None But the Lonely Heart (1944)

59% of users liked it
(549 ratings)

Cary Grant delivered Oscar-calibre performances all his life, but only when he played against type in None But the Lonely Heart did the Academy Awards people break down and give him a nomination. Grant plays a restless, irresponsible cockney who seeks a better life but doesn't seem to have the… More Cary Grant delivered Oscar-calibre performances all his life, but only when he played against type in None But the Lonely Heart did the Academy Awards people break down and give him a nomination. Grant plays a restless, irresponsible cockney who seeks a better life but doesn't seem to have the emotional wherewithal to work for such a life. The hero's shiftlessness extends to his love life; musician Jane Wyatt genuinely cares for him, but he prefers the company of fickle gangster's ex-wife June Duprez. June's former husband George Coulouris convinces Grant that the quickest means to wealth is a life of crime, but Grant drops this aspect of his life to take care of his terminally ill mother Ethel Barrymore. While Cary Grant did not win the Oscar he so richly deserved for None But the Lonely Heart, Ethel Barrymore did cop the gold statuette. Written and directed by Clifford Odets, None But the Lonely Heart unfortunately lost money for RKO, which could have used a little extra cash after paying the expenses of temporarily closing Ms. Barrymore's Broadway play The Corn is Green. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 53 min.
Directed By: Clifford Odets
Genres: Drama, Classics

In Theaters: Oct 17, 1944 Wide

Critic Reviews

John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...probably the most unusual film Cary Grant ever made, a serious departure for him, and something that earned him an Academy nomination for Best Actor.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...quite a change of pace for romantic leading man Cary Grant.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
This depressing and moody melodrama marks the directorial and screenwriting debut for playwright Clifford Odets.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

This could have been a great drama, but Grant doesn't give us a great performance, maybe he felt a little too comfortable back at home in England or something? I don't know, but this movie is lacking something, and I found it really boring.
Red L

Ernie (played by Cary Grant) has to turn over a new leaf when he learns his mother has cancer. Now that he is stuck in town, he has to deal with making a living and keeping his girlfriend happy. The movie is somewhat depressing as in this era, it is almost impossible to make a… More
Ernie (played by Cary Grant) has to turn over a new leaf when he learns his mother has cancer. Now that he is stuck in town, he has to deal with making a living and keeping his girlfriend happy. The movie is somewhat depressing as in this era, it is almost impossible to make a living legally, so there is always the lure of illegal activities.
Lanning :

The kind of role I wish Grant had tried more often. Not "Cary Grantish," if you know what I mean. A wonderful cast all around, with special praise for Barry Fitzgerald and Jane Wyatt. <p> If only Grant had done more like this, he might have made my all-time favorite… More
The kind of role I wish Grant had tried more often. Not "Cary Grantish," if you know what I mean. A wonderful cast all around, with special praise for Barry Fitzgerald and Jane Wyatt. <p> If only Grant had done more like this, he might have made my all-time favorite actor list. Still, this one is so much more "real" than most of his characters, I might have to rethink putting him on the list. <p> NB: Although this might appear to be coming from a kind of a place of gritty realism, it is very much a fairy tale with an appropriate fairly tale ending. I think there might actually be a paper topic in the way Clifford Odets, the writer-director, plays with the conventional elements of realism and tragedy -- perhaps even of naturalism -- on the journey to a classically (not ha-ha funny) comic ending. Just a beautifully done movie.
Byron B

A very different performance from Cary Grant before he developed the persona that made him famous. Overall this movie just bored me.

Cast

            Cary Grant as Ernie Mott

            Ethel Barrymore as Ma Mott

            Barry Fitzgerald as Twite

            June Duprez as Ada

            Jane Wyatt as Aggie Hunter

            Dan Duryea as Lew Tate

            Katherine Allen as Millie Wilson

            George Atkinson as Man with Gramophone

            Polly Bailey as Ma Floom

            Ted Billings as Cockney Bum

            Roman Bohnen as Dad Pettyjohn

            Matthew Boulton
            
            Eva Leonard Boyne as Ma Chalmers

            William Challee as Knocker

            David Clyde as Policeman with Stripes

            George Coulouris as Jim Mordinoy

            Marie de Becker as Mme. La Vaka

            Sayre Dearing
            
            Herbert Evans as Police Sergeant

            Virginia Farmer as Ma Segwiss

            Helena Grant as Old Woman in Shop

            Alec Harford as Drunk

            Forrester Harvey as Bloke

            Herbert Heywood as Dad Fitchitt

            Leyland Hodgson
            
            Charles Irwin as Cop at Crash

            Rosalind Ivan as Mrs. Tate

            Tiny Jones as Woman

            Colin Kenny as Cop Outside

            Skelton Knaggs as Slush

            Rosemary La Planche as Dancer

            Morton Lowry as Taz

            Chef Joseph Milani as Rossi

            Al Murphy as Henchman

            Joe North as Old Man

            Billy O'Leary as Cab Driver

            Elsa Prescott as Old Lady

            Renie Riano as Flo

            Konstantin Shayne as Ike Weber

            Yorke Sherwood as Call Block Cop

            Walter Soderling as Pa Floom

            Helene Thimig as Sister Nurse

            David Thursby as Prison Guard

            Queenie Vassar as Ma Snowden

            Clare Verdera as Barmaid

            Joseph Vitale as Cash

            Milton Wallace as Ike Lesser

            Eric Wilton
            
            Bill Wolfe as Blind Man

            Art Smith as Marjoriebanks

            Roy Thomas as Rookie Policeman

            Jack Jackson
            
            Sammy Blum
            
            Keith Hitchcock as Roly Poly Man

            John Meredith as Cop

            Al Rhein
            
            Barry Regan
            
            Amelia Romano as Lame Girl

            Ernie Shield as Man

            Ida Shoemaker as Old Lady

            Diedra Vale as Miss Tate
See full cast