Though few of today's generation probably knows her name, they may recognize her as Bernadette in "The Song of Bernadette," which pops up on television around Easter.
Jones was one of Hollywood's hottest stars starting with "Bernadette" in 1943. For the next decade, she starred alongside Joseph Cotten, Gregory Peck, William Holden, Rock Hudson, Charlton Heston and Claudette Colbert.
But unlike many of her peers, Jones was a private person and with the exception of her love affair with producer David O. Selznick and divorce from actor Robert Walker, steered clear of the limelight. As a result, she is not nearly as remembered as her contemporaries such as Katharine Hepburn, Betty Davis and Ingrid Bergman.
Her performances starting with "Bernadette" are unforgettable, however.
Here are six of her finest roles available on video or DVD.
"The Song of Bernadette" (1943) -- Jones won an Oscar for her performance as the peasant girl who claims a vision of the Virgin Mary leads her to discover the healing fountain at Lourdes. Other stars include Vincent Price, Charles Bickford, Gladys Cooper and Lee J. Cobb. See if you can watch it without shedding a tear.
"Duel in the Sun" (1946) -- Jones (pictured above with Gregory Peck) plays against type as a sexy half-breed who turns a Texas family upside down when she comes to live with them. Other stars include Gregory Peck, Joseph Cotten and Lionel Barrymore.
"Love In a Many-Splendored Thing" (1955) -- Jones is an Eurasian doctor who has an affair with an American reporter (Holden) against the backdrop of the Communist takeover of China.
"Ruby Gentry" (1952) -- Jones is a woman who marries a rich man while she still carries a torch for another. Other stars include Charlton Heston and Karl Malden.
"A Farewell to Arms" (1957) -- Jones is an English nurse who falls in love with an American soldier (Rock Hudson) in Italy during World War I in this remake of the Hemingway story.
"The Towering Inferno" (1974) -- Jones is one of a dozen stars in this disaster epic about a fire in a high-rise that was released 35 years ago today (thanks to Mike Pfaff for that nugget). Other stars include Paul Newman, William Holden, Steve McQueen and O.J.
I adored Jennifer Jones.. She was so beautiful and had such a fabulous presence on screen. She was particularly awesome in Beat in the Devil, which also starred Bogart; but my favourite role of hers was Pearl in Duel in the Sun.
ReplyDeleteA classy lady and one of the old-guard legends. She kept it together and hopefully had a fulfilling life.
ReplyDelete