Mrs. Miniver (A or 4/4 stars)
'Mrs. Miniver' (directed by the great William Wyler) tells of England's will to survive the German bombing raids of WWII & fight for their own dignity. Dir. William Wyler achieves this by concentrating on the blissful country village of Belham, particularly the middle-class Miniver family. When the movie begins, war is on the horizon but hasn't broken up (1939). Lovely housewife Kay (Greer Garson) & her gallant husband Clem (Walter Pidgeon), are the parents of 3 adoring children: Vin (Richard Ney), Toby, & Judy. Although Clem makes a decent salary as an architect, both he & his wife have a penchant for spending lots of $$. Early in the plot, Kay purchases an expensive hat & Clem drops a ton of $$ on a new car.
While on vacation from Oxford University, Vin becomes involved with 18 yr. old Carol (Teresa Wright), the granddaughter of crusty old village matriarch, Lady Beldon (the always enjoyable Dame May Whitty), who believes that the Germans wouldn't dare bomb England, and whose main concern in life is that her roses win the annual competition. Now, the 1st encounter btwn. Vin & Carol is iffy, but that gives way to something most romantic. Life plods along in idyllic fashion. Plans for the flower show proceed. All seems swell ... until the war arrives to separate lovers & families. Even though the town naively goes about its way of life, German bombs devastate the once-peaceful British countryside. Some villagers die. The church is blasted ("Onward Christian Soldiers" never sounded more poignant). Vin joins up with the RAF. Clem disappears with his boat to participate in the evacuation of Dunkirk. And Kay must confront a German paratrooper who she discovers in her own kitchen. Melodrama ensues as Kay, her family, & the town (led by the vicar, played by Henry Wilcoxon) try to overcome their current turmoil.
Simply put, 'Mrs. Miniver' is a wonderful movie with excellent performances, extravagant production values, & a moving story (especially as filmed during wartime). Although it is designed (mostly) as a drama, the film features 2 particular scenes in which the tension is thick enough to put you on edge. One scene transpires in a bomb shelter where the Minivers & their 2 youngest kids seek refuge during a Luftwaffe raid (explosions are occurring regularly; the screams & detonations can be heard, constantly). There's also that scene where Kay squares off in a test of wills against the German aviator in her house. Kay must pacify & convince the young man that she means him no harm before his quivering finger pulls the trigger. The emotional conflict of this scene is potent.
Director William Wyler directs with restraint, sensitivity, & real humanity. And the script deserves accolades as well for admirably blending straight drama & light humor with tragedy & catharsis. i.e., the vicar's powerful speech. Greer Garson absolutely glows as Mrs. Miniver; a woman of great compassion & strength. And her 1-2 knockout punch of this film + 'Random Harvest' is what won her the Academy Award for Best Actress of 1942. Walter Pidgeon is quite good as the kind Mr. Miniver; his rapport/chemistry with Garson was evident here, in 1941's Blossom in the Dust, as well as subsequent films like Madame Curie. Teresa Wright, Dame May Whitty, Henry Travers (as the kindly old station master), & Richard Ney (Garson's real-life lover at the time) round-out the stellar supporting cast.
'Mrs. Miniver' won a slew of Academy Awards, including Best Picture of 1942 (accolades for aforementioned Garson, as well as Teresa Wright, directing, writing, etc.). Winston Churchill felt that 'Mrs. M' did more as a propaganda movie for WWII than nearly anything else. And the film also struck a chord with the public; becoming one of the highest grossing films of ALL-TIME to that point. I now see why it was so popular. That doesn't mean I think it's a perfect motion picture. There are some slow sections. And contemporary audiences might think the idea of following an upper-middle class family's trials & tribulations in the countryside might feel too saccharine. But I enjoyed the story greatly -- a story that shows the strength of humanity when faced with doubt and imminent danger.
While on vacation from Oxford University, Vin becomes involved with 18 yr. old Carol (Teresa Wright), the granddaughter of crusty old village matriarch, Lady Beldon (the always enjoyable Dame May Whitty), who believes that the Germans wouldn't dare bomb England, and whose main concern in life is that her roses win the annual competition. Now, the 1st encounter btwn. Vin & Carol is iffy, but that gives way to something most romantic. Life plods along in idyllic fashion. Plans for the flower show proceed. All seems swell ... until the war arrives to separate lovers & families. Even though the town naively goes about its way of life, German bombs devastate the once-peaceful British countryside. Some villagers die. The church is blasted ("Onward Christian Soldiers" never sounded more poignant). Vin joins up with the RAF. Clem disappears with his boat to participate in the evacuation of Dunkirk. And Kay must confront a German paratrooper who she discovers in her own kitchen. Melodrama ensues as Kay, her family, & the town (led by the vicar, played by Henry Wilcoxon) try to overcome their current turmoil.
Simply put, 'Mrs. Miniver' is a wonderful movie with excellent performances, extravagant production values, & a moving story (especially as filmed during wartime). Although it is designed (mostly) as a drama, the film features 2 particular scenes in which the tension is thick enough to put you on edge. One scene transpires in a bomb shelter where the Minivers & their 2 youngest kids seek refuge during a Luftwaffe raid (explosions are occurring regularly; the screams & detonations can be heard, constantly). There's also that scene where Kay squares off in a test of wills against the German aviator in her house. Kay must pacify & convince the young man that she means him no harm before his quivering finger pulls the trigger. The emotional conflict of this scene is potent.
Director William Wyler directs with restraint, sensitivity, & real humanity. And the script deserves accolades as well for admirably blending straight drama & light humor with tragedy & catharsis. i.e., the vicar's powerful speech. Greer Garson absolutely glows as Mrs. Miniver; a woman of great compassion & strength. And her 1-2 knockout punch of this film + 'Random Harvest' is what won her the Academy Award for Best Actress of 1942. Walter Pidgeon is quite good as the kind Mr. Miniver; his rapport/chemistry with Garson was evident here, in 1941's Blossom in the Dust, as well as subsequent films like Madame Curie. Teresa Wright, Dame May Whitty, Henry Travers (as the kindly old station master), & Richard Ney (Garson's real-life lover at the time) round-out the stellar supporting cast.
'Mrs. Miniver' won a slew of Academy Awards, including Best Picture of 1942 (accolades for aforementioned Garson, as well as Teresa Wright, directing, writing, etc.). Winston Churchill felt that 'Mrs. M' did more as a propaganda movie for WWII than nearly anything else. And the film also struck a chord with the public; becoming one of the highest grossing films of ALL-TIME to that point. I now see why it was so popular. That doesn't mean I think it's a perfect motion picture. There are some slow sections. And contemporary audiences might think the idea of following an upper-middle class family's trials & tribulations in the countryside might feel too saccharine. But I enjoyed the story greatly -- a story that shows the strength of humanity when faced with doubt and imminent danger.