Peter Ibbetson (1935)

What makes it different from others?

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

If you've read my reviews under my username, you probably realized I'm currently reviewing the "Our Gang" shorts in chronological order as well as some feature films that have at least one of its members the same way when it comes between whatever OG shorts were released at the time. Actually, this one came about a year after the eps I'm currently reviewing but anyway, this one has Dickie Moore as a young boy who experiences a tragedy and only the girl who lives next door-played by Virginia Wiedler-manages to get him through it. Unfortunately, he's forced to move and it's a while before they communicate again. So years later, Moore's character becomes Gary Cooper and Ms. Wiedler becomes Ann Harding though neither know it yet. Oh, and Ms. Harding's character is married by this time. Now up to this point, I was willing to go with the story but when the jealous husband is killed by Cooper-in self defense-who then gets a life sentence, suddenly he and Ms. Harding are communicating with each other in dreams. And it takes place for so many years that we're then just treated to only them and no one else for most of the rest of the movie. I'm sorry but I just couldn't take that part as something to believe in and I found myself anxious for the movie to quickly end when those dreams were depicted. Good thing this was only about 90 minutes. I'm at least glad to have finally seen this after reading about it a little. And I was really impressed by Dickie Moore's performance. So on that note, Peter Ibbetson is worth a look. P.S. Moore would eventually get to share a scene with Cooper when they both appeared in Sergeant York.

Okay I'm a sap but what a beautiful story of transcendent love.Based on a novel by George du Maurier, the story concerns an unhappy, empty-feeling architect, Peter Ibbetsen (Gary Cooper), who is hired by the Duke of Towers (John Halliday) to design new stables for him. Ibbetson and the Duchess (Ann Harding) are attracted to one another, and then find they have each had the same dream. The Duke picks up on something between them and confronts them, but the two haven't even touched. Peter owns up to his feelings, talking about a little girl neighbor he played with as a child, and that is the only love he's ever known.While he's talking, the Duchess realizes that he is Gogo, her childhood friend, and the two ultimately declare their love. Peter wants to leave with her. The Duke enters the room while Peter and Mary are kissing and a fight ensues, during which the Duke is killed by accident. Peter is sent to prison, where he discovers that he can communicate with Mary through dreams. Because of this, though he's tried to starve himself to death, and then his back is broken, he becomes determined to live.This is a stunning film that should be better known. Gary Cooper gives perhaps his most emotional performance, filled with passion. Ann Harding is subtle, soft-spoken, and yet determined in her love, and she is Peter's steadying force.A story of sustaining love that transcends separation and ultimately life, Peter Ibbetsen is sensitively directed by Henry Hathaway. It's the ultimate love story, and not to be missed.

While it's obvious that almost all the reviewers adored this film, I feel a voice of dissent is needed, as I have a different perspective. Although this is one of the loveliest looking films I can think of from the era, I was left cold by the film because I felt the plot didn't make much sense and because the characters were jerks---yes, jerks. To me, the film was NOT about true romance but blind infatuation and selfishness, but more about that later.The film begins with a prologue. Young Peter Ibbetson (played by Dickie Moore) looks to be about 5 and he is alternately playing with and arguing with the little girl who is his best friend. Unfortunately, soon his mother dies and he is taken to England to live out most of the rest of his life. However, the plot demands that this little infatuation with a little girl is not only NOT forgotten but so consumes Ibbetson that decades later he returns to France to try to find this girl. This is utterly ridiculous, as was his "accidentally" discovering this same girl, now grown, quite by mistake when he fell in love with her all over again (while not realizing it was the same person). Talk about straining credibility! But, it gets worse. The lady is already married--yet Ibbetson doesn't give a darn about the husband and demands that she run off with him!!!!!! So, they're basing this "love that will withstand the ages" mostly on the vague recollections of a guy thinking about life at age 5...and this doesn't seem illogical to anyone? Plus, now the lady is married to a wealthy titled man and yet this will somehow work out?!! When the husband finds out and tries to kill Ibettson (after all, this is a matter of honor and it is the early 19th century--a duel or simply shooting Ibbetson would have been the proper tactic), the husband is killed in the scuffle...and we are expected to feel bad only for Ibbetson and his lady love? I actually felt worse for the husband--up until then, he seemed like a decent enough sort. Sure, he shouldn't have tried to kill Peter, but can you blame him for trying to get rid of this shameless home-wrecker? Now, Ibbetson is in prison for the rest of his life. Now here it gets weird...very weird. Ibbetson spends the rest of his life meeting with and loving Mary in his mind--and she, too, can see and experience all these meetings along with him! There is no explanation for this odd symbiosis...it just happens as if by magic. And, when he finally dies, they meet in some external bliss together. Uggh--what hooey! These portions of the film are so sticky and tough to watch.So, the film is based on a love affair between two dumb and selfish people. Dumb, because loving somebody as a small child should NOT be the basis for uprooting and destroying lives. This movie is all emotion and no logic from start to finish. Cooper plays a selfish and mushy character who I had a hard time liking--not a rugged or manly sort of fellow, just a jerk.So why did I still give the movie a 4 even if I though I disliked the plot so much and felt it tried to justify adultery? Well, I gotta hand it to Henry Hathaway's direction--it was a truly lovely film to look at and it was very manipulative. Plus, the great sound track really pulled on your heartstrings (whatever a 'heartstring' is).

This film is one of five on The Gary Cooper Collection,they are all good films,and this one is my personal favourite of them.Its beautifully acted and deeply emotional,its a very well written story that is like no other story that i know of,especially from 1935.It may have been a little bit ambitious when it was released back then,as it was the depression era,and not much use to an audience who must have been feeling very low in spirits and full of worries,and weren't prepared for escapism.If the film had been made over a decade later the audience would have appreciated it more.But then many great classics were big flops in their day,Its a wonderful life was one,and thats hard to believe now isn't it,when its now the biggest Xmas selling film of all time.It would be nice to see this film have more recognition,i hope its time will come one day.