''A Life of Her Own'' is a 1950 American

melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exce ...

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmospher ...

directed by

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head ...

and starring Lana Turner and

Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985. He is remembered for his Academy Award and Cannes Film Festival Award-winning ...

. The screenplay by Isobel Lennart focuses on an aspiring model who leaves her small town in the

Midwest The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four Census Bureau Region, census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of ...

to seek fame and fortune in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. The film was produced by Voldemar Vetluguin and distributed by

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

Plot

Lily Brannel James ( Lana Turner) leaves her small home town in

Kansas Kansas () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its Capital city, capital is Topeka, Kansas, Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebras ...

for New York City, and she is hired by the Thomas Caraway Model Agency. She befriends former top model Mary Ashlon (

Ann Dvorak Ann Dvorak (born Anna McKim; August 2, 1911 – December 10, 1979) was an American stage and film actress. Asked how to pronounce her adopted surname, she told ''The Literary Digest'' in 1936: "My fake name is properly pronounced ''vor'shack ...

), who becomes her mentor. Mary is depressed about her floundering career and, following a night of excessive drinking, she commits

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and ...

. Lily eventually becomes a very successful model. As a favor to her attorney friend Jim Leversoe ( Louis Calhern), she spends some time with Steve Harleigh (

), a

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...

copper-mine owner in New York on business. The two fall in love, but both realize nothing can come of it. After Steve goes home, he has Jim buy Lily a bracelet, but she refuses to accept it. Lily finds that success does not fill the void in her life. When Steve returns to New York to secure a loan, he runs into her. He tells her he is married. His wife Nora was left a

paraplegic Paraplegia, or paraparesis, is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. The word comes from Ionic Greek () "half-stricken". It is usually caused by spinal cord injury or a congenital condition that affects the neura ...

in an automobile accident for which he was responsible. Despite this, their feelings for each other are too strong, and they embark on an affair. Matters come to a head when Nora ( Margaret Phillips) visits him to celebrate his birthday. On the night of Steve's birthday, Lily hosts a party too, even though Steve stays with Nora, who is making some progress in relearning to walk with crutches. Steve slips out to Lily's party and is taken aback by her self-destructive behavior. Lily decides to confront Nora and asks family friend Jim to accompany her. However, when she sees how nice Nora is and how dependent she is on her husband, Lily cannot bring herself to tell her about her involvement with Steve. On the way out, she bumps into Steve at the elevator and tells him it is over. Some time later, Lily runs into advertising executive Lee Gorrance (

Barry Sullivan Barry Sullivan may refer to: *Barry Sullivan (American actor) (1912–1994), US film and Broadway actor *Barry Sullivan (stage actor) (1821–1891), Irish born stage actor active in Britain and Australia *Barry Sullivan (lawyer) Barry Sullivan is ...

), who had been dating Mary just prior to her death. When Lily resists his romantic advances, he predicts she will end up lonely and depressed like Mary. Upset by his comments, Lily considers ending her own life, but finally resolves to remain strong, even if she is lonely.

Cast

* Lana Turner as Lily Brannel James *

as Steve Harleigh * Tom Ewell as Tom Caraway * Louis Calhern as Jim Leversoe *

as Mary Ashlon *

as Lee Gorrance * Margaret Phillips as Nora Harleigh * Jean Hagen as Maggie Collins * Phyllis Kirk as Jerry * Sara Haden as Smitty * Hermes Pan as Specialty Dancer

Production

The story was loosely adapted from British author

Rebecca West Dame Cicily Isabel Fairfield (21 December 1892 – 15 March 1983), known as Rebecca West, or Dame Rebecca West, was a British author, journalist, literary critic and travel writer. An author who wrote in many genres, West reviewed books ...

's "The Abiding Vision", from her 1935 book ''The Harsh Voice: Four Short Novels''.

Motion Picture Production Code The Motion Picture Production Code was a set of industry guidelines for the self-censorship of content that was applied to most motion pictures released by major studios in the United States from 1934 to 1968. It is also popularly known as the ...

administrator Joseph Breen rejected the original script as unacceptable, terming it "shocking and highly offensive" for its portrayal of "

adultery Adultery (from Latin ''adulterium'') is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal ...

and commercialized

prostitution Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in Sex work, sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, n ...

", while a revised version was found to have "insufficient compensating moral values". In order to bring the story into agreement with the Production Code, screenwriter Isobel Lennart was required to "show that the adulterous situation is wrong and that sinners must be punished for their sin".''A Life of Her Own'' at Turner Classic Movies
/ref>

Vincente Minnelli Vincente Minnelli (born Lester Anthony Minnelli; February 28, 1903 – July 25, 1986) was an American stage director and film director. He directed the classic movie musicals '' Meet Me in St. Louis'' (1944), '' An American in Paris'' (1951), ' ...

originally was assigned to direct the film, but numerous script revisions and problems with casting delayed the start of production by several months, and Minnelli began work on '' Father of the Bride'' instead. Lana Turner initially refused to star in the film, but MGM executives Louis B. Mayer and

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 bi ...

demanded she honor her contract with the studio. Howard Keel,

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one of ...

, George Murphy, and

James Mason James Neville Mason (; 15 May 190927 July 1984) was an English actor. He achieved considerable success in British cinema before becoming a star in Hollywood. He was the top box-office attraction in the UK in 1944 and 1945; his British films inc ...

were among those considered for the role of Steve Harleigh, which eventually went to Wendell Corey, who worked on the production through mid-February 1950 but then allegedly asked to be released from the film because he felt he wasn't right for the role. Other sources claimed he was dismissed at the request of Turner and director George Cukor following an argument between the two stars (supposedly Corey, after an inadvertent wardrobe delay by Turner, made a remark that

Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...

, whose husband Robert Taylor was reportedly having an affair with Turner, wouldn't have kept everyone waiting; Turner then demanded a casting change). He was replaced by

. The film's original ending had Lily leaping to her death, but the studio insisted on a happier finale. Cukor disapproved of the studio's interference and was unhappy with the film as it was released.

Music

As revealed in the liner notes of the '' Film Score Monthly'' release of the music from the film, the main theme for this film would be reused by the composer in the 1952 MGM film '' Invitation''.

Critical reception

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' observed, "The

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio drama ...

plotting has been polished to considerable extent, the playing by the femme cast members is topnotch and the direction aids them, but it is still a true confession type of yarn concerned with a big city romance between a married man and a beautiful model. Script is spotted with feeling and character, and also a lot of conversation that doesn't mean much. A decided asset is Lana Turner's performance."

Awards and nominations

Bronisław Kaper was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score but lost to Franz Waxman for '' Sunset Boulevard''.

Box office

According to MGM's records, the film earned $1,413,000 in the US and Canada and $504,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss to the studio of $679,000.

References

External links

* * * *
Sound samples of the film score
{{DEFAULTSORT:Life Of Her Own, A 1950 films 1950 drama films Adultery in films American black-and-white films American drama films Films about modeling Films directed by George Cukor Films scored by Bronisław Kaper Films set in New York City Films set in the 1950s Melodrama films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films