Hold Back the Dawn

The performances are fine, but Hold Back the Dawn (1941) is a very conventional Charles Boyer-style romance, even with it's immigrant angle and love triangle. It simple goes on forever without much of interest happening. A few sweet moments, a light chase from the immigrant officer, and the best part, the tension between the two ladies in his life, Olivia de Havilland & Paulette Goddard. One would think with such a scenario, they could have created a lot more danger.

A nice immigration comedy with a couple of beautiful ladies vying for a guy with a bad accent. Dated relationship sensibilities. Disheartening to see that US immigration has not improved much since 1941. Could have picked a better turning point for his attraction to her than a boring Mexican ceremony. How lucky is he that Olivia de Havilland is the dumpy schoolteacher? Fav scene: Paulette Goddard being a good foil and trying to shatter de Havilland's image of Boyer in their hotel room.

Viewed April 13, 2020.

Pretty sure that de Havilland couldn't turn in a sub-par performance even if she played a field with a bigger handicap than Charles Boyer but nothing about the rest of the film rises above meh-ness.