If This Be Sin (1949) - Romantic Drama

A sophisticated and controversial romantic drama about a woman's affair with a younger man, set against the backdrop of the beautiful but restrictive Italian island of Capri.

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📖 STORY
On the idyllic Isle of Capri,a wealthy and unhappily married American woman, Cynthia, falls deeply in love with a young, handsome English artist. Their passionate affair offers Cynthia a chance at true happiness and escape from her sterile marriage. However, their romance ignites a storm of gossip and moral condemnation from the small-minded expatriate community. Cynthia must choose between the dictates of conventional society and the pursuit of her own heart, a decision that comes with profound personal consequences.

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⭐ HIGHLIGHTS
•Hollywood legend Myrna Loy in a rare, late-career European role
•Scandalous (for its time) plot involving adultery and a May-December romance
•Breathtaking location filming on the Isle of Capri
•A critique of societal hypocrisy and moral double standards
•Based on the novel "The Game and the Candle" by Robert Carson

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🎬 PRODUCTION DETAILS
•Genre: Drama, Romance
•Director: Gregory Ratoff
•Runtime: 98 minutes (also released as a 95-minute version)
•Cast: Myrna Loy, Peggy Cummins, Richard Greene, Roger Livesey
•Country: United Kingdom
•Alternate Title: Released in the USA as "That Dangerous Age"

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🎪 BEHIND THE SCENES
•The film was heavily re-edited and shortened for its American release, where it was retitled "That Dangerous Age" to better appeal to audiences.
•Director Gregory Ratoff also produced the film and had a cameo role.
•For Myrna Loy, this was part of her shift away from the Hollywood studio system towards more international and independent projects.
•The film captures the post-war "jet-set" atmosphere of Capri, a popular haven for artists and expatriates.

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🏛️ CULTURAL LEGACY
"If This Be Sin"is a fascinating example of the kind of adult-themed romantic drama that was being produced in post-war European cinema. It serves as a time capsule of late 1940s social mores and the tensions between personal desire and public reputation. While not a major critical success, it remains an interesting curio in Myrna Loy's filmography and a testament to the enduring cinematic appeal of Capri as a setting for passion and scandal.

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💬 DISCUSSION
How does this film handle the theme of female desire compared to its contemporaries?Does the stunning Capri location serve as a character in itself? How does Myrna Loy's performance compare to her iconic 1930s roles?

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