Nur eine einzige Nacht

Sincere, sometimes campy drama from director Delmer Daves (sort of the stepchild to his more-popular "A Summer Place" and "Parrish") wherein young Susan has a baby out of wedlock and her mother poses as the infant's mother, causing jealousy and friction between the two. Beautifully shot by Lucien Ballard (a great choice for a location-rich film such as this), it moves along at a fast clip and has lots of high drama. Connie Stevens isn't Meryl Streep, and she jumps from different emotions with too practiced a speed, but I loved her acting in the hospital waiting room when she comes clean in front of Mama, and I really bought her romance with scowling Troy Donahue. As the elders, Lloyd Nolan and Dorothy McGuire are exceptional, as is the production design (featuring a gorgeous ocean-front home in Monterey). The infrequent voice-over narration (first by Nolan and then later by Stevens) is an intrusion--who are they talking to?--and there's a silliness inherent in the trappings of the plot that render it dated, but I did find myself thinking about it days afterward. As sudsers go, it's first-rate. ***1/2 from ****