thejcowboy22 Review of Bright Victory

Bright Victory (1951)

It takes a blind man to see the world more clearly.

[5/10 · 8 November 2021]

Sunday evening, the fall of 1965 watching the Ed Sullivan Show with my Grandpa Abe. Generations have passed since this landmark variety show aired on the CBS network. Mr. Sullivan was originally a columnist for a large New York newspaper who branched out to the new medium of television. Originally coined "The Talk Of The Town", the one-hour program was a rating success because Ed being a marketing genius, knew what the viewers wanted to watch. Ed would circle the globe to pick the best acts from music, opera, ballet, comedy, magic/novelty, and contemporary rock and roll groups. One such novelty act consisted of twenty-five men singing patriotic favorites, The U. S. Marine Corps choir. One of the men was Black as the camera gave a close-up shot to each of the participants. . When the camera came to the black soldier's closeup I began to laugh and said to my Grandpa he looks funny with those big lips. My Grandpa's disposition changed dramatically as his face was filled with irritation by my racial comment. His response was, "You don't know this man. For all you know he is probably the best singer in that group and maybe the best soldier on the base. I watched Bright Victory many years ago on the Million Dollar Movie. The movie starts as a typical war-oriented action movie but quite innocently. Sargent Larry Nevins (Arthur Kennedy ) gets stuck by a snipers' bullet to the head. Next, our recovering Sargent is recuperating in a stateside Army hospital for blinded soldiers. After getting over the shock of being permanently blind, he works on his disability by memorization and the use of a cane. Larry walks the hospital grounds and befriends a fellow recovering blind soldier named Joe Morgan (James Edwards). Larry's progression is going smoothly as he ventures into town and meets a bank teller. Judy (Peggy Dow) who also contributes her time at the hospital for disabled soldiers. One day Larry blirts out a racial comment in front of newly acquired friend Joe. What Larry didn't know is that Joe is Black Man. Larry's progress earns him furlough as Judy takes an interest in Larry. She invites him to her Brother-in-law's cabin for a weekend of fishing. There Larry meets Bill Grayson (Jim Backus). Bill explains to Larry that his life is not over and tells him about a Blind lawyer friend he wants him to meet. Judy professed her love for Larry but Larry says he has a fiance in his southern hometown. More obstacles and life lessons for Larry as he ventures down south to his hometown. I personally learned a few life lessons by watching this film. The mirror scene got to me personally as Larry learned for the first time that his vision was permanently gone but this doesn't ruin the story. We learn that there are kind and caring strangers out there. We also learn that you judge people not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Notable players in the film,. Will Geer plays Larry's father. Julie Adams as Larry's fiance. Others participants; Larry Keating as the blind lawyer with an eye-opening pitch for his future. Richard Egan, Minor Watson, and, mentioning Minor, Rock Hudson and, Murray Hamilton in minor rolls. I often think back to that evening with my Grandpa watching the Marines singing in harmony and my error in profiling someone who is different.