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35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE MOVIE THAT SAVED THE MORALE OF WARTIME AUDIENCES!, January 2, 2001
The most important picture of World War II was an intensely moving drama about a middle class British family and its strong matriarch standing up against the tragedies and terrors of the onset of World War II. The movie was "Mrs. Miniver". "Mrs. Miniver" remains today one of the most powerful and compelling films ever made about the hardships of war even with the lack of a single battle scene. Like "Gone With the Wind", "Mrs. Miniver"'s greatness lies in its revealing look of the individuals affected by a war. Making the film an even greater emotional experience is the fact that this film was made just at the time it revolves around, during the onset of WWII, when the outcome of the war was still uncertain and the future of the world was hanging in the balance. In the title role of the film, Greer Garson is radiant, willful, warm and determined in the role of Kay Miniver, a British housewife who must keep her head on the homefront with her two young children while her husband (Walter Pidgeon) and son (Richard Ney) defend their country at the onset of World War II. Through her faith, her intelligence, and her love, Kay manages to hold her family together even as England collapses under the powerful effects of an unstoppable war. The picture's ending on a strong note of hope is that lingering optimisim which was the hope of audiences during WWII... that one day, there would be peace. Garson won an Academy Award for her brilliant portrayal, and rightly so, for she invests her scenes with a genuine determination and will: In one scene, she holds a German soldier at bay with a gun in her kitchen as her children sleep upstairs. In another scene, she reads "Alice in Wonderland" to her children in a bomb shelter as bombs begin to fall over them. In still another scene, Garson drives with her daughter-in-law (Teresa Wright, whose charming portrayal earned her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress) through a countryside engaged in sky battle. William Wyler's brilliant direction sears through the film and its cast, earning him an Oscar for Best Director, and for the film itself, Best Picture of 1942. Still powerful after half a century, "Mrs. Miniver" is a brilliant testament to the soldiers who lost their lives on the battleground- and on the homefront- in defense of their country. Wartime audiences were given a great boost of morale in this movie, and that morale shines through in this indescribably great film classic.
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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mrs. Miniver, December 16, 2002
It is such a disappointment to not be able to obtain the DVD edition of Mrs. Miniver yet. This is a film I shared with my granddaughter several years ago and is a warm memory for her. It was my pleasure and honor to meet Greer Garson at the end of her life at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. It was her birthday and our department was responsible for the setting up of the room and the refreshments. I was to uncork the champagne. At 5:30pm, Mrs. Fogelson (her married name) was wheeled into the room, absolutely radiant at the age of 92, wearing a brocade gown that matched the beauty of her green eyes. The celebration was short, in keeping with her frail condition, but she was such a grand lady, just like her presentation of Mrs. Miniver. Frail, yet regal. Queenlike, yet personable. After her party, I took flowers to her room. She had already been tucked back into bed, but still so pretty, though tired. I went to her bed and she held out her hand to me. She held my hand with both of hers, and I felt as though I was the most important person she had ever met. Evertime I watch the movie, Mrs. Miniver, I am transported back to that day by her bed after her birthday. She lived only two more years, but everyone remembered her with such love and respect. I treasure having been given the very last glossy of her portfolio. Rest in peace, beloved Mrs. Miniver.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Morale Booster, July 30, 2000
Mrs. Miniver was an important film to come out of Hollywood during WWII. Not only was it a critical and commercial success, it had a great message for the British about continuing the fight. It also give the rest of the world a sense of what it was like for the British living with the constant threat of the Germans. The movie has a lot going for it. It's directed by William Wyler, who once again does an excellent job, balancing sentiment with drama in this story of Mrs. Miniver and her family. Greer Garson gives a warm performance as the model English wife and mother, and Walter Pidgeon is solid as her husband. The supporting cast of Teresa Wright, Dame May Whitty, and Henry Travers add much to the film. There are a number of scenes that I really enjoyed, including Mrs. Miniver's confrontation with a downed German airman, the Minivers' night in their shelter during an air raid, and the final scene in the Church. Almost sixty years later, it's easy to see the emotional impact this film must have had on audiences.
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