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| Jennifer Jones because the powerful however caring instructor, 1955’s “Good Morning, Miss Dove.” |
A tribute to schoolteachers, Good Morning, Miss Dove, is corny however very tasty corn should you like nostalgic
movies about when issues have been “higher.” What helps is a forged of acquainted faces, clean
storytelling, and intriguing flashbacks concerning the characters as youngsters, formed
by a formidable however caring instructor.
The title character, who isn’t given a primary title, is performed
by Jennifer Jones, in her solely character function. The story was based mostly on a
greatest vendor that began as serialized tales in Women’ Dwelling Journal. The movie was initially deliberate for Olivia de
Havilland, who was actually a extra versatile actress than Jones. I used to be additionally shocked
that Jennifer was solely three years youthful than Olivia! That mentioned, Jones affords
a particular efficiency because the disciplined instructor. Dove began off as a
promising, proficient younger lady, with a fiancee who adores her. She provides it up
all out when her father dies instantly and it seems that he has embezzled
from his financial institution employer and all the things he possesses is in hock. Miss Dove
turns into a instructor to repay the debt and provides up her life within the course of.
That appeared very excessive to me, however there’s not loads of nuance in this sort of
tearjerkers. Good Morning, Miss Dove would
pair nicely with The Blue Veil, and Jane
Wyman’s noble nanny.
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| Jennifer Jones within the title function as the scary however revered instructor, from 1955’s “Good Morning, Miss Dove.” |
Sooner or later in school, Miss Dove’s been feeling a ache that may
now not be ignored. She sends a pupil for assist and two of her former
college students come to her rescue, one now a physician. They carry her chair-style to
the hospital, a most memorable scene for many who have seen Good Morning, Miss Dove. The exteriors
for Chapel Hill seem like Peyton Place, no coincidence I’m positive, since they
have been each made at 20th Century Fox.
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| In “Good Morning, Miss Dove,” Jennifer Jones because the instructor will get some serving to arms from two former college students. |
The scholars that Miss Dove has helped probably the most are ones who
have been from totally different social conditions: one impoverished, one Jewish who would not
converse English, and one who later turns into an unwed mom, and many others. The
eventualities are dealt with sensitively, particularly for the period. The flashbacks are dealt with easily, with Miss Dove’s
bell ringing consideration originally and finish of every sequence.
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| Jennifer Jones has fairly a couple of flashbacks in 1955’s “Good Morning, Miss Dove.” |
The forged performs their archetype characters with empathy and heat. Robert
Stack is Miss Dove’s doc, who repaired her father’s watch as a child. Chuck
Connors is a cop who was as soon as a child from the fallacious facet of the tracks, mentored
by Miss Dove. Jerry Paris was as soon as the Jewish child in school who couldn’t converse a
phrase of English. And Peggy Knudsen shines because the brassy nurse with a coronary heart of
gold, who idolized her instructor’s gentility. Many acquainted faces on this
feel-good tearjerker.
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| Chuck Connors is the cop who was as soon as a poor child, “Good Morning, Miss Dove.” |
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| Robert Stack is the doc who was as soon as a pupil of “Good Morning, Miss Dove.” |
Good
Morning, Miss Dove
was a small film that was a modest hit, however was obtained positively. Nice Twentieth
Century Fox manufacturing values, who did nicely with this sort of Americana.
There’s strong course and good-looking images by Fox execs Henry Koster and
Leon Shamroy, respectively.
Miss Dove jogs my memory of two
elementary college lecturers from again within the ’70s at Hiawatha Faculty in
Higher Michigan’s Manistique, who have been of their ’60s. They have been sturdy girls
and took no nonsense. And in a single case, many youngsters have been greater than a bit frightened of
her. Each lecturers cared about their youngsters and the varsity, and have been nicely
remembered for many years, which is why I’ve a tender spot for this film. And my
mom has regaled us with tales of college nuns from the period of Miss Dove,
which actually rings a bell to me when watching this movie.
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| Peggy Knudsen is a scene stealer because the nurse of “Good Morning, Miss Dove.” Her character, Billie Jean, had a toddler out of wedlock, although not Michael Jackson’s! |
Good Morning, Miss Dove actually packs loads of tales with life
classes in its commonplace working time, simply over the 1 hour and 45 minute mark.
One space that does not make clear and possibly ought to is how Miss Dove goes from
carefree younger lady to outdated maid college instructor. How did she go from one path
in life to a different will not be defined. Maybe it’s as a result of the main target of her life
is on the relationships together with her college students. These outdated time films love to put on
the selflessness of the girl who sacrifices all!
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| In “Good Morning. Miss Dove,” Jennifer Jones provides up private happiness to repay her late father’s embezzlement debt. |
Quite a lot of
viewers have commented that Miss Dove is type of a feminine George Bailey from It’s a Fantastic Life. A father’s demise
and banking disaster determine in her life selections. And we see the place Miss Dove’s
generosity to her college students modifications their lives. And she or he’s additionally the outdated maid
Mary Bailey might need grow to be.
Some have likened Miss
Dove’s agency however impassive voice to Siri or a robotic. I admit she at occasions
jogged my memory of Sheldon on The Huge Bang
Principle. However I then remembered my third grade instructor, who had a booming voice
like Greer Garson. And she or he additionally had many pet phrases that she pronounced by
rote!
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| Jennifer Jones on the finale of “Good Morning, Miss Dove,” when she feels the love of the townspeople after her profitable operation. Jones jogs my memory of Kim Cattrall. |
Jennifer Jones is an
actress individuals appeared to like or detest. Good
Morning, Miss Dove is her one character function and Jones performs with
understatement. Whereas some could dislike her allotted knowledge, beneath she
reveals flashes of enjoyment at her pupil’s progress or concern when she is aware of that
she is in critical ache. It is also noteworthy that she solely performs younger within the
opening scenes, after which ages onward to the instructor’s current age of 55. Jones
was 36 on the time and the growing old make-up is pretty refined.
Sure, the film may be very
contrived and mawkish. However there are some common truths that one by no means
forgets from lecturers who have been instrumental in shaping our lives. Good Morning, Miss Dove will get a gold star
for telling that story.
Right here’s
my have a look at Jennifer Jones as Madame
Bovary, the 1949 Vincente Minnelli model: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2017/11/madame-bovary-1949.html
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| Jennifer Jones because the younger and carefree title character within the opening scenes of 1955’s “Good Morning, Miss Dove.” |