Enchantment (1948)

Very well executed

Sorry, this movie sucks

I wanted to but couldn't!

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Bearing no small resemblance to Maytime and Smiling Through without the other worldly visits, Enchantment is a delightful film about two generations of romance in an English family. David Niven as one of three siblings and the family butler Leo G. Carroll both play young and later on are heavily made up for old age which in this film is during World War II.At that time the only occupants of the old family estate are Niven and Carroll when a niece from America arrives in the person of Evelyn Keyes. She has made a promise to her father who is Philip Friend now deceased to look up her uncle, the last of that generation. A rather crotchety Niven bereft of his usual charm in old age reluctantly takes her in. Soon enough she takes herself a fella in flier Farley Granger who is a nephew of Niven's lost love.Back to those days before World War I and the children who grow up to be David Niven, Philip Friend, and Jayne Meadows are told that they are taking in an orphan girl who is the daughter of their father's friend who with his wife was recently killed in a train wreck.The boys are agreeable enough, in fact as adults they're most interested in the girl who grows up to be Teresa Wright. But Cinderella's stepsisters never treated Wright the way Meadows does. She never misses a chance to demean her and when the boys especially Niven show any interest she schemes like mad to keep them apart.Meadows who as I write this is the last survivor of the adult cast members is one cool, calculating and incredibly evil woman. Sam Goldwyn who produced Enchantment should have pushed for a Best Supporting Oscar for her. This may be her career role.If you know what happens in Maytime and in Smiling Through you have some idea how all this ends. But don't skip Enchantment and its message of when true love comes along only trust your heart.

Please, be warned, it contains spoilers!!! . . I love David Niven, so, naturally, I wanted to see this movie. He's charming (as always),and the film was, indeed very well done. The music, the flashbacks, the characters are pretty well portrayed. So, that's why I've voted this movie a "5". Because, the other "5" points that it needs it's the story itself!Come on! They tell you this is "Just About the Most Wonderful Love Story Ever Filmed!" Yeah, sure. They put David Niven and Teresa Wright on the cover, smiling... so you believe it. But it's not a nice little love story. Everyone ends up alone, sad, and dead. Well, the "new generation", I mean the American ambulance driver and the Canadian pilot, gets to survive, and you can tell that they do survive and can get together because of Niven's advice... but that's not enough for me. In a love story... I want love! There's a lack of fulfillment in this movie that I can't take it. Let's face it, I like happy endings. But isn't that what they sell to you when they add that tagline?!If you are a fan of David Niven, go and watch it, If you like sad movies, when you end up with a tear or two, go and watch it.But don't expect a happy "lived together ever after" ending. There's a lot of sadness in that house. You just want to enter the movie and punch Selina (Niven's sister, who is the jerk that put them apart).

"Enchantment" seems to be one of those movies which has fallen through the cracks in terms of being appreciated. The story is told in a very unique way which keeps you totally involved. The cast, headed by David Niven and Teresa Wright is great. And Jayne Meadows is excellent! I would highly commend this movie and a good bag of popcorn. If you have the chance to buy the film...do it!!

I saw the movie Enchantment in 1948 when I was 11 years old. I was so moved by the story, when I returned home I wrote down the complete story, so I would never forget. I have seen the movie 5 times in the last 50 years and if I owned the movie I would watch it every week.