Why is Ann Harding playing an elderly woman??
I assumed at first that the story would be told in flashback, so they would need scenes of Ann Harding as a younger woman - like Greer Garson in Mrs. Parkington or Merle Oberon in Lydia.
But there are no flashbacks! So why in the word would you take the time to age Ann Harding every day when you could just choose an older actress? There were some great character actresses who could have handled this role - I'm thinking of Beulah Bondi, Spring Byington, Gladys Cooper, or Lucile Watson.