All the stars in this film were great actors and gave fantastic performances and it is great to see films like this being shown and enjoyed by future generations in America and around the world. Robert Z. Leonard directs with panache this story about a woman's sacrifice and decency. Both are such hams and obviously enjoyed making fun of themselves. Showing all 1 items Jump to: Summaries (1) Summaries. **SPOILERS** Having come back from the war young sailor Chase Addams, Robert Sterling, is shocked to find out from the girl he left behind Key, Patricia Madina, that his 17 year-old sister Penny,June Allyson,has suffered an emotional breakdown quiting high-school and totally withdrawing from society by locking herself into her room playing the piano hours on end. Those scenes at cliff's edge bordering an eternal sea are eerily enchanting and a tribute to the production crew. The Secret Heart (1946) Plot. Was this review helpful? Was this review helpful? Was this review helpful? But the dance scene with Walter Pigeon and Claudette Colbert is classic, both humorous and very real. This movie is an interesting psychological study of a young lady obsessed with the memory of her dead father. I was very young when I first viewed this film in 1946 and never dreamed that this film would still be viewed and commented about in this 21st Century. The mental illness of the young daughter, suffering from the early death of her father, is not handled too heavily and the film suffers somewhat from this shallow interpretation. Allyson was the miscast role here in "Secret Heart" In all those ww II flicks, she was the "wide-eyed, innocent, perfect, little wife left at home while soldier is off at war", but i wish they had chosen someone else for this role. 6 out of 7 found this helpful. Lionel Barrymore,(Dr. Rossiger),"Duel In The Sun",'46, was the doctor treating Penny Addams and also her mother Leola. After his wife dies, he marries Lee (Claudette Colbert), which also means she takes on his two young children, Penny (June Allyson) and Chase (Robert Sterling). 1 out of 1 found this helpful. 4 out of 6 found this helpful.
An oddity that comes closest, I think, to a noirish family drama. Lee takes over and devotes her life to paying off Larry's debts and raising her two step-children. Was this review helpful? Heck, they even have Mrs. Trumble (Lucky and Ricky Ricardo's upstairs neighbor)as the housekeeper on the farm. Marrying a widower who subsequently commits suicide, she takes them away to avoid scandal and becomes highly successful in the real estate industry. Troubled Penny (Allyson) is obsessed with her dead father, causing problems with her stepmom (Colbert) especially when they become rivals over affections of family friend Chris (Pidgeon). Walter Pigeon, Claudette Colbert, June Allyson, Lyle Barrymore. Was this review helpful? Brillant pianist Larry Addams allows his frustrated ambitions to ruin his life and commits suicide, leaving his wife, Lee, and two small children, Penny and Chase, under the stigma of disgrace. There are so many other strong, versatile actors in this one, it's a shame they don't show it more often. Brillant pianist Larry Addams allows his frustrated ambitions to ruin his life and commits suicide, leaving his wife, Lee, and two small children, Penny and Chase, under the stigma of disgrace. 16 out of 19 found this helpful. Colbert's Lee is widowed by Larry (Richard Derr), who's suicide ten years ago messed things up.
Just my little opinion. She's got the petulance down pat, pouting throughout what is supposed to be her great dramatic role (musicals being her forte). 3 out of 3 found this helpful. Greer Garson must have been on holiday or working on another film at MGM when The Secret Heart was being cast. I won't rehash the plot as many viewers before me have already done that for us. 14 out of 16 found this helpful. Not for everybody, but worth seeing. Was this review helpful? 13 out of 13 found this helpful. "Penny" (June Allyson) THINKS she knows the truth about her dead father, and is living in her own world when reality hits her head on. Claudette Colbert,(Leola 'Lee' Addams),"So Proudly We Hail," '43, played a very strong mother who lost her husband suddenly and found herself very much in debt and having a daughter, June Allyson,(Penny Addams),"The Glenn Miller Story",'53, who seemed to have mental problems dealing with past experiences of her father. 4 out of 9 found this helpful. The performances are excellent (especially Allyson and Colbert) and it looks fantastic. 7 out of 13 found this helpful. There isn't room here to describe the strengths and history of most of them, so maybe it'll be easier to describe the film's weakness - Allyson. 0 out of 0 found this helpful. Prior to her marriage, Lee had turned down the proposal of Chris Matthews, wealthy ship builder and college friend of Larry's, but he had remained as a true friend to both.