Genre: Classics, Drama, Romance Directed By: John Sturges Written By: Charles Schnee, John Dennis Charles Schnee In Theaters: 19 July 1961 On Disc/Streaming: 1 April 1993 Runtime: 115 minutes Studio: United Artists | Cast: Lana Turner as Marjorie Penrose Efrem Zimbalist Jr. as Arthur Winner Jason Robards as Julius Penrose George Hamilton as Warren Winner Susan Kohner as Helen Detweiler Thomas Mitchell as Noah Tuttle Everett Sloane as Dr. Reggie Shaw Yvonne Craig as Veronica Kovacs Gilbert Green as Mr. Woolf Frank Maxwell as Jerry Brophy Carroll O’Connor as Bernie Breck Jean Willes as Junie McCarthy Barbara Bel Geddes as Clarissa Winner |
“By Love Possessed” is a 1961 American drama film distributed by United Artists.
The movie was directed by John Sturges, and written by Charles Schnee, based on the novel by James Gould Cozzens.
Lana Turner, Jason Robards, George Hamilton and Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. head the cast.
Hamilton called it “an Ivy League Peyton Place”.
The theme song is performed by Vic Damone. This was director Sturges’ first film project after his Western classic, The Magnificent Seven.
On the 19th of July 1961, this became the first in-flight movie to be shown on a regular basis on a scheduled airline flight, by Trans World Airlines to its first-class passengers.
In a Massachusetts law firm, Arthur Winner, Julius Penrose and Noah Tuttle are equal partners.
Each has an ongoing problem in his personal life.
Clarissa, married to Arthur, feels unloved. Marjorie (Lana Turner) feels unsatisfied because her husband, Julius, has been impotent since a car crash. This leads to a romantic affair between Marjorie and Arthur.
Warren Winner, irresponsible son of Arthur, is expected to marry Noah’s wealthy ward, Helen Detweiler, but he is not in love with her.
Warren instead loses himself in a fling with a prostitute, Veronica Kovacs, who angrily reacts to his ending their relationship by accusing him of rape.
Warren flees rather than face the charges in court. Helen is so distraught, she commits suicide.
The firm has represented Helen’s financial affairs, but when Arthur looks into it, he discovers that Noah has embezzled $60,000 from Helen’s account (although for a worthy cause: to keep the town’s struggling streetcar operation afloat).
One by one, everyone is confronted about owing up to their responsibilities, beginning with Warren, who on Marjorie’s advice turns himself in to the law to fight the accusations against him.
Lana Turner plays Marjorie Penrose.
Although she has far less screen time, Miss Turner is top-billed in the picture and has a few good moments as hard-drinking, love-hungry Marjorie Penrose. Bob Freund, a Fort Lauderdale Florida reviewer, called it “a role she does well, the dame with a surface elegance glossing a wanton brassiness.”
Efrem Zimbalist replaced Robert Taylor, who was unavailable, which was fortunate in that the Zimbalists became close friends of Lana.
Trailer:
You can watch the film here.
Lana Turner did a lot of movies. She really loved being a moviestar.
Here are the most important films in which she starred. Just click the links for more info, photos and videos.
20 April 1937: A Star Is Born
9 Oct. 1937: They Won’t Forget
24 Oct. 1937: The Great Garrick
1 Jan. 1938: The Adventures of Marco Polo
22 July 1938: Love Finds Andy Hardy
12 Aug. 1938: Rich Man, Poor Girl
9 Dec. 1938: Dramatic School
28 April 1939: Calling Dr. Kildare
18 Aug. 1939: These Glamour Girls
29 Sept. 1939: Dancing Co-Ed
19 April 1940: Two Girls on Broadway
19 July 1940: We Who Are Young
25 April 1941: Ziegfeld Girl
12 Aug. 1941: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
2 Oct. 1941: Honky Tonk
18 Febr. 1942: Johnny Eager
27 Aug. 1942: Somewhere I’ll Find You
1 April 1943: Slightly Dangerous
19 Aug. 1943: Du Barry Was A Lady
13 Nov. 1943: The Youngest Profession
23 Aug. 1944: Marriage Is a Private Affair
8 March 1945: Keep Your Powder Dry
1 Oct. 1945: Week-End At The Waldorf
2 May 1946: The Postman Always Rings Twice
5 Nov. 1947 : Green Dolphin Street
1 Nov. 1947: Cass Timberlane
29 April 1948: Homecoming
20 Oct. 1948: The Three Musketeers
1 Sept. 1950: A Life Of Her Own
2 March 1951: Mr. Imperium
5 Sept. 1952: The Merry Widow
25 Dec. 1952: The Bad And The Beautiful
25 Aug. 1953: Latin Lovers
1 May 1954: Flame And The Flesh
7 Sept. 1954: Betrayed
13 May 1955: The Prodigal
4 June 1955: Sea Chase
14 Dec. 1955: The Rains Of Ranchipur
12 Jan. 1956: Diane
13 Dec. 1957: Peyton Place
30 Jan. 1958: The Lady Takes A Flyer
2 May 1958: Another Time, Another Place
30 April 1959: Imitation Of Life
23 June 1960: Portrait In Black
19 July 1961: By Love Possessed
2 Nov. 1961: Bachelor In Paradise
25 Dec. 1962: Who’s Got The Action?
24 Febr. 1965: Love Has Many Faces
27 April 1966: Madame X
30 April 1969: The Big Cube
7 Nov. 1974: Persecution
27 Oct. 1976: Bittersweet Love
31 Oct. 1980: Witches Brew
21 May 1982: Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid
Sources: Wikipedia, IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, Lana’s biography “Lana, the Lady, The Legend, The Truth“, “The Films Of Lana Turner” by Lou Valentino and “Lana Turner, The Memories, The Myths and The Movies” by Cheryl Crane.