Come Back, Little Sheba (1952 film)

Come Back, Little Sheba is a 1952 American drama film directed by Daniel Mann, starring Burt Lancaster and Shirley Booth. It is based on the 1950 play of the same name by William Inge.

The film tells the story of Lola Delaney (Booth), a slovenly and child-like housewife, and her marriage to Doc Delaney (Lancaster), a recovering alcoholic chiropractor. Their relationship is strained by Lola's longing for her lost love, Sheba, a dog that ran away years earlier, and Doc's frustration with his unrealized ambitions and their childless marriage.

The arrival of a young college student, Marie (Terry Moore), as a boarder in their home, stirs up repressed desires and insecurities in both Lola and Doc. Lola sees in Marie a reminder of her own lost youth and romantic possibilities, while Doc is tempted by Marie's youthful vitality and beauty, threatening his sobriety and their already fragile marriage. The film explores themes of loneliness, regret, addiction, lost youth, and the destructive nature of unfulfilled dreams.

Shirley Booth won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as Lola Delaney, reprising the role she originated on Broadway. The film received several other Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor for Burt Lancaster and Best Director for Daniel Mann. It is considered a classic of American cinema and a powerful portrayal of marital discord and the struggles of addiction and aging.