Panama Smith "Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty." - David Hume, philosopherThe quote above captures the elegance and effervescence of "The Enchanted Cottage". Two souls who have been bruised by life, find happiness together in "The Enchanted Cottage". Laura (Dorothy McGuire), is a maid at the cottage, while engaged couple Oliver (Robert Young) and Beatrice (Hillary Brooke) plan on honeymooning there in a short while. John Hillgrove (Herbert Marshall) is a blind man whose vision is more than 20/20 when it comes to a person's true goodness. The cottage's caretaker, Mrs. Abigail Minnett (Mildred Natwick) has seen couples come and go to this little location of love. Mrs. Minnett and Laura share a sisterhood of solitude, which only a lonely soul can comprehend. As in this short interaction between them from the film, both women hold that hollowness of a heart hoping for light: Mrs. Abigail Minnett - Do you know what loneliness is, real loneliness?Laura Pennington - Yes.Mrs. Abigail Minnett - I thought you would.From the outside, this cottage and the grounds surrounding it, may not have the appearance of a five-star hotel. But, it is what is seen through the eyes of affection and adoration that brings the decor to life. As we all know, sometimes life doesn't go as planned. In this film, what may seem to be a tragedy; actually is a blessing in disguise. Oliver returns to the cottage alone and he and Laura find they are kindred souls. More than just physical beauty is what they see in one another. It is that light inside of them, which brings out the glow on their surfaces. Yet, the main character is not one flesh and bone; but it is a cottage of hopes and dreams. It proves that dreams of devotion never truly die; for they just hibernate amongst the snowflakes of Winter. It just takes a warm heart to change tears of isolation into tears of joy. "The Enchanted Cottage" is not just a place to visit. It is a state of mind that will remain in your heart, long after you watch this treasure.

dougdoepke I suspect the movie is mostly a matter of taste. It does get pretty sticky toward the end. Nonetheless, it's a slick production even if RKO's idea of uglyfying the lovely McGuire is to thicken the eyebrows and leave off the makeup. I wish they would have really made her homely; that way the story would be even more poignant. But Hollywood being Hollywood, there's no way they would have chanced the audience sticking with a truly homely female lead, in make-up or not.The moral, however, is a strong one—the transformative power of love. Oliver (Young) senses Laura's (McGuire) inner beauty, such that in his eyes her inner beauty is transformed magically by the enchanted cottage into an outer beauty, as well. At the same time, Laura transforms his crippled arm into a body made whole by the power of her love inside the enchanted cottage. Of course, the changes only exist in the eyes of the lovers, and once others reveal this to the lovers, they must deal with their true physical appearance, which they are able to do thanks to the love they now share. This is all brought off in fairly effective fashion, thanks to McGuire's compelling performance and RKO's outstanding art and set departments, respectively. The exterior sets, in particular, complement the overall special mood. Then too, McGuire was always able to project a soulful quality when needed. I darn near cried when Laura, liberated from her duties as a kitchen drudge, is snubbed at the dance. Catch her fleeting expressions of hope as they pass into defeat as the young soldiers, one by one, withdraw from her physical plainness. It's heart-breaking. For me, it was a compelling performance. Also, Herbert Marshall's pivotal role as the blind pianist shouldn't be overlooked. He, of course, is able to sense the inner worthiness of the disfigured lovers before they themselves do. And Marshall brings it off in typically persuasive fashion.The movie's basically a romantic parable, sticking to that theme throughout. In short, the results are certainly not a Rambo or The Terminator, and thus, not everyone's cup of tea. But the movie (despite the few flaws) certainly works for me, hauntingly, since I first saw it many, many years ago.

bkoganbing The Enchanted Cottage is about two emotionally wounded people who find themselves and find love in the cottage where the man was supposed to honeymoon with his intended bride and the woman worked as a maid to the lady who owned the place.Robert Young who is a Boston Brahmin has plans to marry the beautiful Hillary Brooke and they've got a beautiful seaside cottage owned by Mildred Natwick in which to honeymoon. They're about to close the deal when it's announced that Pearl Harbor has been attacked. Like so many others the war puts a hold on personal plans and Young goes off to enlist. But Young comes back from the war facially disfigured, no longer the charming and self assured to the manor born type he was before. He takes the cottage not for a honeymoon, but for solitude as he wants to shut the world out.Dorothy McGuire plays the rather plain Jane maid who Natwick employs and who crushes out big time on Young at first sight. He doesn't notice her back then, but he notices her now and the two when they start to open up and communicate discover love. Is it them or is it the cottage they're in who some say does cast an enchantment over folks.The Enchanted Cottage is a Madame X style weepy woman's picture made enjoyable by the sincere performances of its stars. McGuire is truly touching why she did not get an Oscar nomination is really ridiculous. The film did get one nomination for Best Musical Scoring.On hand also is Herbert Marshall as a blind veteran from the first World War who is a pianist. Marshall was in fact a wounded veteran, he lost a leg in combat there and understood his character very well. He guides the younger generation to some self realization. Spring Byington plays Young's mother and her usual flighty character takes on a bit of an edge to it as she can't see what kind of angst Young is going through.The Enchanted Cottage holds up very well for today's audiences, it could probably be remade with very few changes made and then only to place and time because the message about love is timeless.

lastliberal This Oscar-nominated film (Score) is interesting in it's background. It was designed for returning GIs after WWII who were disfigured by the war and to ease their return.It features a homely girl (Oscar Nominated Dorothy McGuire (Gentleman's Agreement) who has given up hope of finding love. She meets a dashing pilot (Robert Young of "Marcus Welby, M.D." and "Father Knows Best" fame) before he is called to duty. he returns a year later disfigured and depressed.This is a story of love. The two become enchanted with each other, marry, and are transformed into beautiful people. The transformation occurs only in their eyes, however, but does not destroy what they have.Made even more enjoyable by the addition of Oscar-nominated Spring Byington (You Can't Take It with You, Because You're Mine), who played Young's mother. Byinton is best know to TV watchers for "December bride."