Daisy Kenyon
Fox Film Noir
Daisy Kenyon (Joan Crawford) is a lovelorn commercial artist caught in a romantic triangle with two men - one she loves but cannot have and one who's love she cannot return. While in an emotionally draining love affair with married attorney Dan O'Mara (Dana Andrews), who refuses to leave his wife, she meets returning army sergeant Peter Lapham (Henry Fonda) - a decent and gentle man - who instantly falls in love with her. Although she carries a torch for Dan, she knows Peter will give her the secure life she desires and she agrees to marry him. But when Dan divorces his wife, Daisy is suddenly torn between her obligations... and her passions.
Member Reviews
A serious "women's picture" - CaptainDave
This is not your typical "women's weepy." Daisy Kenyon is a surprisingly sophisticated look at love, marriage, adultery and divorce.
Dan (Dana Andrews) is handsome, glib, confident, a fast-talker. Oh, and married. It's easy to see his appeal to Daisy. Trouble is, he's never around when you want him. Peter (Henry Fonda) is also handsome, but psychologically damaged World War II vet (this is 1947), who hasn't quite figured out how he fits back in civilian society. He's appealing, but puzzling.
And Daisy? Well, being played by Joan Crawford, she of course is an independently minded, willful woman who isn't going to let any man push her around. Daisy is torn between the two men -- one who has yet to really grow up, the other who has seen too much of the world. Her quandry is not whether it's right to love a married man (in fact, the issue of whether her affair with Dan is right or wrong barely comes up), but figuring out just what love is and what is important in life. The moral issues are handled skillfully, with no easy answers.
The script is excellent. All three of these characters are both written and played expertly, with all sorts of fascinating nuances that make them fully believable characters. Just like you and me, their motivations are not always clear, not even to themselves. Fonda in particular gives a very sensitive performance.
As I work my way through the films directed by Otto Preminger, I'm finding the films he did under contract to Fox in the 40s and 50s (Laura, Fallen Angel, Where the Sidewalk Ends and now Daisy Kenyon) much more interesting than his later independent films. There's less pretention and more attention to good story and good storytelling.
Member Reviews
Read All...
A serious "women's picture" - CaptainDave
This is not your typical "women's weepy." Daisy Kenyon is a surprisingly sophisticated look at love, marriage, adultery and divorce.
Dan (Dana Andrews) is handsome, glib, confident, a fast-talker. Oh, and married. It's easy to see his appeal to Daisy. ...