Portrait of Jennie

UPC: 013131126891

Studio: Anchor Bay

MPAA Rating: NR   Contains:[Questionable for Children]

Summary: In Portrait of Jennie, Joseph Cotten plays an artist, Eben Adams, who is unable to bring any true feeling to his work. While painting in Central Park one morning, Eben makes the acquaintance of a schoolgirl named Jennie (Jennifer Jones), who prattles on about things that happened years ago. Intrigued at her thorough knowledge of the past, Eben is about to converse with her further, but Jennie has vanished. Over the next few months, Eben meets Jennie again and again -- and each time she seems to have aged by several years. He paints her portrait, which turns out to be more full of expression and emotion than anything he's previously done. His curiosity peaked by Jennie's enigmatic nature, Eben uncovers evidence that he has been conversing -- and falling in love -- with the ghost of a girl who died years earlier in a hurricane. On the eve of the hurricane's anniversary, Eben rushes to meet Jennie at the site where she was supposedly killed. As a new storm rages, Jennie vanishes for good, but not before declaring that the love she and Eben have shared will live forever. Rescued from the storm, Eben convinces himself that Jennie was a mere figment of his imagination. Then he notices that he stills clutches her scarf in his hand. He looks at his portrait of Jennie (the only Technicolor shot in this otherwise black-and-white film) and understands what she meant when she said that their love would endure throughout eternity; it will do so through Cotten's art, both the portrait at hand and all future portraits. Based on the novel by Robert Nathan, Portrait of Jennie is one of the most beautifully assembled fantasies ever presented onscreen. Producer David O. Selznick's unerring eye for "rightness" enabled him to select the perfect stars, supporting cast (Lillian Gish, Ethel Barrymore, David Wayne, Cecil Kellaway, et al.), director, cinematographer (Joseph August), and composer (Dimitri Tiomkin, who based his themes on the works of Debussy), and blend everything into one ideally balanced package. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Category: Romance

Awards: Best Black and White Cinematography – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Special Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Special Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Special Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Special Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Special Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences International Prize for Best Actor – Venice International Film Festival 10 Best Films – Film Daily

Features: Full-frame presentation
Theatrical trailer

Portrait of Jennie

Format: DVD

Release Date: 11/14/2000

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Pre-1954 Standard

Audio: 1 USA & territories, Canada, 5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 86 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Region: Universal Compatability

Chapters: Side #1
0. Chapter Selection
1. Opening Credits/Faith & Hope [2:03]
2. Struggling Artist [3:59]
3. Jennie [5:15]
4. Lasting Impression [2:17]
5. Old Newspaper [3:11]
6. Good Idea [3:52]
7. Selling A Sketch [3:14]
8. Together Again [4:20]
9. Police Assistance [1:31]
10. Old Pete [1:43]
11. Puzzling Picture [1:46]
12. Listening To Stars [3:52]
13. Deep Thoughts [3:06]
14. Preparing A Portrait [2:48]
15. Perfect Pose [3:12]
16. Spiritual Understanding [3:35]
17. Ageless Art [1:30]
18. True Happiness [3:31]
19. Disappointing Departure [5:32]
20. Sad Song [2:35]
21. Sister Mary [5:37]
22. Traveling Expenses [1:19]
23. Story Told [3:49]
24. Land's End Light [4:26]
25. Goodbye [2:48]
26. All That Matters [3:05]
27. Final Note [:45]
28. End Credits [1:13]

Craig Butler

Romantic fantasies like Portrait of Jennie are remarkably hard to pull off. A children's fantasy, like The Wizard of Oz, is easier, because it's already one step removed from reality. But pictures like Jennie are grounded in the real world, and the tone has to be kept exactly right or else the project veers perilously off into whimsy or preciousness; even a slight detour can be fatal, and it is to Jennie's -- and director William Dieterle's -- credit that this never happens here. It's not that Jennie is perfect; the opening narration is ponderous and pretentious, and one does get a little tired of hearing the title character described as having such a mysterious, airy quality about her, to cite just two examples. But these flaws don't intrude on the reality/fantasy mix, and they're easy to forgive, especially given how on the mark the screenplay generally is. And Dieterle provides near perfect direction, full of beauty and sensitivity. Best of all, Jennie has Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten. Jones may have won her Oscar for The Song of Bernadette, but her work in Jennie is better and is arguably the finest of her career. She perfectly conveys the many different ages of the character, and though her appearances are sporadic and cover a range of time, she finds a through line for the character so that she creates a full portrait rather than bits and pieces. Cotten is sublime, capturing the moodiness and self-pity of his character, as well as the anger and bitterness underneath, but making him at all times likeable and someone whom we care for and about. The supporting cast is also strong, with Ethel Barrymore's lovely patroness, clearly in love with Cotten but aware that it's a no-win situation, especially noteworthy. Throw in cinematography and a score that are equals in atmosphere, and the result is a glorious romance. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Brian Keith  Actor 
Anne Francis  Actor 
Leonardo Bercovici  Screenwriter 
Peter Berneis  Screenwriter 
William Dieterle  Director 
Bernard Herrmann  Composer (Music Score) 
David O. Selznick  Producer 
Dimitri Tiomkin  Composer (Music Score) 
Paul Osborn  Screenwriter 
Joseph Cotten  Actor 
Jennifer Jones  Actor 
Ethel Barrymore  Actor 
David Wayne  Actor 
Lillian Gish  Actor 
Florence Bates  Actor 
Cecil Kellaway  Actor 
Esther Somers  Actor 
Albert Sharpe  Actor 
John Farrell  Actor 
Felix Bressart  Actor 
Maude Simmons  Actor 
Clem Bevans  Actor 
Robert Dudley  Actor 
Henry Hull  Actor 

Country: USA