Vivien Leigh wasn't the only dark English beauty to don a blonde hairdo in a black-and-white psychological drama. Perhaps platinum blonde hair and black eyebrows meant mentally unhinged in the 1950s. Jean Simmons, who ironically looked a lot like Miss Leigh with her natural color, also looked a lot like her when she went blonde in Home Before Dark. This tense, overlooked drama is a fascinating piece that won Miss Simmons a Rag nomination.
Jean starts the movie leaving a sanitarium. She's been resting for an entire year after a nervous breakdown, and her doctor warns her that her troubled mental state will immediately return if she's returned to the same surroundings that bothered her. Jean believes she'll be perfectly alright, but his prediction turns out to be true. And, as sad as it is, the movie is incredibly true to life. Jean's husband, Dan O'Herlihy, is more irritated than sympathetic as he's anxious to return to normal life. Her mother, Mabel Albertson, is completely self-absorbed and doesn't care about noise or calmness for her daughter's first day back. Her sister, Rhonda Fleming, is the only one who seems to care - but are there ulterior motives at work?
Home Before Dark will keep you guessing as to whether Jean's actually insane or those around her are trying to "gaslight" her. It's very entertaining, but at times it's tough to watch. But if you usually think of Jean Simmons as the same in all her movies, you should rent this to see the one time she's not Sister Sarah. I was very impressed. I didn't know she had it in her!
Jean starts the movie leaving a sanitarium. She's been resting for an entire year after a nervous breakdown, and her doctor warns her that her troubled mental state will immediately return if she's returned to the same surroundings that bothered her. Jean believes she'll be perfectly alright, but his prediction turns out to be true. And, as sad as it is, the movie is incredibly true to life. Jean's husband, Dan O'Herlihy, is more irritated than sympathetic as he's anxious to return to normal life. Her mother, Mabel Albertson, is completely self-absorbed and doesn't care about noise or calmness for her daughter's first day back. Her sister, Rhonda Fleming, is the only one who seems to care - but are there ulterior motives at work?
Home Before Dark will keep you guessing as to whether Jean's actually insane or those around her are trying to "gaslight" her. It's very entertaining, but at times it's tough to watch. But if you usually think of Jean Simmons as the same in all her movies, you should rent this to see the one time she's not Sister Sarah. I was very impressed. I didn't know she had it in her!