None But the Lonely Heart

A fascinating but dissatisfying adaptation by Odets of Richard Llewellyn's tale of a Cockney wastrel, living in the London slums of the '30s, who mends his selfish ways when he realises that his mum (Barrymore) is dying. Bogus poetry wrecks the Cockney dialogue, dripping sentimentality and a distinctly Hollywoodian East End soften the darker shadows of the piece. The performances, however, and George Barnes' camerawork are worth watching.