Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

Based on a play by William Inge, Come Back, Little Sheba is the powerful story of a middle-aged couple dealing with a troubled marriage. The film stars Burt Lancaster as Doc Delaney, a man living the cliche of "quiet desperation". Once an ambitious professional with plans for a bright future, Doc suffered a great loss when his girlfriend Lola told him that she was pregnant. Doc did the honorable thing and married Lola but turned his disappointment inward and became an alcoholic.

Finally, Doc conquers his alcoholism but does not resolve his deep sorrow over what he considers a wasted life. Perhaps seeing himself as a martyr, Doc takes no joy from his dreary surroundings or his marriage. He exudes dissatisfaction with every move and inflection of his voice. He does not treat his wife unkindly but is often either patronizing of indifferent, preferring to concentrate on his own sense of loss. He does, however, take great pride in his sobriety and keeps a full bottle of liquor close by in a cupboard as a symbol of his discipline and restraint--and perhaps a reminder of just how near he is to losing that restraint. Lancaster gives a stellar performance, playing a man ten years older than the actor was at the time. His subdued performance shows his great versatility, in a departure from his more demonstrative portrayals. His performance was definitely Oscar caliber but he failed to receive a nomination.

Doc's wife is played with heartbreaking emotion by actress Shirley Booth, in a role she made famous on Broadway. Lola has also paid a high price for her "mistake". Forced to deal with the death of her baby, alienation of a disapproving family and no close ties elsewhere, Lola drifts into a world of her own, a prisoner of loneliness. She blocks out all the unpleasantness of reality, particularly that which has to do with her marriage. Once a very attractive woman, Lola has become disinterested in her appearance and indifferent to the unkempt condition of her home. In her mind, she has created a fairytale scenario about her courtship and marriage to Doc. This fantasy and her total devotion to her husband are all she has to maintain her tenuous grip of sanity. Booth is wonderful as the lonely, pitiful Lola. She fits her role perfectly and endears herself to the audience with her emotionally-charged performance.

Even with such deep problems within their marriage, Doc and Lola manage to stay together, almost as if by some unspoken pact. However, when a vivacious young college student rents a room in their home, it changes their lives dramatically. Terry Moore is excellent as Marie, a young woman who moves into the Delaney home and unwittingly forces them to look at the tragedy of their life together. Marie is at first puzzled and amused by the somewhat eccentric pair. Later, however, she comes to the realization that there are deeper issues within the household.

When a young man, Turk (Richard Jaekel), becomes interested in Marie, Doc shows open contempt for him and implies that the boyfriend has only one thing on his mind--sexual conquest. Actually, Doc has mixed emotions. He is jealous of the boy's youthful freedom and is envious of his relationship with Marie. Lola, on the other hand, is delighted to have young people around and even emerges from her fog long enough to take an interest in her own appearance. As time goes on, Doc becomes more and more uncomfortable with his repressed feelings. Finally, he is no longer able to keep his buried emotions at bay. What happens as a result makes for a shocking climax.

Booth won a Best Actress Academy Award for her portrayal, winning over an impressive roster of nominees, including Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Julie Harris and Susan Hayward. The film also received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress (Terry Moore) and Best Film Editing (Warren Low). In his directorial debut, Daniel Mann evoked unforgettable performances from both Lancaster and Booth and produced a classic psychological drama.



Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: VHS