In the opener of this hard-to-find Jane Wyman film, we see her just giving birth and discovering due to complications, the baby died. That on top of having lost her husband in the war puts her into despair. But quickly she drudges on and looks for a job. But, as she is hardly qualified for many other jobs, she is encouraged to be a nursemaid in the care of babies. Though she didn't want to, she comes to see it's the hand life has dealt her. If in fact, she hadn't done so, she might have become very bitter and distant. Through a series of separate stories, we see her affect the lives of others and how they affect her, as she takes care of babies and children. In the first, we see Charles Laughton who has become recently widowed, with his wife dying in childbirth, leaving a baby to be cared for and he is hardly capable. But when he starts to have feelings for Jane and she can not reciprocate them, she leaves them, after he eventually marries someone else. The next family situation consists of Richard Carlson who in turn falls for her. Through it all, we see Jane as she ages and her sacrifice and dedication to "her children." Another story has her taking care of a young Natalie Wood, with Joan Blondell as her own inattentive mother. This film has been on my Find-and-Watch list for a long time and I finally decided, instead of waiting further for an authentic DVD, I would find buy a dvr copy, when I found a website that has it. That was my way of actually getting a copy of it, and I'm certainly glad I did. It was a very well-made film that is obviously sentimental and a weeper. The only reservation I have is that it seemed a bit hokey and/or unrealistic that she would get a chance to see all of "her children" at the end of the film. But the final shot of her and the children now in her care was very moving and sad. "The Blue Veil" is a memorable film that needs to be discovered today.
Review of The Blue Veil
