''Lonelyhearts'', also known as ''Miss Lonelyhearts'', is a 1958 American drama film directed by

Vincent J. Donehue Vincent Julian Donehue (September 22, 1915 – January 17, 1966) was an American director noted mainly for his theater work, with occasional film and television credits. Biography Vincent Donehue was born in Whitehall (town), New York, Whiteha ...

. It is based on the 1957 Broadway play by

Howard Teichmann Howard Miles Teichmann (January 22, 1916 - July 7, 1987) was a Broadway playwright and biographer. Teichman was born in Chicago in 1916 and graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1938. He first went to work for Orson Welles on his The Merc ...

, which in turn is based on the 1933 novel '' Miss Lonelyhearts'' by Nathanael West. The film stars Montgomery Clift, Robert Ryan, Myrna Loy,

Jackie Coogan John Leslie Coogan (October 26, 1914 – March 1, 1984) was an American actor and comedian who began his film career as a child actor in silent films. Charlie Chaplin's film classic ''The Kid'' (1921) made him one of the first child stars in the ...

, Dolores Hart, and Maureen Stapleton in her first film role. Stapleton was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as for a

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

for her performance as Fay Doyle.

Plot

The story opens on a small-town street. A man throws a bundle of papers onto the sidewalk from the back of a truck labeled Chronicle. Adam White is sitting in a bar when a woman offers him a drink. He refuses, explaining that alcohol seems to be poisonous to him. After talking with her for a while, he learns she is married to William Shrike, Editor-in-Chief of the Chronicle, where Adam is hoping to work. The editor shows up to meet his wife only to find her talking with Adam. When Shrike asks how Adam found him, Adam explains: "I heard there was a bar where newspaper people hang out. I came here since it is the closest to the Chronicle, the only paper in town". Florence Shrike says Adam can write, and he deserves the chance to prove it. Shrike retorts: "OK, so write!" Adam hems and haws momentarily, but then delivers the following story: "The Chronicle is pleased to announce the addition of a new member to our staff. He met the Editor in Chief, who went so far as to insult his own wife in an effort to provoke the new staff member. Instead of punching the editor in the face, he accepted a position on the paper." Adam tells his girlfriend Justy about his new job. He doesn't tell her about his father, a man named Lassiter, who is doing 25 years in prison for having murdered Adam's mother and her lover. On his first day at the newspaper, Adam is astounded at being assigned the "Miss Lonelyhearts" advice-to-the-lovelorn column. One of his colleagues, reporter Ned Gates, is disappointed, having wanted that column for himself, while another, Frank Goldsmith, openly mocks the readers who seek the column's heartfelt advice. After a few weeks, Shrike refuses a request by Adam to give him a different assignment. He also insists that Adam personally contact the letter writers to substantiate their stories. Adam randomly selects a letter from a Fay Doyle and meets her. She relates how her husband, Pat, came home from the war crippled and impotent. As they share a lonely moment, Adam and Fay are briefly thrown together sexually. When he declines meeting her a second time, she is furious. Adam decides to leave the newspaper for good. Justy's father offers her a trust endowment to get their new life under way. At a party in the bar, Pat Doyle turns up with a gun. Adam manages to talk him out of using it. He leaves, whereupon Shrike decides to give some flowers for his own neglected wife.

Cast

* Montgomery Clift as Adam White * Robert Ryan as William Shrike * Myrna Loy as Florence Shrike * Dolores Hart as Justy Sargeant * Maureen Stapleton as Fay Doyle *

as Ned Gates * Mike Kellin as Frank Goldsmith * Onslow Stevens as Mr. Lassiter * Frank Maxwell as Pat Doyle * Frank Overton as Mr. Sargeant * John Gallaudet as Johnny, Bartender * Don Washbrook as Don Sargeant *

Johnny Washbrook Johnny Washbrook (born October 16, 1944) is a Canadian-American film and television actor. He is known for playing the role of Ken McLaughlin in the American western television series '' My Friend Flicka''. Life and career Washbrook was bor ...

as Johnny Sargeant * J.B. Welch as Charlie * Mary Alan Hokanson as Edna

Background and production

The film was

Dore Schary Isadore "Dore" Schary (August 31, 1905 – July 7, 1980) was an American playwright, director, and producer for the stage and a prolific screenwriter and producer of motion pictures. He directed just one feature film, '' Act One'', the film bio ...

's first film as an independent producer after leaving MGM. Nathanael West's 1933 novel, on which this film was based, was adapted for the screen in 1933 as ''Advice to the Lovelorn'' starring Lee Tracy. It was made by Twentieth Century Pictures, distributed by United Artists, and directed by

Alfred L. Werker Alfred L. Werker (December 2, 1896 – July 28, 1975) was a film director whose work in movies spanned from 1917 through 1957. After a number of film production jobs and assistant directing, Werker co-directed his first film, ''Ridin' the Wind ...

from a screenplay by Leonard Praskins. The 1933 film was more of a comedy-drama than this version.

adapted the novel into a stage play, entitled ''Miss Lonelyhearts'', which opened on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre on October 3, 1957. The production, directed by

Alan Schneider Alan Schneider (December 12, 1917 – May 3, 1984) was an American theatre director responsible for more than 100 theatre productions. In 1984 he was honored with a Drama Desk Special Award for serving a wide range of playwrights. He directed th ...

and designed by

Jo Mielziner Joseph "Jo" Mielziner (March 19, 1901 – March 15, 1976) was an American theatrical scenic, and lighting designer born in Paris, France. He was described as "the most successful set designer of the Golden era of Broadway", and worked on both sta ...

, ran for only twelve performances.Lonelyhearts on Broadway
accessed 8-14-2015

References

External links

* * * {{IMDb title, id=0053017, title=Lonelyhearts 1958 films Film noir American black-and-white films Films based on American novels American films based on plays United Artists films Films with screenplays by Nathanael West American drama films 1958 drama films Films based on adaptations 1950s English-language films 1950s American films

Plot

Cast

Background and production

See also

References

External links