lame scene

"I know this film is a classic...and was a fantasy...but if this film was suppose to be about hope... a kinder world and a chance at happiness... a better ...more positive message would have been that Oliver was Brave enough to face the world...no matter what he looked like...because he DID have a great inner self. And when out in public met the homely...but lovely-hearted Laura ... because she too had a great inner self. And after getting to know each other...they fell in love... because it IS what's on the inside and not on the outside. And Oliver's parents would be thrilled to meet Laura...so happy that Oliver and Laura were lucky enough to find each other. All smiles and joy. :) "

At the point that Oliver met Laura again he had just been badly injured in the war and rejected by his fiance. No wonder he wasn't ready to go out and face the world. He needed some time to regroup himself and adjust to his new situation. For him, and Laura, the cottage was a safe haven from the cruelty of the world and it's setting is important as a place Laura and Oliver can feel safe with each other and learn to trust one another and then fall in love.

"But on the other hand... doesn't this film send an unhealthy message? Making slightly unattractive people as self-absorbed outcast? Maybe it would have been more relevant ... and believable if Oliver and Laura were truly disfigured...and you could understand their pain and reluctance to go out publicly. Like if Oliver had extreme burns...and Laura had 'actual' features that are thought of as unattractive...like a very big nose, crooked buck teeth, beady eyes, humped back, huge ears, warts... whatever. All this Laura needed was a little make-up to change her from homely to pretty. lol She didn't even need any 'magic'. "

First off, Oliver was disfigured. His face was messed up on one side and he had lost use of one of his arms. One of the critisms regarding Laura is that she is not really ugly and only needs a little makeup. If there is a "weakness" in this film I suppose that this would be it. Obviously, Dorothy McGuire is very beautiful but the film makers did the best they could with makeup to make her look plain so you just have to suspend some disbelief and go with it. I think that McGuire does a convincing job playing someone who is homely and with little self confidence. Also, Oliver is really the only character who refuses to go out because he is still adjusting to his injury. I don't think you're giving his character enough understanding of what he is going through. How would you feel if you were disfigured and lost the use of one of your hands after fighting in a war. I think it would be pretty trumatic.

"But the message of the film was sad. This whole obsession with their looks and self pity because of their 'homely' looks...like they had no 'worth' because they weren't pretty enough. Then Laura and Oliver are SO pleased with themselves when they think they're pretty...(like pretty is SO much better...pretty is all that matters)."

I don't think you're being very sympathic to people in their situation. Being homely, ugly, disfigured, or just fat isn't very easy. People aren't always very kind to these type of people or they just ignore then. The film showed us several examples of this 1. When Oliver fiance rejects him after his injury 2. When Laura is ignored and no one will dance with her at the canteen, and 3 Oliver's mother's own reaction to her son and Laura. If you don't think these kind of things happen I don't think you have a very realistic view of the world because they do. If Laura and Oliver don't feel like they're worth much it's because of the way they are treated by a lot of people.

Secondly, I don't think that Laura and Oliver are SO pleased with themselves because they think they're pretty it's because they have fallen in love with one another! Most people are very happy when they first fall in love (nothing wrong with that) and yes usually people even belive the person they love looks pretty good!

"Which I understand that Laura loved oliver ...and saw the good in him...so she saw him as a handsome man... and the same went for oliver loving Laura and seeing her as pretty. That makes sense. But it makes a little less sense that they suddenly... vainly... see ThemSelves as pretty too. "

This goes back to what I previously said. At this point in the story, Laura and Oliver are in the first blush of love so yes, everything looks pretty good to them even their own appearence.

"I'm not quite sure why...after the change... they still hide their faces in shame when they went into town at night. (And what was there to be ashamed about..even if homely?). Today Oliver and Laura would have just got plastic surgery. Which it seems...would have solved all their problems."

I'm not sure at which point in the film you are referring to here. Once, they have their "transformation" (which we do find out is only in their minds at the end) they cover up because they still have an instinct about what the truth is and they cover themselves up, almost unknowingly, so they don't break the spell. At the very end of the film, when they are covered up, I think that is a tease to the audience that even though they now know the truth about how they look to each other they still look beautiful.

"Plus how shallow was Oliver's cold-hearted parents? When they come to see Oliver and Laura ...they react to them as if they're hideous. Wouldn't a caring mother react to Oliver and Laura as 'people'...not ugly creatures. Wouldn't a loving parent just be happy to be with her son ... be happy he found love... and have a pleasant visit. But no ...because apparently Oliver and Laura are too hideous to visit with...too upsetting to look at. The mom insults Laura...and they leave as soon as they get there. Even the maid that liked Oliver and Laura...wouldn't make eye contact. How insincere and rude."

Actually, it's only Oliver's mother who is pretty clueless and doesn't treat Laura very well. But generally I agree with your general idea here. The "maid" however, is actually Mrs. Minnett, the lady who owns the cottage. She doesn't make eye contact with the couple not because she's insincer and rude but because she realizes they believe the cottage has cast a spell on them and she respects that and doesn't want to spoil it for them by telling them the truth.

" I realize in the end Laura and Oliver accepted each other as they really were. But according to the story Oliver and Laura only turned pretty...(acceptable) ... because someone loved them...and saw their inner self. But what is the message to unattractive people? What if a homely/disfigured person doesn't find someone to love them? Not everyone is lucky enough to find their soul mate. Does that mean the homely person should feel ugly... unacceptable ... or worthless forever...since there's no mate to see their inner beauty? "

Part of the message here is that when you fall in love with someone you do see their inner goodness, beauty, and light. I also think the message is just because someone may be ugly that is no reason to treat them as unacceptable...or worthless forever... we should treat everyone with dignity and respect.

"The film tries to send the message that beauty is in the eye of the beholder ... that love conquers all... and it's your inner beauty that counts. But it also sends a shallow message that someone less-than-perfect... needs someone else to love them...to be able to face the world."

The film does not anyplace say that if a "homely" person does not find a mate they aren't worthwhile you are just reading more into it then is there. The film is about two lonely people who are shunned by the world because of how they look. They find each other and fall in love because they see the true inner beauty inside each other. Their love is so deep and so true that they belive there is a physical manifestation caused by the enchanted cottage. Their good friends do their best to help them sustaint this belief but even when faced with the truth they still see each other as the shining beings they are. Where is the shallow message here?

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Good point and interesting analysis.

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