Irene Dunne at her dramatic best

Irene Dunne never made a poor movie. Indeed, I find her to be the finest actress, in either drama or comedy (at which she excelled) to never win the Academy Award. She should have. Several times over she should have.

In "A Guy Named Joe" Irene Dunne does several things that remind me of her greatness:

1. She holds her own with the best, Spenser Tracy. She would do so as well with Carey Grant and with William Powell. But here, she perfectly matches the great performance by Tracy and by Van Johnson.

2. She exhibits the perfect instincts, timing and use of eyes and facial responses to establish the authenticity of the character and the moment and intensify the emotive response of the viewer.

3. Her piloting the fighter in taking on the Japanese ammunition depot, with the departed Spenser Tracy in the back seat, is unforgettable. Holly Hunter in Speilberg's remake cannot match the intensity of the moment, not only for the mere acting ability, but also for the times. Imagine, a woman piloting a fighter, becoming a WWII heroine, taking on an enemy in the midst of exploding shells and detonating bombs, and flying, confidently through the smoke and debris to successfully bring the ship home and secure the victory. It cannot truly be compared to the modern version of the film It stands alone as does Dunne's performance of this first for women in film.

4. Her beauty, a sort of Midwestern, all-American girl beauty, is every present. She plays a character in the same way as Jimmy Stewart plays a character: with ease and believability and likability. Like Stewart, she leaves you feeling good, and she leaves you wanting more.

Get the movie. Bring the whole family together to watch it. And enjoy Irene Dunne at her dramatic best. Then go out and get "My Favorite Wife" to see how she so easily transitions into a comedic role with the same powerful effect on the viewer.