Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957)

The mismatched relationship is a standard Hollywood contrivance, and it's used to good effect in John Huston's Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison. In this particular pairing, the steely hero is a marine (Robert Mitchum) and the obstinate woman is a nun (Deborah Kerr). In a situation reminiscent of Huston's The African Queen, Mitchum and Kerr are stuck together on an island in the South Pacific during World War II, trying to survive and do their part against the enemy. With their mature performances, Kerr and Mitchum dignify what could have been a manufactured romantic adventure. Kerr was nominated for her fourth Academy Award for her portrayal of the woman divided between her love for God and her attraction for the marine. She and Mitchum would appear together in three other movies, The Sundowners, The Grass Is Greener, and the made-for-cable Reunion at Fairborough. ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide