The Shopworn Angel
Directed by H.C. Potter
Written by Waldo Salt based on a story by Dana Burnet
1938/US
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
IMDb page
First viewing/Amazon Prime Rental
Pvt. William ‘Texas’ Pettigrew: Dying’s a lot like being in love. You can’t imagine it until it’s right on top of you.
The story is set in 1917 New York. Margaret Sullavan is a musical star on Broadway. She keeps company with rich, sophisticated Walter Pidgeon. James Stewart is a soldier on leave as he waits for orders to be shipped to the frontlines in France. He is as naive as they come, hailing from a horse ranch in Texas. James meets Margaret by chance and soon has a massive crush on her. She humors him out of sort of a sense of duty, though clearly a sort of affection develops. I will say no more but the plot and its resolution seemed very odd to me.
I think this was supposed to be a tearjerker but the way the love triangle was handled failed to move me. Anyway, the stars shone and it was an entertaining movie.
Major spoiler
