User Reviews

Portrait of Clare is an excellent film. I enjoyed it very much and saw it for the first time recently. In fact, I was inspired to purchase the novel. The outstanding novel by Francis Brett Young paints a more complete insight into a woman's feelings as Clare passes from very young and losing Ralph, her first husband, the love of her life. When her infant son Stephen is 10, Clare marries the family solicitor, Dudley Wilburn, an older man she admires and seems to be fond of.

From the first the marriage is a disaster, as Dudley constantly criticizes Clare's spending habits, though it is her money quite often. He even criticizes her expenditures on behalf of her son Stephen.

From the start Stephen violently dislikes his stepfather and acknowledges his feelings by extreme rudeness. At first, Clare remonstrates desperately with Stephen to be reasonable and to talk about their problems.

However, her son intensifies his feelings in a verbal barrage, culminating in a thrashing by Dudley. When Stephen runs away to the wealthy former in-laws, Clare knows she can only resolve the issue by leaving Dudley. She knows that the snobbish Lady Hingston, her former mother-in-law, would soon have Stephen in her power.

Dudley is shocked that Clare is leaving him, but she insists and goes to live with Stephen in another house she owns outright. He professes his great love for Clare, but she no longer loves or admires him. She lives more peacefully and has her piano music to comfort her.

When Stephen goes to school, Clare finds her feelings gravitating to Dudley's friend and co-worker, Robert, who is a handsome and younger man. He witnesses some of the scenes with Stephen and tries to tell Dudley that he is distressing his wife and is too extreme. But Dudley will not listen and soon their arguments lead to her leaving, when Stephen is nearly 15.

The only thing I don't like about the film is that it changes Clare's future life when she seeks a divorce from Dudley. In the book Clare can attain happiness if she follows the rules from the divorce papers Dudley has drafted. Though he still loves Clare, Dudley realizes that she is in love with Robert and he wants her to be happy.

Though WWI days and the church may have frowned more readily on divorce at the time, it could be done in a tactful manner.

I don't want to create a spoiler here, but just wanted to mention that the film was more stringent than the book! After a great personal and spiritual struggle Clare becomes free to make her own choice ultimately. She and Robert do not have to wait for Dudley's passing. Although the early 20th century held a dim view about divorces in general at that time and Clare is faced with Stephen's disapproval, she makes a decision that she hopes will lead to her happiness and Robert's as well. Although Stephen disapproves and even says his mother should return to Dudley, Clare wants desperately to follow her heart. By this time Stephen enters battle in WWI and Clare meets his commanding officer.

In the book Stephen's Commanding Office, Colonel Hart, is the man Clare comes to love and respect. Col.Hart, an older man and widower, comes to love Clare, as wildly as she loves him. At first, Clare tries to resist in order to escape scandal and disapproval of her son. By this time Stephen is 18 and marries Col. Hart's daughter. Both of them oppose their parent marrying each other.

Clare returns to Dudley to ask for advice, when he sends her a letter about the scandal about her and Col. Hart meeting too often. Clare confides in Dudley her true feelings. Surprisingly, Dudley Wilburn approves the match to make Clare happy.

Though I value the film, I could more readily identify with Clare in the book and her personal struggle and ultimate dreams for happiness.

When, in 1929, Noel Coward elected to have a grandmother in Bitter Sweet relate the story of her life to her granddaughter in an effort to dissuade her from marrying for the wrong reason(s) he was probably not the first person to employ the device but 21 years later it was arguably well worn but journeyman director Lance Comfort doesn't allow that to prevent him wheeling it out yet again and putting it into the mouth of Margaret Johnston as the eponymous Clare who then makes us privy to a life as colourless as the kind of weak tea that used to be described as 'maid'swater'. It's a long life that begins with marriage to the love of it - in the shape of Ronald Howard who is killed somewhat improbably - followed by a second marriage to someone - Robin Bailey - for whom the term 'aren't men beasts' may well have been coined and culminating in contentment of sorts with Richard Sequoia Todd. If killing the thick end of two hours relatively painlessly is on your bucket list then look no further.