love a many splendid things so much.
And you know, for thorough enjoyment, it would be good now to go on to the book after seeing
the film or return to the book again.
Han Suyin writes from the heart and the mind.
And I guess this romantic film is about tenderness, affection, closeness, sharing.
It's not just about sex.
It just elevates us a little and sets a few ideals up, which I think anyone in love would
aspire to.
Perhaps in this film, under the direction of Henry King, they've intimated and suggested
so much which has a meaning for us all.
Whether it's about what we are, perhaps it's about what we'd like to be.
I think Love is a Many Splendid Thing is a film that will continue indefinitely, don't
you?
When we return to the film, there'll be no further interruptions.
May I remind you that the fact that we are able to see Love is a Many Splendid Thing
tonight with only two interruptions is due to the goodwill of these very special advertisers.
Once again, I really must thank our advertisers for their goodwill in letting us see our movie
with only two interruptions.
And I hope you feel the same way I do.
Coming up very shortly is Desire Me with Greer Garson, Robert Mitcham and Richard Hart.
I've got something so interesting to tell you about that, but I'll save that until just
before the film.
But I did have special news for you, and this is the special news.
I asked my contact, Philip, at the Graham Book Company in Sydney if a Many Splendid
Thing was still available.
And he found out that it is still available and it's published by Grafton Books, my copy
of course from the Graham Book Company.
You can still buy a Many Splendid Thing.
If you can, get it, read it, you'll love it.
Some of you may even be lucky enough to find a copy in a used bookstore.
It is a wonderful treasure to keep forever.
I'm so thrilled to say that my copy, or the copy owned by my wife and myself, is signed
by Han Suyin with love and best wishes.
And that means a lot because she's a very gentle, strong and sincere lady.
Romance again next Saturday night and the same conditions will prevail with the presentation
as tonight.
Now isn't that good news?
Next Saturday night at 8.30 I'm presenting that fabulous movie made in Italy, a lot of
it, Three Coins in the Fountain.
And Three Coins in the Fountain has that terrific cast of Clifton Webb, Rossana Bratsey, Dorothy
McGuire, Jean Peters, Louis Jourdan and Maggie McNamara plus Frank Sinatra singing the title
song.
Three Coins in the Fountain, the magic begins as soon as you hear the title.
And following Three Coins in the Fountain, one of the most wonderful of all romantic
films, the David O. Selznick production of Robert Nathan's splendid novel, The Portrait
of Jenny with Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotton, a film that spells pure romantic magic.
That's our program next Saturday night on the golden years of Hollywood.
And in a few minutes, Desire Me with Greer Garson.
This program was proudly presented by Honda.
Now, when the opportunity came for us to have some MGM classics in our library, it was a
very hard decision to make which film to select.
But I know, judging by your letters, that you love Greer Garson.
So I thought that every Greer Garson film was available to us.
And one of them was Desire Me.
Now, Desire Me has had a very bad reputation.
I had a look at Desire Me and wondered why it has a bad reputation.
I find it very interesting, suspenseful, it's unusual, and it's based on a very famous book
of years ago, Carl and Anna by Lenhard Frank.
Now, the star is, as you know, Greer Garson.
And I think very highly of her.
I like the refinement she represents on the screen, her beauty, her style.
Her two leading men in the film are Robert Mittram in one of his earliest major screen
roles, and Richard Hart, almost on the threshold of his movie debut after being on the New York
stage.
Now, what happened to Desire Me?
The reason I'm asking you this, there's something strange about it.
It has no director credit.
Why?
Well, you see, the film was originally being directed by George Kukor.
Now, I have a still showing George Kukor on the set of Desire Me, and you'll also see
Greer Garson.
There's George Kukor right in front of you now with the glasses, and as we move out,
you'll see Robert Mittram, Richard Hart, and further back again, and you'll see Greer
Garson herself.
This is a scene that doesn't even appear in the film.
Where it's supposed to be, I'm not sure, but it doesn't appear in the film.
George Kukor finished the film, I think it was going to be called A Woman of My Own
at that stage, and then MGM decided it needed rewriting, so the script was largely rewritten.
Jack Conway was called in to direct some of it.
Then he was taken off the film, and finally Mervyn LeRoy directed what was left of Desire
Me as it became known.
Neither George Kukor or Mervyn LeRoy wanted his name on the credits, so that's why this
film bears no director credit.
But what we have here is a most unusual film brilliantly photographed by Greer Garson's
favourite cameraman, Joseph Ruttenberg.
He shot Mrs Miniver and several others of her films, including, as I recall, The Miniver
Story.
It's interesting because of its background, but you'll see moments in this film that are
quite brilliant.
And the whole idea of a man virtually sharing his wife in words and feelings with another
man who's perhaps unworthy makes this film quite fascinating, put into a certain kind
of perspective by flashback.
I think you'll find Desire Me a very interesting film, and I'm most keen to get your reactions
to it if you'd like to drop me a note about the film.
I find it fascinating.
I hope you do too.