The Hasty Heart (1949)

My Review

“The Hasty Heart” is a war drama set in a mobile surgical unit in Burma at the end of World War II. A group of Allied soldiers and one nurse must deal with a disagreeable Scotsman who does not know he is dying from kidney problems. This heavy drama was well directed by Vincent Sherman from a good screenplay by Ranald MacDougall. It is based on a 1945 play of the same name by John Patrick.

The cast includes Richard Todd as the Scottish soldier, Ronald Reagan as the American soldier, Patricia Neal as the nurse, Anthony Nicholls, Howard Marion-Crawford, Ralph Michael, John Sherman, Orlando Martins as other soldiers, Alfie Bass as the orderly, and Robert Douglas as the narrator. “The Hasty Heart” was a modest box office success for Associated British-Pathe and Warner Bros. Pictures. Richard Todd was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. It was filmed entirely in England.