Boy, how times have changed.
While this film doesn't specify when the events occurred, as no motor vehicles are shown, it was probably turn of the century Canada where the entire town and even her own father (Charles Bickford) and Aunt Aggie (Agnes Moorhead) call Belinda MacDonald (Jane Wyman), the Dummy. It's an insult, big time. Fortunately, the town's new doctor, Robert Richardson (Lew Ayres) realizes her potential and soon Belinda's his star student. However, the town bully, Lachlan McCormick (Stephen McNally) also has his eye on her. His girlfriend, Stella (Jan Sterling) has to tell him to stay away from her. Yeah, that is something that you should never have to tell your significant other, to stay away from another. But Locky gets drunk and rapes her. And you know what happens in Hollywood when you have unprotected sex, whether consensual or not. And Belinda does get pregnant. Naturally, her father does not react well, though trying to bully the information out of the victim isn't the best way to handle things.
However, the town interprets the event incorrectly, believing that the doctor is the culprit so life becomes difficult for all parties, and Locky turns into a murderer as well after he and Mac fight due to Mac discovering the truth. And the town then tries to strip Belinda of her son and Locky attempts to kidnap him but she shoots him in the back, dead. So a trial ensues. Fortunately, Stella's big crush on the doctor comes through and she admits that she married a complete and total jackass so Belinda gets her happy ending, thank goodness.
While the plot is basically a soap opera, it also displays how gossip can ruin a person and how you should never underestimate a person just because they can't hear (in this case) and fortunately, the great acting elevates this film into something special. Grade: B+
Side Notes:
-It is bizarre that Robert offers to marry Belinda after Johnny is born, but not once he finds out that she's pregnant as this was a time when being born out of wedlock can truly brand a person for life. Yeah, if he had just married her once he was informed, the two deaths could have been avoided.
-Apparently, at some point for some unknown reason, Locky's wealth evaporates through the course of the film.
-Aunt Aggie really does manage to redeem herself by the end of the film.
-Even though Robert Richardson is supposed to be the hero of the film, it is actually Belinda as Robert makes some assumptions about Belinda from time to time, including assuming that Belinda blocked out the rape from her mind like it's a trauma (which it is), and while she may have, he should never assume.
-Belinda never has her follow up visit with Dr. Gray.
-The timeline between announcing the marriage bands between Locky and Stella and their actual wedding is bizarre as I thought the bands were read in the weeks leading up to the wedding, not months as they don't get married until after the baby is born.
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