The old saying goes that ‘all is fair in love and war’,
but that saying can take on a note of irony when one reflects upon the
unfairness that permeates both love and war. One film expertly captures the
ways in which both institutions can have permanent and devastating effects upon
the individuals whose lives they come into contact with; the 1942 romantic
drama Random Harvest. Through its depiction
of the ways that love and war can bring people together only to later tear them
apart, the film shows the tragedy and triumph of the human experience.
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| Free theater and Greer Garson; the benefits of life on the outside |
The story begins with an amnesia patient known only as
‘John Smith’ (Ronald Coleman) residing in an English asylum after losing his
memory and much of his speech following trauma he sustained in World War I.
After being introduced to one in a long succession of couple’s reclaiming their
lost relatives only to be informed that he is not the man that they are
searching for, Smith wanders away from the asylum in despair. Just as he
reaches the edge of the asylum’s grounds, however, news arrives of the
armistice, prompting the guards to celebrate rather than watch their posts.
Seizing his opportunity, Smith runs away to town where he blends in amongst the
local revelers. While in town he makes the acquaintance of kindly showgirl
Paula (Greer Garson), who helps him to escape the local authorities and offers
him a job in her traveling company. After a series of mishaps, the pair finally
arrive in a secluded country village where they settle down. Several months
later, Smith has transformed from the shy traumatized patient that he was into ‘Smithy’
an articulate budding writer and has fallen in love with Paula. The couple is
soon married and live in harmony until he obtains a job opportunity in
Liverpool shortly after the birth of their son. Unfamiliar with the city, he
loses his way before he can find the job and is struck by an oncoming vehicle
only to wake up with his memories of his past life restored. This restoration
of his past unfortunately comes at the cost of his present as the trauma erases
all memories of Smith’s new life with Paula. Smith, now resuming his old life
as the wealthy Charles Rainier, tries his best to move on with his new life and
even finds a new love interest (Susan Peters), but is unable to lead a full
existence so long as he is plagued by the doubts and questions of his lost
years. He nearly gives up hope until fate intervenes in the form of his
uncannily familiar secretary, who is revealed to be none other than Paula.
While amnesia is usually reserved as a convenient plot
device in soap operas and melodramas, Random
Harvest is far from sensationalized. Instead of contrived drama, the film uses the disorder to highlight
the all too real crisis of identity that trauma can cause. As a
result, the disorder serves as the story’s central metaphor for the sense of
loss that soldiers often home to. During his stay at the asylum, Smith is fearful, awkward, and unable to interact with a world that he seems to have no place in. Although the doctors credit Smith’s amnesia as the reason for
his timidity and lost speech, this simplified diagnosis is called into
question when he displays assertiveness and reveals himself to be capable of
articulation with Paula. His interactions with Paula shed light on how his anxiety
following his war-time experiences contributes just as much to his reservation
as his memory loss. When finally away from the hospital, he is able to focus
upon his present and open up to Paula in ways that he would have been unable to
open up to anyone while still surrounded by reminders of his forgotten past at
the asylum. His progress also directly correlates to the level of normality
that he achieves once he has escaped from the asylum. When he first meets
Paula, his is lost mentally as well as physically in a world that seems to have
moved on without him. As the two settle down and build a life together, however, he regains
his sense of purpose and steadily improves until he is finally a confident and
self-reliant man capable of starting a career and supporting a family. His loss of any recollection of Paula upon
regaining memories of his service similarly illustrates the way in which his
progress is derailed once he is forced to confront his past trauma. Although as Charles Rainier he is more socially prominent and conventionally
successful than John Smith was, he is also emotionally detached from the world
around him and unable to fully appreciate anything in his life. It is only when
he is able to come to terms with his experiences that he is able to reconcile
his two halves and become a whole person at long last. The film’s happy ending,
while very Hollywood, serves as a hopeful reminder that with patience and
understanding happiness and fulfillment can be found even after the most
devastating of events.
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| Is it really bigamy if you can't remember? |
Beyond its intelligent and poignant script, Random Harvest also boasts performances
that are nothing short of classic. Ronald Coleman expertly portrays both John
Smith and Charles Rainier and is able to lend credibility to both characterizations.
His Smith is an endearing blend of honesty and gentleness that leaves little doubt
as to how he was able to attract the worldly Paula. His portrayal of the
established Rainier, by contrast, is all propriety and no passion as Charles
devotes himself so much to his career that he loses sight of the love that is
right before him all along. Greer Garson is stunning in her portrayal as Paula,
portraying her as an impulsive actress and self-sacrificing wife with equal skill
and maintains an air of intelligence and wit regardless of her character’s
changing circumstances. The supporting players all provide apt performances
with Susan Peters and Philip Dorn particularly standing out in their
multifaceted turns as Charles’ high society love interest and asylum physician.
Although critics initially dismissed it as mere
sentiment, Random Harvest is a testament
to hope and survival even in the most dire of circumstances. Through its dignified
portrayal of its hero’s journey to recovery the film sheds light on the effects
of war on soldiers and those that they leave behind, which linger long after the battles
have ceased. Through its heartfelt script and superb performances the film
brings the popular novel it is based upon to vibrant life and stands equally
well when viewed independently as its own story. During their first meeting John Smith tries to convince
Paula he is safe despite his stay in the asylum and says, “I’m not like the
others” in many ways that sums up this film’s appeal as well, it is not like
any other romance in cinema, in all the best ways.
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| A well-earned homecoming |
FOR ANOTHER TAKE ON THE TOLL OF WAR BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY SPANISH CIVIL WAR SCREENPLAY A FIGHTING CHANCE http://offthewallplays.com/2015/02/19/a-fighting-chance-screenplay-about-spanish-civil-war/
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