A remake of Leo Carey's 1939 hit “Love Affair” starring Irene Dunne , Charles Boyer and Maria Ouspenskaya. This same script would be shot (with some cosmetic plots changes) once more time as “Love Affair” in 1994 starring Warren Betty, Annette Benning, and Katherine Hepburn.

Structurally this is a very interesting and lop-sided classic that starts as a comedy and ends a 5-hankie drama. If it weren't for the famous last scene I doubt if it would have the longevity it had since 1957. Since then it became an almost cult classic and is even paid homage to in Nora Ephron's SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE (1993).

Leo McCarey directed this unusual comedy-drama hybrid. Leo McCarey, Delmer Daves and Donald Ogden Stewart write the script from the story by Leo McCarey and Mildred Cram.

The comedy part in a nutshell:

Nickie Ferrante (Cary Grant) is a jet-setter playboy whose upcoming engagement to the socialite Lois Clark (Neva Patterson), the heiress to a $600 million fortune, makes the international headlines. As he is returning from Europe to the United States on the luxury cruise liner Constitution, the much-sought-after Ferrante runs into the redhead Terry McKay (Deborah Kerr), a former nightclub singer whose rich and handsome boyfriend also waits for her back in New York.

Before they know what, their “illicit affair” sweeps them both off their feet. Their transparent attempts to hide the affair from their fellow passengers just create derision and ridicule since they look ridiculous in trying to hide the obvious.

There is a lengthy episode about Nickie taking Terry to his grandmother when the ship docks at French Riviera. Grandmother acts as a surrogate mother and gives the stamp of approval to their love affair. This is also when we learn a little bit more about Nickie, the fact that, for example, he never held much of any permanent jobs in his life but is an excellent painter in his own right.

When the boat arrives in New York, though, they have to decide what to do. Unable to break off forever, they make an appointment to meet at the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building 6 months later, at 5 pm sharp. They agree that's when they should decide whether to marry one another or not.

During that time Terry goes back to her nightclub singing act in Boston and Nickie picks up his painting and starts working with a gallery, trying to build a self-sufficient career for himself rather than just relying on the millions of his fiance Lois.

Then on the day of their appointment, the comedy takes a sharp turn into drama. Nickie waits for Terry till midnight but she does not show up because she is hit by a car on her way to see him. But Nickie doesn't know that. He thinks Terry changed her mind and chose to live with her rich boyfriend instead.

A chance meeting at a movie theater kindles the embers of Nickie's continuing passion for Terry who is at that point a wheel-chair ridden woman.

At the last scene, Nickie visits Terry at her home. Terry is sitting on the couch with a blanket pulled over her crippled legs.

This is such a well-written scene that is worth examining analytically.

Both characters are too proud to admit what happened on that July day in New York City. Terry hides the truth because she thinks she has lost Nickie forever by not showing up that day. Nickie, on the other hand, who always got his way with women in the past, is too proud to admit that he waited for seven hours that day. That feels like weakness and he does not want to admit his weak hand in this game of bruised hearts. He is also afraid that Terry chose that other guy and married him. So both pretend that they did not go to the appointment on that July day.

But Nickie learns that she is not married... then he also remembers what the gallery owner told him about “the girl” who bought his portrait of Terry – she was crippled. As though inspired by angels, Nickie walks in to her bedroom and is shocked to see his painting hanging on her wall. All of a sudden he understands everything and how much self-denial they both went through, suffering for their love and pride at the same. The film ends with that real tear-jerker of a scene where the two lovers throw themselves to each other's arms, with the romantic theme music rising in the background.

This is romantic a film as the NOTEBOOK (2004). Cary Grant at the time was going through his own private misfortunes and that certainly shows in his sensitive portrayal of a happy go lucky playboy who nevertheless is desperately looking for love while denying it in public. At the time Grant was madly in love with Sophia Loren who later turned Grant down for the Italian producer Carlo Ponti.

Highly recommended for all who enjoy a good cry once in a while. The fabulous score, “An Affair to Remember” composed by Harry Warren and sung by Vic Damone, was nominated for Best Music, Original Song Oscar for 1958.

An 8 out of 10.

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