Soldiers who have left home and loved ones to fight in wars certainly for peace. But peace means more than no longer needing to carry arms in a foreign country.
The scene of ex-bombardier Dana Andrews in the field of warplanes lined up to be scrapped and recycled for peacetime use is not only the film's shattering psychological climax but a moving swords-into-ploughshares promise made vivid as only the best classic filmmakers could do. This story about the unsettling return home from war is one of best war movies ever made.
Yes, that scene is not there for any kind of "special effect," but makes a statement loud and clear. There's no false step in this film. Now you make me want to listen to the score on its own!
This is one of my favorite movies, and I always call attention to the beautiful musical score by Hugo Friedhofer. Of many great moments I would just single out the part after Fred gets fired when he advises Homer to marry Wilma. The music while Homer is walking along, thinking it over, is just perfect, and so interestingly angular. You feel you're watching a legend unfold. I also like Fredric March in just about anything.
When I was a teenager I started watching this film but stopped because I was afraid it would cut too close to home. In WWII my father was an 22-year-old infantry platoon leader who landed on Utah Beach. He led repeated attacks on the German line and then was critically wounded by a mine which left him permanently disabled , in pain, and badly scarred. He also had PTSD for 40 years, manifesting in terrifying nightmares about being back on the battlefield. His screams were awful. He told me that “Saving Private Ryan” (which I have not seen) was the closest depiction of his experience. He was, though, successful in his post-war life both at home and at work. He was a man of deep faith and the kindest of fathers to his many children. As a teenager I did not want to know what suffering he must have gone through. My mother tells me that I should watch “The Best Years of Our Lives”… so I’ll think about it.
Margaret, this is a relatively peaceful take on a very hard topic compared to what you describe, but it shows some of the underbelly of military life and what happens when the war ends. The film is not suitable for pre-teens, absolutely, but back in the 1940's they could make serious films that suggested more than was absolutely necessary for them to show. No one can really understand what soldiers in combat experienced in these horrible wars -- POW camps -- horrible injuries -- and the killing.
After trying and failing with some other classics, I’ve found this is the movie I’ve had the most success with when it comes to introducing modern people who’ve never seen a black and white movie to the world of great American movies. I remember some friends, whose idea of an old classic was Indiana Jones, were simply blown away by this one. It is simply one of the best.
As for Ms Wright, her 40s trifecta of Shadow of a Doubt, Mrs Miniver, and this one has got to be one of the top stretches in film history. What a loss for us all that her subsequent studio fighting took such a toll on her later output.
Adrian, somehow I'm not entirely surprised that this movie hits the target better than a lot of others. There's not a bit of sentimentality in it, and yet there is great heart, and it shows real people in tough situations, not just movie star types. I'd been thinking of "Mrs. Miniver," to be honest, a great film we haven't done. But then I noticed that this film, which Tony covered when W&S was still new hadn't gone out to very many of our current subscribers. It fit for this week. "Shadow of a Doubt" is some movie! Teresa Wright was a great actress in everything she did. We discovered her late, and then were hooked.
Thank you for the recommendation. My grandfather was a WW2 prisoner of war and spent 6 months in a Nazi prison camp. After returning home, he became a violent alcoholic, and after many painful and disordered years attempting a family life, abandoned his wife and 5 children. My mother never forgave him. The painful scar of this memory remains in my family to this day. War is an ugly business. I will watch this movie with my wife and son.
Joe, God only knows what your grandfather suffered as a Nazi POW. It had to be horrific, worse than we can ever imagine. Back then, people understood "shells shock," but I don't think they really caught on to how deeply psychologically damaged some of the returning soldiers were. What a loss for him and for your mother and her family. A word of warning: we don't really recommend this film for children, although goodness knows it is tame by the standards of what everyone routinely sees on television let alone contemporary film. There's infidelity in it, and some loose morality, and one really wicked fight scene. Just FYI. All the actors are great and it took a lot of Academy Awards, for good reasons. We are always a bit wary of suggesting films which we wouldn't have shown our kids when they were young. But it sounds like a film which might help your wife put her family's struggles in context. War is hell they say, but the Nazis had a particular brand of hell indeed.
Dana Andrews is absolutely great in this film. He is an actor whose work I admire more and more whenever I see him in a film. The rest of the cast is likewise superb.
The scene of ex-bombardier Dana Andrews in the field of warplanes lined up to be scrapped and recycled for peacetime use is not only the film's shattering psychological climax but a moving swords-into-ploughshares promise made vivid as only the best classic filmmakers could do. This story about the unsettling return home from war is one of best war movies ever made.
Yes, that scene is not there for any kind of "special effect," but makes a statement loud and clear. There's no false step in this film. Now you make me want to listen to the score on its own!
This is one of my favorite movies, and I always call attention to the beautiful musical score by Hugo Friedhofer. Of many great moments I would just single out the part after Fred gets fired when he advises Homer to marry Wilma. The music while Homer is walking along, thinking it over, is just perfect, and so interestingly angular. You feel you're watching a legend unfold. I also like Fredric March in just about anything.
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So much ffor free trade to Canada.
When I was a teenager I started watching this film but stopped because I was afraid it would cut too close to home. In WWII my father was an 22-year-old infantry platoon leader who landed on Utah Beach. He led repeated attacks on the German line and then was critically wounded by a mine which left him permanently disabled , in pain, and badly scarred. He also had PTSD for 40 years, manifesting in terrifying nightmares about being back on the battlefield. His screams were awful. He told me that “Saving Private Ryan” (which I have not seen) was the closest depiction of his experience. He was, though, successful in his post-war life both at home and at work. He was a man of deep faith and the kindest of fathers to his many children. As a teenager I did not want to know what suffering he must have gone through. My mother tells me that I should watch “The Best Years of Our Lives”… so I’ll think about it.
Margaret, this is a relatively peaceful take on a very hard topic compared to what you describe, but it shows some of the underbelly of military life and what happens when the war ends. The film is not suitable for pre-teens, absolutely, but back in the 1940's they could make serious films that suggested more than was absolutely necessary for them to show. No one can really understand what soldiers in combat experienced in these horrible wars -- POW camps -- horrible injuries -- and the killing.
"Even when happiness does not seem to be within our reach, the chance to love, to be grateful, always is."
My marching orders for this day, and for every day! Thank you.
And yes, the movie is highly worthwhile.
And we try to take our own advice, haha. "Marching orders," indeed!!
After trying and failing with some other classics, I’ve found this is the movie I’ve had the most success with when it comes to introducing modern people who’ve never seen a black and white movie to the world of great American movies. I remember some friends, whose idea of an old classic was Indiana Jones, were simply blown away by this one. It is simply one of the best.
As for Ms Wright, her 40s trifecta of Shadow of a Doubt, Mrs Miniver, and this one has got to be one of the top stretches in film history. What a loss for us all that her subsequent studio fighting took such a toll on her later output.
Adrian, somehow I'm not entirely surprised that this movie hits the target better than a lot of others. There's not a bit of sentimentality in it, and yet there is great heart, and it shows real people in tough situations, not just movie star types. I'd been thinking of "Mrs. Miniver," to be honest, a great film we haven't done. But then I noticed that this film, which Tony covered when W&S was still new hadn't gone out to very many of our current subscribers. It fit for this week. "Shadow of a Doubt" is some movie! Teresa Wright was a great actress in everything she did. We discovered her late, and then were hooked.
Thank you for the recommendation. My grandfather was a WW2 prisoner of war and spent 6 months in a Nazi prison camp. After returning home, he became a violent alcoholic, and after many painful and disordered years attempting a family life, abandoned his wife and 5 children. My mother never forgave him. The painful scar of this memory remains in my family to this day. War is an ugly business. I will watch this movie with my wife and son.
Joe, God only knows what your grandfather suffered as a Nazi POW. It had to be horrific, worse than we can ever imagine. Back then, people understood "shells shock," but I don't think they really caught on to how deeply psychologically damaged some of the returning soldiers were. What a loss for him and for your mother and her family. A word of warning: we don't really recommend this film for children, although goodness knows it is tame by the standards of what everyone routinely sees on television let alone contemporary film. There's infidelity in it, and some loose morality, and one really wicked fight scene. Just FYI. All the actors are great and it took a lot of Academy Awards, for good reasons. We are always a bit wary of suggesting films which we wouldn't have shown our kids when they were young. But it sounds like a film which might help your wife put her family's struggles in context. War is hell they say, but the Nazis had a particular brand of hell indeed.
Debra, I applaud your comments and support you offer to some of the reader's stories. Thank you & Tony for all your insights and understanding.
This movie is an example of the good, the beautiful and the true. Dana Andrews had one of the most expressive faces in Hollywood history.
Dana Andrews is absolutely great in this film. He is an actor whose work I admire more and more whenever I see him in a film. The rest of the cast is likewise superb.