Lightweight, predictable fare that's nothing to write home about, but a really enjoyable movie nonetheless that I gladly watch anytime it's on TCM.William Holden plays a recent widower who realizes his son needs a mother. He goes into town and "buys" a wife (Loretta Young), whom he treats with respect (he's a gentleman) but also quite aloofly (he's still deeply in love with his dearly departed wife and is not ready to move on). Predictably, the boy resents the presence of this new woman and isn't ready for her or anyone else to take his mother's place. (You just know the boy and Holden are gonna come around by the end of the flick and the three of them are gonna be one big happy family)

 

Add in charming, wandering, singing-and-guitar-playing rogue Robert Mitchum and you've got quite an enjoyable story. Mitchum appreciates Young and strikes up a friendship with her, which piques Holden's curiosity over this woman he's previously overlooked.Loretta Young is supposedly lovely in this film -- if you like her, that is. Personally, she's never caught my fancy and I've never understood her appeal, though I never let her presence in a movie keep me from watching it; that would be a shame and I'd miss some good flicks if I did! (OK, so ding this review if you're a LY fan and I dissed your lady, sorry! :) 

 

William Holden is ... well, um, drool, pant, sigh ... absolutely gorgeous in this movie. He is reason alone to watch it! Robert Mitchum isn't too bad either, and has a surprisingly nice singing voice (yes that's actually him doing all that singing).

Récompenses/Nominations
1949 Nominated WGA  Award (ScreenWriters Guild of America, USA):Best Written American WesternWaldo Salt
 
Trivia

-Loretta Young was famous for placing a "swear jar" on the sets of all of her films, charging anyone in the cast or crew who used foul language 25 cents for doing so, then giving the funds to one of her favorite charities. While making this film with her, Robert Mitchum reputedly held his tongue about his pious co-star until shooting was completed. As he exited the set on the final day of production, Mitchum smiled, dropped a $20 bill into the jar, and said, "This should just about cover everything I've been wanting to say to Loretta."

-This was one of RKO's biggest hits of 1948, earning $395,000.00