The Enchanted Cottage (1945)

The Enchanted Cottage (1945)

starring Dorothy McGuire, Robert Young, Herbert Marshall

directed by John Cromwell

91 minutes

Oliver Bradford (Robert Young) and Beatrice Alexander make plans, on the eve of World War II, to spend their honeymoon in the New England cottage where Laura Pennington (Dorothy McGuire) works. Oliver is about to join the Army Air Corps and gets called up before he and Beatrice can get married.

Olive returns from the war scarred. He moves into the cottage. He contemplates suicide. He is pulled back from the brink through his relationships with Laura and John Hillgrove (a neighbor).

Laura has a very low opinion of herself but does what she can to help Oliver recover a sense of belief in himself. John, who is blind and was a pilot, shares stories of his own recovery from injuries sustained during World War I when he lost his eyesight.

Oliver and John get married and are very happy together. They believe that something magical has happened and that the cottage, in which they live, is enchanted and has transformed them. Oliver's mother and stepfather pay them a visit and almost ruin everything for them by not seeing what Oliver and Laura see in one another. Laura and Oliver, with some help from Mrs. Minnett (Laura's former boss) and John, find the strength to persevere and make their marriage work.

Thoughts

I first heard of The Enchanted Cottage more than 30 years ago but this is the first time I have watched it. The movie plays a role in a novel I read. I think that story built up my expectations to an unreasonable level.

I like what I see as the central message of this movie which is that Laura and Oliver need to stop allowing the opinions and negative comments of others define them. Their love grows and develops when they are shut off from the outside world. They need to learn keep the rest of the world from interfering with their relationship. 

I like but do not love this movie. I found it to be emotionally moving in places. It spoke to me at times but then there were also moments where I couldn't fathom where the story was going.