All I Desire

Naomi Murdoch left her town, husband, three children, and lover to find success in show business. A decade later, she returns home for one evening. But one cannot return without awakening all the loves, pains, longings, and resentments. All I Desire is an exceptional melodrama, written with vast candor, having all emotions plastered on the screen. The film possesses the usual tensions: conservatism versus female independence, career versus family; however, what sets All I Desire apart and such an enjoyable viewing experience is how Sirk directs the film as a continuous dance between actors and camera. The compositions are never resting, always telling a story: balanced and oblique, with every movement of the actors and the camera changing the power plays within the frame. In short, this is a film not to be missed.