Come Back, Little Sheba
A recovering alcoholic and his emotionally dependent wife confront the fragile resentments beneath their long, loveless marriage when a young boarder enters their home.
Overview
A poignant exploration of love and loss, where a couple confronts their past and future.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- claustrophobic
- poignant
- classic film night
- serious drama evening
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded the film as a poignant, powerful, and unusually frank domestic tragedy elevated by Shirley Booth's extraordinary screen debut.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Doc's recovery and relapse anxiety are inseparable from his resentment toward Lola and their long, unhappy marriage.
The Delaneys' home, boarder arrangement, and repetitive daily life turn domestic space into the film's central pressure chamber.
Shirley Booth's Lola combines childish chatter, comic frustration, and profound pathos, while Burt Lancaster's Doc contains shame and anger.
The missing dog Sheba gives Lola's displaced affection a concrete focus and becomes a persistent emotional presence in the household.
Films like Come Back, Little Sheba, and why
The Lost Weekend
intimate domestic drama centered on marital disappointment, alcoholism, and emotionally devastating performances
Days of Wine and Roses
psychological domestic realism exploring addiction, repression, and quiet desperation within a marriage
A Streetcar Named Desire
stage-derived drama with claustrophobic household tension, wounded relationships, and formidable female performance
The Rose Tattoo
melancholic mid-century character study about a damaged marriage and emotional dependency
Movie Details
- Director
- Daniel Mann
- Release Date
- 1953-03-06
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (46)
Cast
- Burt Lancaster
- Shirley Booth
- Terry Moore
- Richard Jaeckel
- Philip Ober
- Edwin Max
- Lisa Golm
- Walter Kelley
- Ned Glass
- William Haade
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Come Back, Little Sheba about?
- A recovering alcoholic and his emotionally dependent wife confront the fragile resentments beneath their long, loveless marriage when a young boarder enters their home.
- What is Come Back, Little Sheba like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Come Back, Little Sheba as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Come Back, Little Sheba violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Come Back, Little Sheba.
- What did critics think of Come Back, Little Sheba?
- Critics broadly regarded the film as a poignant, powerful, and unusually frank domestic tragedy elevated by Shirley Booth's extraordinary screen debut.
- Which films are like Come Back, Little Sheba?
- Films with a similar feel include The Lost Weekend, Days of Wine and Roses, A Streetcar Named Desire, and The Rose Tattoo.
- How long is Come Back, Little Sheba?
- Come Back, Little Sheba runs 96 minutes.
- Where can I watch Come Back, Little Sheba?
- In United States, Come Back, Little Sheba is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home.
