Beloved Infidel (1959)

Very best movie i ever watch

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Copyright 1959 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. U.S. release and New York opening (at the Paramount): 17 November 1959. U.K. release: January 1960. Australian release: 18 February 1960. Sydney opening at the Regent. 11,057 feet. 123 minutes.SYNOPSIS: "A soap opera about a Cinderella from London who came to Hollywood and took care of a noisy drunk." — Gregory Peck.NOTES: By late 1959 CinemaScope's box-office lure had so dramatically declined that Fox's publicity department offered a choice of advertising blocks — with or without the CinemaScope logo!COMMENT: Gregory Peck is certainly uncomfortable in the role of F. Scott Fitzgerald and doesn't sink himself into the character at all. It's just Gregory Peck reading lines — and reading them very badly. And Eddie Albert bears as much resemblance to Robert Benchley as I do to W.C. Fields. And there's a distasteful caricature of Alice Faye (played by Karin Booth) which is obviously so untrue (Faye must have been barely half the age at the time), it makes one suspicious of all the rest of the scenes in the film — though certainly the bit about Mankiewicz firing Fitz from "Three Comrades" is true enough, except for the fact that Herbert Rudley doesn't look a bit like Mankiewicz! Half-asleep direction by Henry King doesn't help this movie either!

It is rather strange that the story of the great American novelist, F. Scott Fitzgerald (Gregory Peck), ends up being told, here, by the transplanted American gossip columnist, Sheilah Graham (Deborah Kerr). But, however melodramatic this picture may come off, we must remember that it is HER story--not his. His full life story is referred to, here, more in retrospect, but his struggle with alcohol is well documented.I find that great film scores often elevate a movie, and the score by Franz Waxman does wonders here. This was the era of great film scores, scores that often outlasted the overall effect of the movie. This is one of 3 movies in which Gregory Peck and Eddie Albert co-star, so this combination must have worked for both of them.

written by an opportunist Sheilah Graham, who was before my time but I do recall my mother reading her column, if one takes this film with only a few grains of salt, its okay.The film starts with Fitzgerald working on "The Last Tycoon" and struggling...He was in reality struggling with alcoholism, but this film was made in an era of denial, people didn't have addictions or suicide, or depression, they just died suddenly of a heart ailment.That in itself could be excused if the story was flavored with some weightier topics, Fitzgerald did not write pulp fiction and his thoughts and ideas about Hollywood were probably quite interesting. We do see Gregory Peck in an amusing scene where he mocks Graham's producer of a radio gossip show. Graham was apparently chastised for sounding too educated for mid-western audiences.The side story regarding Scott's wife Zelda, and the golden age they thrived in could also have been developed. Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, who was afflicted with schizophrenia, ended her tragic life in an Asheville, North Carolina asylum, as a result of a tragic fire.The reality is Sheilah Graham was another false face, who attempted to reinvent herself in Hollywood. The story could work if she was not so ingratiating, whiny and annoying. I do like Deborah Kerr and "Tea and Sympathy" was one of her best performances, but the portrayal of Sheilah Graham here is simply to saccharine and dated.Sad that F. Scott Fitzgerald one of our greatest writers from that time period has been so poorly represented in film. The material and audience interest is there. Fox...Tom Rothman, you honor "All About Eve" on Fox Movie Channel, how about a remake of "Beloved Infidel" with a talented actor as Fitzgerald?. I confess I may care too much about the material and story here, I enjoy literature, Shakespeare, and talented actors portraying the authors material. Maybe someday we will see a good remake because the story is here. 5/10.

Firstly I will agree that this isn't the most riveting film ever made, but I will disagree with the reviewer who says that Peck is too handsome to make a believable alcoholic. We know that Fitzgerald was handsome, intelligent and charming, three things which made Peck an excellent choice to play him on film. Furthermore there is a pretty amazing scene where violence erupts between Peck and Kerr, it's truly believable, which heartbreakingly portrayed the depths to which Fitzgerald had sunk. Obviously when the story is based on Sheilah Graham's recollections, it will be purely personal and she may have softened the truth or by the same account exaggerated it. The look of the picture is beautiful, especially the wardrobe for Kerr. I say simply to get a look at two stars in their prime it's worth it to muddle through. Kerr and Peck have a tangible chemistry.