Mrs. Miniver (1942)

Written by Arthur Wimperis, et. al.

Directed by William Wyler

I’ve mentioned before, part of the joy of this marathon is experiencing the history involved; not only of modern cinema, but the history surrounding each of these films. Each new film marks a particular “first”, either because of the film itself (like Wings), or because of the history of the time the film was released.

The Minivers hide in a bomb shelter

The latter is what makes Mrs. Miniver notable. It’s a good film, to be sure, but it’s place in history lies not only in that it is the first film to win Best Picture that deals with World War II (although certainly not the last), but also that it’s the first Best Picture released after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, launching the United States into the war.

As such, the film definitely has moments of pro-US propaganda (the final two minutes especially), but it’s an interesting first look at the war. At the time of production of the film, the public at large was unaware of Hitler’s “Final Solution”, so in essence this film treats the war like any other: life-altering, but “normal”, for lack of a better word. Later films will deal with the horrific atrocities committed, but for now, this film, like Cavalcade ten years previously, centers on a family, not the event itself.

The Miniver Family

The family is headed by Mr. and Mrs. Miniver, a middle class couple in England, both delightfully played by Walter Pidgeon (in his second straight appearance in a Best Picture film) and Greer Garson. Both actors were nominated for Best Actor and Actress, respectively, with Garson deservedly taking home the award. Garson’s performance took a little bit for me to get used to, but by barely a quarter of the way through, I was enthralled. Here is a matriarch who, like Scarlett O’Hara before her, must soldier on in the face of a changing world. Mrs. Miniver doesn’t have to make nearly as many sacrifices as O’Hara does, but her plight is no less harrowing, as she nearly loses her home, her husband, and her eldest son to the escalating war. Through it all, however, she remains buoyant and energetic.

Teresa Wright and Richard Nay

As her son, Vin, Richard Nay gives a performance that is earnest, and, after a bit of a cringeworthy introduction, is eventually endearing and emotional. His young love, played by Teresa Wright, is a breath of fresh air, and watching their relationship (quickly) bloom and evolve is wonderfully touching, and a nice counterpoint to the recurring threats the war brings to the Minivers.

Cinematically, there’s nothing really noteworthy: the cinematography is acceptable and safe. Indeed, there are a few moments where more risks could have been taken, but aren’t. An example would be the flotilla of boats amassing on the Thames to get ready to move to Dunkirk to help the evacuation of British forces there. There are hundreds of boats featured, but it’s all shot from a far, wide angle. There’s an opportunity to showcase this spectacle from right inside the action, but instead, we are left merely as onlookers until the boats receive their commands.

Overall, I found myself enjoying the film much more than I expected, especially when compared to Cavalcade, the most similar film to it on the list. As I mentioned earlier, later films will be delving directly into the horror of the war, but this film starts to put an emotional face onto an event that, both then and even all these years later, we still struggle to understand.

FINAL GRADE: B