This beautiful production from the early 1930s of a dark shadow hanging over the promise of glorious love and happiness is one of Norma Shearer’s loveliest performances. The romance between poets Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett was filmed with a class and meticulous care only MGM could muster. Under Sidney Franklin’s direction, William Daniels’ photography, and the period flourish provided by Cedric Gibbons, this became one of the greatest romantic dramas ever to be filmed.

Shearer loses her considerable modern slinky charm and projects a luminous class as Elizabeth Barrett, a shining soul living with illness in a house strangled of love by her cruel and repressed father. Charles Laughton plays the role to quite horrible perfection. Elizabeth’s only lifeline is her correspondence with fellow poet Robert Browning. He has fallen in love with her through her letters. She is hesitant to meet him, however, because of her health and her father’s demeanor.

When they finally overcome that hurdle and meet it is an infectious hurricane of joy and optimism embracing life which restores Elizabeth’s spirits, and begins to restore her health. Fredric March is marvelous in a role you would not normally expect from him. Browning’s overwhelming lust for life, and his love for Elizabeth must battle the cruel oppression of her father, who rules his home and his daughters therein as though love were an evil thing. His own unhappiness and repression is revealed bit by bit as the film progresses, until Elizabeth must decide what kind of life she will live, and whether she will repeat the mistakes of her mother.

So lovely and charming is the performance of Maureen O'Sullivan as Elizabeth’s younger sister Henrietta, herself trying to find love under a roof full of fear and hatred, that only Shearer’s magical presence is able to shift the focus from her plight. Una O’Connor is also fabulous as Elizabeth’s servant, whose unquestioned devotion will be needed when the temptation to actually live becomes too strong for the sisters to ignore.

Shearer is simply breathtaking here, giving a restrained yet emotional performance that probably would have garnered her another Academy Award had “It Happened One Night” not been filmed by Frank Capra the same year. This is a lush and romantic film, beautifully shot and acted. Everything is perfect, right down to Elizabeth’s dog, Flush. It takes a little while to develop, but those who keep watching are richly rewarded with one of the great romances of the silver screen. A beautiful film of love truly being all. ( )