Sally Forrest and Keefe Brasselle are "Not Wanted"

Not Wanted (1949) is an American drama directed by Elmer Clifton (and an uncredited Ida Lupino) and starring Sally Forrest, Keefe Brasselle, and Leo Penn. The screenplay was written by Lupino and Paul Jarrico, and produced by Lupino and Anson Bond. The film score was composed by Leith Stevens (All My Sons 1948).

Sally Kelton (Forrest) feels put upon by her parents and leaves home to follow Steve Ryan (Penn) a traveling musician. He abandons her when he finds out she’s pregnant. Not knowing where to turn, she finds herself in a home for unwed mothers. She gives up her child for adoption which leaves Sally feeling empty and unworthy of love. When she meets Drew Baxter (Brasselle), a disabled veteran will she be able to feel wanted at last?

Keefe Brasselle and Sally Forrest

Elmer Clifton (1890 – 1949) was an American writer, director, and actor going back to the days of the silent era. He worked with D. W. Griffith and acted in The Birth of a Nation (1915) and Intolerance (1916). He directed Dorothy Gish and a pre-stardom Rudolph Valentino. He discovered Clara Bow and directed her in Down to the Sea in Ship (1923). During the sound era, Clifton directed westerns and other genre pictures. Three days into directing Not Wanted, he suffered a heart attack and wasn’t able to work anymore. Lupino gave Clifton on-screen directing credit even though she directed most of the film.

Ida Lupino (1918 – 1995) was an English-American actress, director, and producer. She appeared in over 50 films and was one of Warner Bros.’s biggest contract players during the 1940s starring in High Sierra (1941), The Sea Wolf (1941), and The Man I Love (1947). After she left Warner Bros., Lupino formed her own production company, producing, writing, and directing films that tackled subjects the big studios wouldn’t touch. During the 1950s, Lupino was the only female director working in Hollywood. She directed several small independent films but really made a name for herself directing for television. Lupino directed episodes of The Twilight Zone (starred in one too), The Rifleman, Bonanza, Gilligan’s Island, It Takes a Thief, Family Affair, and Columbo. In 1966, she directed her one-and-only big-budget studio picture, The Trouble with Angels starring Rosalind Russell and Haley Mills.

Sally Forrest (1928 – 2015) was an American film, stage, and TV actress. She was also a dancer and was signed to a contract with M-G-M right after high school. At M-G-M, she was a chorus dancer. Her acting debut was in in Not Wanted (1949), produced and directed by Ida Lupino. She starred in two other films directed by Lupino, Never Fear (1949) and Hard, Fast and Beautiful (1951). After her marriage in 1953, Sally began to work on television and the stage. She starred on Broadway in The Seven Year Itch, Damn Yankees, and Bus Stop. Her last film was While the City Sleeps (1956) co-starring Dana Andrews, Rhonda Fleming, and Ida Lupino.

Keefe Brasselle (1923 – 1981) was an American film and television actor, producer, and author. He was groomed for major stardom in 1953 with the title role in The Eddie Cantor Story. The film wasn’t the success the studio had hoped for and Brasselle never attained major stardom. He acted on TV during its Golden Age. He was a producer of several TV shows that didn’t get high enough ratings to be well-remembered today. He later wrote two novels which were thinly veiled accounts of his life as a producer at CBS. Brasselle starred in two films directed by Ida Lupino, the other one being Never Fear (1949), also co-starring Sally Forrest.

Leo Penn (1921 – 1998) was an American actor and director and the father of musician Michael Penn and actors Sean and Chris Penn. Penn’s movie career was cut short during the House Un-American Activities Committee. He refused to name names and was accused of addressing a Communist political meeting. This resulted in him losing his contract with Paramount and resulted in him being blacklisted. Penn found work as a director for television. Some of the shows he directed include I Spy, Lost in Space, Star Trek, Kojak, Magnum P.I., and Father Murphy

Not Wanted trivia

• The Motion Picture Production Code rejected the original title Unwed Mother.
• Ida Lupino was invited to speak about this film on the radio with Eleanor Franklin and her daughter Ana.
• The film was a financial success and propelled Ida Lupino into the role of producer/director with her independent production company The Filmakers.
• The original director, Elmer Clifton, died shortly after the film's release.

To watch the film on YouTube, click on the link below.

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Discussion questions

1. When the movie was released, it was quite sensational. What was your reaction to it today?
2. Were the characterizations of Sally Forrest, Keefe Brasselle, and Leo Penn believable and realistic?
3. Ida Lupino had never planned on directing, but the death of Elmer Clifton forced her into that position. Do you think the film might have had a different feel if a man directed it?
4. Did anything about the film surprise you?
5. Did the film remind you of other movies you've seen?