Sluggish pace; Clift looks bored
“Lonelyhearts,” based on the novel “Miss Lonelyhearts” by Nathaniel West (“The Day of the Locust”), is a drama of idealism and cynicism set in the world of journalism. Directed by Vincent J. Donohoe, the film features an all-star cast and an Academy Award-nominated performance by a newcomer.<br /><br />At the suggestion of Florence Shrike (Myrna Loy), wife of newspaper editor Bill Shrike (Robert Ryan), aspiring writer Adam White (Montgomery Clift) asks her husband for a job. Shrike has become a surly misanthrope, disillusioned about people after repeated betrayals. He is particularly disturbed by an affair Florence had years ago. Though she has apologized repeatedly, he won’t let it go and throws it up to her frequently, resulting in a marriage poisoned by antagonism and mistrust.<br /><br />Shrike believes all people misrepresent themselves and has become deeply cynical about his fellow human beings and caustic with his staff. He hires White for the pleasure of watching him chafe at having to be the new “Miss Lonelyhearts,” responsible for reading letters filled with the writers’ personal problems and answering them in his column. White is the opposite of Shrike — idealistic, compassionate, and empathetic — and soon starts to take his new job seriously. His relationship with fiancee Justy Sergeant (Dolores Hart) is put to the test when his sympathy for the folks who bare their souls to Miss Lonelyhearts comes between them. Reaching out to letter writer Fay Doyle (Maureen Stapleton), who confides that she is in a frustrating marriage, White finds his own faith in people’s goodness fractured.<br /><br />Vincent J. Donohue, in his first feature directing assignment, starts with promising material but fails to elicit a captivating performance from Clift, who often seems to be sleepwalking. The chemistry between Clift and Hart is non-existent, making it difficult for us to warm to his character. There’s a sameness to his performance no matter the content of the scene, whether White is getting a much needed job or dealing in person with a troubled woman. With an unchanging expression, eyes that seem dead, and stiff body language, this is hardly the Clift of “A Place in the Sun” or “From Here to Eternity.” The film was made after a bad car crash in 1956 that made the left side of his face nearly immobile. This is particularly noticeable in close-ups, and Clift does little to compensate for it, rendering his Adam White colder than the script intends. Perhaps director Donohue might have been too overwhelmed by the assignment and intimidated by Clift, a Hollywood star, to elicit a sharper performance.<br /><br />Robert Ryan plays Shrike as a hardened, sarcastic man, arrogant and insensitive. With a barely noticeable sneer and a slight shoulder shrug, his body language speaks volumes about his disdain for humanity. Why he stays with his wife even as he won’t bury the past suggests sadism. He enjoys torturing her as payback for a deep hurt that’s never healed, only festered. Ryan adds stature to a role that might have come off cartoonish with a less proficient actor.<br /><br />Myrna Loy is mostly wasted in a thankless role as Shrike’s unhappy wife. She has one good scene, in which she confronts Shrike about his constant harping on her betrayal, but most of the time we see her, elegantly attired, sitting regally at a table in the bar favored by newspaper men.<br /><br />Dolores Hart is very good as the loyal girl next door who stands by her man even when things get tense. The way she conveys sweetness and optimism contrasts markedly with the sullen performance of Clift, and it’s difficult to grasp what her Justy sees in his Adam..<br /><br />The best performance by far is that of Maureen Stapleton as the sad and lonely letter writer Fay Doyle. A stage actress, Ms. Stapleton gives a heart-rending performance of a deeply troubled soul whose motivations are misjudged by White. Surprised that White calls her, even though she asked him to do so in her letter, she delivers a touching monologue (we never see White’s end of the conversation), and we feel her pain as she longs for connection to a sympathetic person. Married 11 years, Fay loves her husband but he had a bad accident that rendered him impotent and she feels lonely and depressed because she misses intimacy. She assumes that White will offer the answer to her plight. Stapleton was rightfully nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for this performance, her screen debut.<br /><br />Bonus materials on the unrated Region A Blu-ray from Kino-Lorber and MGM include 10 theatrical trailers.<br /><br />“Lonelyhearts” lacks the polish of a seasoned director. The script is dialogue-heavy and the film moves at a sluggish pace. With its neat, upbeat ending, “Lonelyhearts” conveniently, if unbelievably, resolves its issues with contrived actions and decisions.
The movie title "Lonelyhearts," available on Movies & TV, has received an average rating of 3.7 from 23 reviewers. 
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This title falls under the categories of Movies & TV, Featured Categories, Blu-ray and Drama. 
The additional details include the following in key-value format :
 {"Aspect Ratio": "1.85:1", "MPAA rating": "NR (Not Rated)", "Product Dimensions": "7 x 5 x 1 inches; 5.92 Ounces", "Director": "Vincent J. Donehue", "Run time": "1 hour and 43 minutes", "Release date": "October 25, 2022", "Actors": "Montgomery Clift, Robert Ryan, Myrna Loy, Maureen Stapleton, Dolores Hart", "Subtitles": "English", "Studio": "KL Studio Classics", "Country of Origin": "USA", "Number of discs": "1"}

Here is a brief synopsis of the title : A riveting drama of an idealist caught up in the rough-and-tumble world of newspaper journalism, Lonelyhearts stars screen legend Montgomery Clift (Judgment at Nuremberg, Freud) in a haunting performance as Adam White, whose whole life changes when he joins the staff of The Chronicle as advice columnist MISS LONELYHEARTS. But at what cost to his personal happiness? White’s relationship with Justy Sargeant (Dolores Hart, King Creole) is soon threatened by his involvement with his career and his sympathy for the poor souls who bear all to Miss Lonelyhearts. The great Robert Ryan (Horizons West, Day of the Outlaw) brilliantly portrays the world-weary and fiercely cynical editor, Bill Shrike, and Myrna Loy (Love Me Tonight, Midnight Lace) is stunning in an uncharacteristic role as Shrike’s neglected and troubled wife. Completing the stellar cast is Maureen Stapleton (Reds) in her Oscar-nominated film debut. From the acclaimed novel by Nathanael West (The Day of the Locust), the daring Lonelyhearts is a spellbinding view of ambition, greed and human frailty. Directed by television and film veteran Vincent J. Donehue (Sunrise at Campobello)..