THE HASTY HEART, based on the stage play by John Patrick, is brought to the screen by Ranald MacDougall and Vincent Sherman, in a film starring Richard Todd (who received his only Oscar nomination as the prickly Scotsman Lachie and who should have won over Broderick Crawford's overcooked Willie Stark in ALL THE KING'S MEN), Ronald Reagan (who could have had a Supporting Actor prize for this one; he's that good, and Patricia Neal, an actress so gifted that even in a piece of dreck like Ayn Rand's THE FOUNTAINHEAD she manages to keep her head above water.
Todd is a Scottish soldier dying of kidney failure; Reagan is an American who starts out resenting the young Scot but who comes to respect and even love him as he tries so hard to be brave. Neal is the head nurse of the MASH unit where they are recovering from their wounds.
It isn't long before Neal reveals to the others Lachie's condition; the Scot is prickly and prideful and she can see no other way to reach the boys' hearts but to tell them the truth.
Reagan is actually splendid here; I am not sure I ever saw him deliver the goods so perfectly. His Yank warms to Lachie in a completely believable manner.
If you see it for nothing else, see it for Todd, Reagan, and Neal. The three of them together teach a master class on what good acting is.
Todd is a Scottish soldier dying of kidney failure; Reagan is an American who starts out resenting the young Scot but who comes to respect and even love him as he tries so hard to be brave. Neal is the head nurse of the MASH unit where they are recovering from their wounds.
It isn't long before Neal reveals to the others Lachie's condition; the Scot is prickly and prideful and she can see no other way to reach the boys' hearts but to tell them the truth.
Reagan is actually splendid here; I am not sure I ever saw him deliver the goods so perfectly. His Yank warms to Lachie in a completely believable manner.
If you see it for nothing else, see it for Todd, Reagan, and Neal. The three of them together teach a master class on what good acting is.