"Because of You" is a noir adjacent romance starring Loretta Young and Jeff Chandler. The story centers around Christine (Loretta Young), who unknowingly becomes involved with a gangster, Mike, and ends up taking the fall for a part in his crimes. After serving time in prison, she begins to rebuild her life.
Working as a nurse's aide she falls in love and married a troubled war veteran, Steve (Jeff Chandler). But at what cost? Christine is haunted by her past. She struggles to avoid revealing her record to the emotionally fragile Steve for fear of shocking him, and perhaps losing her new life. Complications arise when Mike suddenly reappears.
Back then they didn't use the phrase PTSD, Steve suffers from "melancholy." Made in 1952 (the story of the film begins during the war), a story centered so directly around a the trauma of combat was not common.
"Because of You" is a mixed bag, and more than a little a melodrama. The performances of Chandler and Young are exceptional, no surprise there. And the core of the plot is intriguing. Unfortunately it doesn't have much else going for it. There is however a magic show.
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