Ann Vickers

It’s not often that one chides a film for being too short, but that’s precisely the problem with John Cromwell’s Ann Vickers. Based on the lengthy novel by Sinclair Lewis, the 76-minute film leaps forward in time from scene to scene – which effectively lends the proceedings a distinctly disjointed and half-baked sort of vibe. That being said, there are certainly a number of positive elements within the movie – including star Irene Dunne’s superb performance and Cromwell’s surprisingly stylish and fluid directorial choices. And though released in 1933, the film possesses a number of unusually contemporary themes – with the abortion (!) that the titular character undergoes the most overt and obvious example of this. But the bottom line is that the insanely quick pace ultimately prevents the viewer from really connecting with Ann, and there’s certainly no denying that the film’s conclusion, in which Ann denounces her ambition and accepts her role as a housewife, can’t help but come off as ludicrous and utterly dated.

** out of ****