This movie puts forth the idea that men can love dogs and they can love (or at least prefer the company of) other men -- but don't trust those women! They'll ruin you! One woman makes a lifelong commitment to our hero (later played by Ronald Colman)which she quickly breaks when they meet as adults. The other is a prostitute who is ignorant and mean -- and ruins his greatest painting. So the only proper thing for our hero to do is go back into battle and end his life with MEN! Fighting other MEN! Only there can life be pure and true! Anyway, this is about painter Ronald Colman who is injured in a battle in a Sudan (the opponent natives are rather racistly called 'fuzzies') but makes a friend of Walter Huston (in one of his more mannered, annoying performances). He becomes a big, successful artist but is arrogant about it -- so it's telegraphed that he's going to have a big fall. And he does -- he goes blind from the war injury and that darned prostitute (Ida Lupino in a lively performance) destroys his masterpiece. Still, he has the love of his dog... and he can go back and die bravely in battle. What else would you want? Way too talky and precious and sentimental for me. But Colman is good, no denying that. The scene where he finally goes blind still retains its power.
Review of The Light That Failed
