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39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
TOUCHING MOVIE!, April 15, 1999
This review is from: Human Comedy [VHS] (VHS Tape)
In today's society where everything seems to be based on cyniscim, this movie is absolutey refreshing. It takes you back to small town life that has all but vanished from the face of America today. Some viewers may find it trite and corny, but I saw the sweetness in it. When Mickey Rooney reads the letter from his brother Van Johnson it never fails to bring tears to my eyes. I found this movie touching, and a far cry from the craziness in the movies we see these days. I like remembering what life was like back then. A time when neighbors were neighors, and everyone in town knew each other. If you don't watch this movie, you are missing a gem. I recently wrote Miss Helen Hunt who also starred in the movie with James Craig and thanked her for making this movie, she graciously wrote me back and gave me her autograph even though she must be in her eighties,but shes a product of the old hollywood, when stars were really stars.Watch this movie you won't regret it.
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31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Golly! This movie is corny and patriotic? You don't say., February 24, 2004
This review is from: Human Comedy [VHS] (VHS Tape)
A fine film. It's pure, distilled, Grade-A, all-star, all-American, accept-no-substitutions, concentrated, three-hankie, melodramatic, sentimental, heartwarming, white picket fence, patriotic wartime schmaltz. They don't make 'em like this anymore. Mickey Rooney stars as Homer Macauley, a bright-eyed, fresh-faced, optimistic teenager living in Smalltown, USA during the height of World War Two, when all able bodied young men, including his older brother, have gone off to fight against the fascists and save civilization itself. Still, even with soldiers passing through town and cannons crowding the trains that are headed back East towards Europe, the war is still far, far away, and civilization can still be saved right here, back on the homefront. Taking his brother's place as "the man of the family," Homer learns about hard work, fair play, compassion for others, and about disappointment and heartbreak as well. It's all unremittingly corny, but that's entirely the point. This is not a modern movie -- it isn't cynical or packed with obligatory violence, nor is it politically nuanced or notably subtle. But it is a fine document of its time, sort of an ultimate exposition of the best and most cheerful face that mainstream, white America could put on the underlying grimness that a total war mobilization meant for America and the world. It's a piece of homefront propaganda, but no less true to life, in its way, than any other film of the time. The screenplay by William Saroyan is set in the author's home in California's fertile San Joaquin Valley, and while he makes sweeping nods towards the Valley's legendary cultural diversity (omitting, for the most part, blacks, Jews and Germans...), Saroyan gives Norman Rockwell a run for his money in the sentimental Americana category. A couple of the religiously-themed scenes may be suffocating to secular or nonsectarian audiences, but other than the film's persistent preachiness, it's a fascinating slice of wartime historical hokum -- worth checking out its time capsule qualities, as well as for entertainment value. Plus, it's packed with loads of great character actors and all-star cameos, including Frank Morgan (aka The Wizard Of Oz), as Homer's older mentor, Don Defore and (a very young) Robert Mitchum as babyfaced soldiers on leave, and Carl Switzler ("Alfalfa," of the Little Rascals) as a teenage hooligan. This movie is sappy, sure... but it's also worth checking out if you have any interest in understanding American society at this critical juncture in our national history.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great, Great Piece Of Americana, April 23, 2006
This review is from: Human Comedy [VHS] (VHS Tape)
This is a unique drama, one of those unusual dramas where there are no villains, no evil people. Yet, it's not a sweet-and-sugary movie, either. It's simply a "slice of life," as they say, or "Americana." In the case, about life in a small California town during the middle of World War II. It is very true to the book written by William Saroyan. The story features genuinely nice people who trust one another, respect one another, have manners, read the Bible and say their prayers, do what they are told and apologize if they are nasty....not exactly what you've seen in films in the past half century. Although the film is a bunch of vignettes featuring a number of characters, Mickey Rooney is the central figure and I wonder if he ever was better. He is outstanding in here. I never realized what a good actor he was until I saw this movie. Frank Morgan also was memorable in here, and I usually didn't care for the roles he played many times. But here, he's very serious and honest and real. The "slices of life" include Rooney and his family, school friends, his job as a telegram delivery boy; Morgan and his drinking problem; James Craig and his romance; Van Johnson and his army buddies and Jackie "Butch" Jenkins and his little friends. Also of note are three young military men making an appearance, actors who became well known by the end of the decade: Robert Mitchum, Barry Nelson and Don DeFore. Donna Reed, Fay Bainter and Marsha Hunt add the female touch and a big dose of wholesome beauty. This has a deep cast, as you can see. There are other recognizable actors in here, too, such as "Alfalfa" (Carl Switzer) of "Our Gang" fame. This picture of "Americana" is so innocent compared to today, it is almost shocking. A kiss was a big deal; nobody locked their doors at night; the girls went out on blind dates with the soldiers and all treated each other with respect. It's a very sentimental film, which is another reason I like it. It's a sad comment about film critics who think that "sentimental" is a dirty word, but even those cynics still had praise for this film. It's so well done that it's hard not to praise it. If they just release this on DVD, perhaps more people would discover this gem.
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