Because of You
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Joseph Pevney
Loretta Young
Jeff Chandler
Alex Nicol
Frances Dee
Alexander Scourby
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
The night before their wedding, racketeer Mike Monroe tries to protect his fiancée, Christine Carroll, from the police by sending her out to his car. As she unknowingly carries his envelope full of drug money, however, she is arrested and imprisoned for years. In jail, Chris works hard to earn her high school degree and learn nursing. Once released, she becomes a nurse's aide in a veteran's hospital in Long Beach, California, where she meets wounded pilot Steve Kimberly. Attending physician Dr. Breen informs Chris that during the war, Steve relived the memory of his parents' death and as a result now suffers emotional as well as physical wounds. Having noticed the attraction between the two, he warns Chris that too much strain may cause Steve to have a mental breakdown. The next day, Chris visits Mike in jail to inform him that she no longer loves him, and though he responds callously, he is obviously hurt. Back at the hospital, Steve's sister, Susan Arnold, visits and asks Chris not to hurt her brother. As she is afraid to admit her past to him, Chris requests a transfer to another hospital, which crushes Steve. As soon as he can leave the hospital, he tracks her down and confesses his love, and although Chris admits she loves him too, she still cannot bring herself to reveal her prison record. The two become engaged, and when the hospital throws them a party, Dr. Breen informs Chris that she will have to put off the wedding for a few months until Steve is stronger and can take her confession. She cannot convince Steve to listen to her, however, and agrees to marry him only if they keep their marriage a secret. On their wedding night, she admits that there was another man before him, and he eventually forgives her. Months later, Chris receives her discharge from parole, and immediately announces her marriage. By Christmas, they are expecting a child. Three years later, Chris's happy home life is interrupted by a visit from Mike, who has just been released from prison and wants Chris to accompany him to Mexico. Although he claims that he is leaving the country and merely needs an escort, he is actually running drugs again, and threatens to hurt Chris's daughter Kim if Chris does not help him. When the police try to stop them on their way back into America, Mike crashes the car and dies. At the hospital, Steve overhears reporters discussing the story, and days later, divorces Chris and is awarded full custody of Kim. Despondent, Chris is forced to work as the assistant to a traveling magician. At every children's show, she searches the audience for Kim. Her talent grows over the years and she soon becomes half of "The Marvels" magic show. One day, Chris learns that Steve is visiting Paris and rushes to see Kim at his estate in Philadelphia. There, Susan is throwing a children's birthday party, and recognizes Chris. She informs her that Kim, now seven years old, is a melancholy child with few friends. Chris joins the magic show in order to convince Kim to smile, and although she succeeds, Susan's husband asks her to leave. Soon after, Susan visits to ask Chris to pose as Kim's nurse, "Marvy." Kim improves under her beloved nurse's care and soon is happy and well-adjusted. Steve returns early from Paris, however, and discovers Chris. Before he can fire her, he sees her flee the estate, stopping to hug Kim tearfully. Kim immediately becomes depressed again and a doctor tells Steve that the child needs feminine love. He decides to marry his girl friend, Rosemary Balder, but just as they kiss, Kim announces she has received a letter from Marvy. As Steve reads the letter, in which Chris asks Kim to hide her unhappiness from her father to protect him, Rosemary realizes he still loves Chris and leaves. Steve rushes to find Chris at her parents' farm and asks her if they can start over again. Overjoyed, she falls into his arms.
Director
Joseph Pevney
Cast
Loretta Young
Jeff Chandler
Alex Nicol
Frances Dee
Alexander Scourby
Lynne Roberts
Gayle Reed
Mae Clark
Billy Wayne
Morris Ankrum
Helen Wallace
Frances Morris
Harry Mendoza
Vici Raaf
Betty Reilly
Frances Karath
Jori Weil
Dorothy Patterson
Bodil Miller
Philip Van Zandt
Dayton Lummis
Russ Conway
Jim Shaw
Vernon Rich
Norman Evans
Grace Lenard
Elinor Bassett
William Lester
Arthur Space
Keith Richards
Howard Hampton
Robert Spencer
Charles Sherlock
Richard Gordon
Julian Rivero
Carlos Rivero
Mary Alan Hokanson
Ann Tyrrell
Gail Bonney
Dorothy Kennedy
Peggy Leon
William Ruhl
Douglas Banks
Dick Winslow
Dabbs Greer
Jan Arven
Dennis Ross
Helen Noyes
Joe Dominguez
Jay Stafford
Brick Sullivan
Barbara Ann Moore
Norman Moore
Jeanne Browning
Linda Gay
Janet Tucker
Karen Green
Mary Donovan
Vera Burnett
Bill Cassady
Tom Royal
Norman Wayne
Claudia Jordon
Harold J. Varney
George Calliga
Paul Bryar
Frank Marlowe
Scott Lee
Larry Craine
Robert Strong
Paul Ely
Ray Brown
Truman Herron
Scott Beal
Tina Menard
Kim Charney
Crew
Glenn Anderson
Frank Artman
John Austin
Leslie I. Carey
Everett Carter
Robert Clatworthy
Albert J. Cohen
Ketti Frings
Russell A. Gausman
Jack Gertsman
Arthur Hammerstein
Bernard Herzbrun
Inez James
Frank Loesser
Russell Metty
Buddy Pepper
Bill Richards
Ruth Roberts
Thelma Robinson
Milton Rosen
Larry Russell
Frank Shaw
Frank Skinner
Joan St. Oegger
Bill Thomas
Virgil Vogel
James Welch
Bud Westmore
Frank Wilkenson
Dudley Wilkinson
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title for this film was Magic Lady. Although a October 31, 1951 Hollywood Reporter news item states that the script was written by both Thelma Robinson and George Haight, all other sources and the onscreen credits list Robinson and Ketti Frings as scenarists. The Variety review erroneously asserts that Because of You marked Frances Dee's return to the screen after a long absence; although she acted infrequently, she had appeared in the 1948 picture Four Faces West and in the 1951 RKO film Payment on Demand (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1941-50 and entry below). Philip Van Zandt and Harry Mendoza, who play magicians in the film, were both former magicians. According to a Los Angeles Examiner news item, at the time that Loretta Young made this film, she was also launching a Las Vegas-based television station with Irene Dunne. The film includes a scene in which the characters watch a Woody Woodpecker cartoon which is heard, but not pictured.
In May 1953, magician Geraldine Larsen sued Universal for $250,000 for alledgedly appropriating her stage name, "The Magic Lady," as well as her costume and mannerisms. Larsen asserted that the connection of her likeness with a criminal character caused her "humiliation" and "public scorn." She also asked for an injunction restraining the studio from showing the film until the character was removed. According to a June 1953 Hollywood Reporter news item, the case was sent to state Superior Court. Although the exact ruling in the case is not known, the character of "Christine" is never referred to as "The Magic Lady" during the film. On November 2, 1953, Jeff Chandler reprised his role, this time joined by June Allyson, in the Lux Radio Theatre presentation of this film, while the October 25, 1956 Lux Video Theatre version starred Vera Miles and John Bentley.
