Tonight's Movie: Half Angel (1951)

January seems to be Loretta Young Movie Month... Following our recent viewing of BEDTIME STORY and KEY TO THE CITY, tonight's movie was HALF ANGEL, a slight but amusing romantic comedy costarring Young and Joseph Cotten.

By day, Nora (Young) is a prim nurse who dislikes hospital benefactor John Raymond (Cotten) and is newly engaged to her boyfriend of five years. By night, Nora sleepwalks and tirelessly chases after Raymond, who was a childhood friend. She doesn't remember her evenings with Raymond during the day, which leaves the poor man very confused. Will Nora's day and night personalities be reconciled and true love win the day? One guess. :)

HALF ANGEL is by no means a great film, but compared to much of the dreck produced today, it's a pleasant way to pass an hour and 17 minutes.

The supporting cast includes Jim Backus, Cecil Kellaway, and Irene Ryan (Granny of THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES). It was directed by Richard Sale. The lush Technicolor cinematography by the great Milton Krasner does full justice to Young's beautiful gowns by Travilla.

HALF ANGEL is not available on DVD or VHS. It can be viewed on cable as part of the Fox Movie Channel library.

December 2012 Update: HALF ANGEL has been released on DVD-R in the Fox Cinema Archives program.