Portrait of Jennie (1948).

Portrait of Jennie(1948). Romantic/Fantasy film based on the novel by Robert Nathan. The film was directed by William Dieterle and produced by David O. Selznick. Cast: Jennifer Jones, Ethel Barrymore, Lillian Gish  and Joseph Cotten.

The film begins, when not a very well known painter Eben Adams, is having a hard time selling his paintings. Although, things begin to look up for Adams after a chance meeting with a young girl named Jennie Appleton, while sitting on a bench in Central Park. He notices that Jennie's clothing seems dated.



He makes a sketch of Jennie from memory, which impresses art dealer Miss Spinney, who suggest he paint a "Portrait Of Jennie".

Each time they meet she is older and Adams becomes more confused by her comments and realizes that, if what she says about her past are true, she should be 20 years older.

As time passes Adams tries to find out the truth about Jennie's past and the last time Adams, sees Jennie, is on a rocky seashore during a violent storm, which is absolutely beautiful and tragic.

One of the greatest stories of true love ever filmed. The entire film is in black and white, the tidal wave sequence towards the end is shown in green tint, and the final shot of the completed portrait of Jennie is in color.

Florence Bates (April 15, 1888 – January 31, 1954). In 1939 she was introduced to Alfred Hitchcock, who cast her in her first major screen role, Mrs. Van Hopper, in Rebecca.

Among her other credits: Kitty Foyle, The Moon and Sixpence, Mr. Lucky, Heaven Can Wait, Mister Big, Since You Went Away, Kismet, Saratoga Trunk, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Winter Meeting, I Remember Mama, Portrait of Jennie, A Letter to Three Wives, On the Town, and Les Misérables.

Bates had a regular role on The Hank McCune Show and made guest appearances on I Love Lucy, My Little Margie and Our Miss Brooks.

Ethel Barrymore

Ethel Barrymore, was a major Broadway performer. Many consider her to be the greatest actress of her generation. She performed in her first film, The Nightingale (1934).

She made 15 silent pictures between 1914 and 1919 most of them for the old Metro studio. Most of these pictures were made on the East Coast, as her Broadway career and children came first. All of her silent films are lost with the exception of, The Call of Her People(1917).

In the 1940s, she moved to Hollywood, California. The only two films that featured all three siblings Ethel, John and Lionel were: National Red Cross Pageant (1917), Rasputin and the Empress (1932).
The former film is now lost.

She won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film, None but the Lonely Heart(1944) opposite Cary Grant. A story about a Cockney young man who returns home with no ambitions but finds that his family needs him. Adapted by Clifford Odets from the novel by Richard Llewellyn and directed by Odets.

She performed in the film, The Spiral Staircase (1946) directed by Robert Siodmak. A story about a young mute Helen, who works for ailing Mrs. Warren. Mrs. Warren's two sons, professor Albert and womanizing Steven, also live in the Warren mansion. Mrs. Warren becomes concerned for Helen's safety when a string of murders involving 'women with afflictions' hits close to home. She asks, Dr. Parry, to take Helen away for her own safety. When another murder occurs inside the Warren mansion, it becomes obvious that Helen's life is in danger.

The Paradine Case (1947) directed by Alfred Hitchcock. A story about the beautiful Mrs. Paradine, who is accused of poisoning her blind husband. She hires the happily married Anthony Keane, as her lawyer and when he begins to fall in love with her, the real trouble begins.

Portrait of Jennie (1948). A story about Eben Adams, a struggling artist during Depression in New York, who is having trouble finding a inspiration for a painting. One day, Jennie Appleton buys a painting from him and they develop an unusual friendship.

Her last film performance was in, Johnny Trouble (1957). A story about Katherine Chandler, who lives in an apartment house that has been purchased by the local college for a boy's dormitory. She refuses to leave, believing that her son, who disappeared after being expelled from the school twenty-sever years ago, will return. The college lets her remain as an unofficial dorm-mother to the students who treat her as their grandmother. She becomes convinced that one of the students, Johnny, is her grandson since he bears the same name as her lost son. She reforms him and he marries his pregnant girlfriend, Julie Horton. Katherine, wants to meet Johnny's parents, certain that his father is her missing son.

She also made a number of television appearances in the 1950's, including one performance with comedian Jimmy Durante on NBC's All Star Revue on December 1, 1951.

She then went onto perform in the film, Deadline(1952). Crime film. Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ethel Barrymore and Kim Hunter. A story about a newspaper editor Ed Hutcheson, working for a large metropolitan newspaper called The Day. He is loyal to publisher Margaret Garrison, the widow of the paper's founder, who wants to sell the newspaper. Hutcheson, begins working on the big story about the murder of a young woman which could turn out to be the "big story" that keeps the paper in business or else the last "big story" it ever covers.