Customer Reviews

White Cliffs of Dover [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There are few films that I could honestly say are faultless in my opinion but without doubt "The White Cliffs of Dover" is one of them.

This beautiful film never fails to move me tremendously and I always screen it on ANZAC DAY which in Australia is a day on which we celebrate and remember our brave soldiers achievements. The film is based on the celebrated poem "The White Cliffs" and is narrated by Irene Dunne at intervals throughout the story in a beautiful moving prose.

What a story it is!!! Covering two world wars it tells of the life of a young American woman who comes to England originally for two weeks and ends staying a lifetime, who marries, loses her husband in the conflict of WW1 and lives to see her only beloved son suffer the same fate in WW2. The incredibly moving and sensitive way the story unfolds will have you riveted from beginning to end and the talented director Clarence Brown never lets the massive story lag for one minute with his sensitive direction and obvious love for the material.

Surprisingly this classic film is not as well known as other famous wartime sagas like "Mrs. Miniver" and "Since You Went Away" but I find it so much more arresting and memorable. Certainly this feeling is engendered because of the simply wonderful cast assembled for a story that covers almost 40years. Irene Dunne, so memorable in classics like "The Awful Truth", has in this film the role of a lifetime and she is superb. Never have I loved her more than in the truly beautiful scenes she shares with Roddy McDowell who plays her son. And with Dame May Witty, Frank Morgan, the brilliant Gladys Cooper, and Alan Marshall in a knockout performance the production is blessed with A class talents displayed to perfection. One of the smaller parts is taken by a very young Elizabeth Taylor and these couple of scenes in a role for Elizabeth, pre "National Velvet" really shows her incredible beauty and very sweet persona to perfection. Her interactions with the Roddy McDowall character of Sir John really show a special chemistry between the two child performers who became life long friends.

The production side of "The White Cliffs of Dover" is exceptional and considering the inability to film in England because of the war it has captured that English feel perfectly. Hollywood always seemed to be able to create that special English feel in its productions at this time.

"The White Cliffs of Dover" is an incredible experience for those of you who like good heartfelt sentimental dramas. It is my favourite wartime film and I discover new things to admire about it with each screening.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I had never seen Alan Marshall before, who co-starred with Irene Dunne, but I loved him! He was the perfect English gentleman. Their relationship was brief but very special. It was a warm, touching film with a strong cast; full of characters you both like and admire. Gladys Cooper was perfect, as always!

Director: Clarence Brown
Format: Black & White
Studio: Warner Studios
Video Release Date: April 28, 1993

Cast:

Irene Dunne ... Susan Dunn Ashwood
Alan Marshal ... Sir John Ashwood
Roddy McDowall ... John Ashwood II (Age l6)
Frank Morgan ... Hiram Porter Dunn
Van Johnson ... Sam Bennett
C. Aubrey Smith ... Colonel
Dame May Whitty ... Nanny
Gladys Cooper ... Lady Jean Ashwood
Peter Lawford ... John Ashwood II (Age 24)
John Warburton ... Reggie, Brother
Jill Esmond ... Rosamund, Sister
Brenda Forbes ... Gwennie, Boarding House Maid
Norma Varden ... Mrs. Bland, Boarding House Prop.
Guy D'Ennery ... Curate in Boarding House
George Davis ... Boots
Tom Drake ... American Soldier at Bombed-out Bandstand
Herbert Evans ... Footman
Arthur Gould-Porter ... Capt. Portage
Gary Gray ... Boy at dinner table
Lumsden Hare ... The Vicar
Keith Hitchcock ... Duke of Waverly (Dance)
Charles Irwin ... Farmer Kenney
George Kirby ... Old Man
Nelson Leigh ... British Naval Officer
Adolf E. Licho ... Frenchman at Riviera Train Station
Miles Mander ... Major Loring (Hospital)
Lal Chand Mehra ... Indian Student in Boarding House
Jimmie Menzies ... Telegraph Boy
Leo Mostovoy ... Bandmaster (Riviera)
Gavin Muir ... Capt. Griffiths
Norbert Muller ... Dietrich
Steven Muller ... Gerhard
Wilson Benge ... Chauffeur
Arthur Shields ... Benson, Ashwood Butler
Ian Wolfe ... Skipper of Honeymoon Vessel
Matthew Boulton ... Immigration Officer
Edmund Breon ... Major Bancroft
Clifford Brooke ... Indian Major in Boarding House
Eldon Burkett ... Twin in Boarding House
Harry Allen ... English Cabby
Charles Coleman ... Capt. Davis (Trenches)
Clyde Cook ... Jennings, Buddy at Riviera
Alec Craig ... Billings
Bunny Gordon ... John (6 months)
Vera Graaff ... Duchess of Waverly
Ethel Griffies ... Woman on Train (Draft)
Joy Harrington ... Margaret, Nurse
Molly Lamont ... Helen, Fiancee at the Piano
Doris Lloyd ... Plump Lady at Boarding House
June Lockhart ... Betsy (age 18)
Emily Massey ... Elegant Lady in Boarding House
Ottola Nesmith ... Orderly
Jean Prescott ... Mrs. Kenney
Mabel Row ... French Maid (Riviera)
Anita Sharp-Bolster ... Miller, Ashwood Maid
Elizabeth Taylor ... Betsy (Age l0)
Ann Curzon ... Miss Lambert
Kay Deslys ... Blonde Woman
Isobel Elsom ... Mrs. Bancroft, Sister of Lady Jean
Emily Fitzroy ... Spinster in Boarding House

The story of an American girl, Susan Dunn Ashwood (Irene Dunne), who marries a young British lord, Sir John Ashwood (Alan Marshal), who then goes to war with his regiment in the First World War, and is killed. But his widow has his son, who grew up to fight in the Second World War in his father's regiment, in the family tradition.

This is a great classic, which explores the close kinship between the British and American people and their shared sacrifices, as well as some of their their historical differences. The film was made in 1944, while the United States and Great Britain were again fighting side by side on the European continent to free the world from Nazi oppression, as they had in 1914-18 against the same enemy, only an earlier generation.

Not a history lesson, but an interesting drama, with actors and actresses who were stars of the American screen during those war years. It was a very popular film in its time, and is still worth watching.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

Please note I saw this movie on TV so I can't speak to the quality of the video transfer or its features.

This is really a chick flick from another era. Set against the backdrop of both WWI and WWII, it deals with the experiences of a young American woman who falls in love with a British aristocrat on the eve of WWI. The couple's love blossoms amidst the rising tide of the war, and one senses the ominousness of these trends even as the two begin to plan their future life. The man, played by John Ashton, is dashing and handsome and fearless, and for him the war is just another adventure, from which he'll eventually return to civilian life and pick up where he left off with his new bride. The mother of the young aristocrat and his fiance aren't so sure, and they suffer loss and bereavement when Ashton fails to return from the war. Irene Dunn gives a great performance here, and van Johnson appears in a brief cameo looking quite dapper. C. Aubrey Smith, Roddy McDowell, and Liz Taylor (before her breakthrough role in National Velvet) also have supporting roles. Based on the poem by Alice Miller, this movie is unusual in covering the "home front" of the women who were left behind and how they dealt with the trials and tribulations of the war's ravages.

THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER is an excellent movie about the hardships and triumphs of an English family during the first part of the twentieth century. The film is marked by the strong acting performances of Irene Dunne and Alan Marshall. The supporting cast includes Roddy McDowell, Frank Morgan, C. Aubrey Smith, May Whitty, Van Johnson, Peter Lawford, Elizabeth Taylor and Gladys Cooper. The movie ends with a typical World War II patriotic flourish.

Clarence Brown directed several other good films including THE YEARLING and NATIONAL VELVET. He received six Academy Award nominations but never won an Oscar during his long career. Surprisingly THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER received no nominations in 1943.

Others have described the plot and stars of this movie. I will only make side comments. This movie has tremendous atmosphere. One senses the continuity of a long standing culture (much vanished today). The movie itself was made at a time when remnants of the older ways were still extant. C. Aubry Smith is a special treat. He was born in 1863- the middle of our Civil War. He was 81 years old, yet delivers a energetic performance. He portrayed the old style English gentleman without affectation. He seems the very person he is portraying. The music was well suited to the scenes, giving nostalgic weight to the passage of time. The opening music recapitulates the long English history, giving a sense time, where the weight of past grandeur is palpable.

Sure, the movie is dated and looks like a propaganda but it was made in 1944. And also, its not a action War Movie like it would be it today. They talk alot but also the movie has great decors and costumes.

Its a wonderful love story about a american woman who meet in the time of WWI a english aristrocrat, marry him and she's loosing him in the War. She got a Son, John II (first played by the great Roddy MacDowall as boy and then as young man by Peter Lawford). As the WW2 beginns she may loosing him too. As young boy he's dating the farmers daughter Betsy, played by the young Elizabeth Taylor who became later famous for "Cleopatra".

Not only the main Cast (Irene Dunne, Alan Marshall, Frank Morgan,) is interesting also the supporting as I wrote above: Elizabeth Taylor, Roddy MacDowall, Van Johnson, Peter Lawford. In uncredited parts you can see Gary Gray (Boy at Dinner Table) and Tom Drake (a dying american Soldier) who had a supporting role in "Meet Me in St. Louis".

The DVD:

the picture Quality is (I was very suprised) very good (of course not perfect) because its not restored and remastered.

the only minus point: the movie has no subtitles

the Bonus-Features: contains only a trailer.

Irene Dunne gives a stunning performance in this almost second version of Mrs Miniver,
Although the story covers the time period of both the first and second world wars..there are many similarities in in this patriotic
beautifully crafted and photographed production
All the supporting cast are just right, the only let down is as in Mrs Miniver..Hollywoods idea of what actually Great Britain was actually like to both live in and be in during the war..this however is far outweighed by this highly enjoyable and very rarely seen film
If you are a fan of Mrs Miniver then you will want to view and own this movie
Both print and sound quality are excellent,
and its nice to have the theater trailer

Well Done MGM. While those of you living in the USA can be thankful to TCM and other dedicated movie channels that may make this release superfluous,In Europe the chance of getting a good quality issue of this movie is non-existant. I often wonder what some people are looking for when all they ever do is complain that there are no added extras included on the disc.Serious movie collectors are looking for the Movie, only the movie and nothing but the movie- in best possible quality. I can't begin to list the thousands of DVD's I've purchased/rented/borrowed where I have not even bothered to look at the extras menu.Only in cases where the original participants are still around and are willing to take part in a doc/interview is it of interest.
Alternatively, where the movie it'self is of such great importance that a documentary (NOT THESE PATHETIC BEHIND THE SCENES Tidbits)is made (-best example that spring's to mind is "The Making of GWTW" by Turner in 1982)then the extras become important.
So MGM - keep it going - it is unrealistic to expect every movie to be commercially released - therefore I am more than willing to go to the source for a good copy than to some Fly-by-night pirate operation.
As to the quality of this release - sound and visual - 90/100.
I hope that the other major studios will follow suit and open up their vaults.

Mark Hood /Germany)

I hate to bring a discordant note to all the five star reviews for this movie.
First of all let me say the cast is superb and the performances are excellent in every respect. The cinematography is beautiful and the musical score is equally fine. Irene Dunne, one of the finest actresses who never won an academy award (not even an honorary one)is always excellent.
This production is given the full MGM gloss treatment that it is famous for!
However, for a little over two hours this film is full of talk, talk and more talk. For me, the direction could have used more verve, and a less stilted and static screenplay. Despite the excellence of the entire cast and the production values, there is no mobility in the script and at the scenes come off dull and banal because of this. What redeems this film, is, as I said, the great production values and the cast....but it offers little more. It is entirely much too long and if you are looking for action you will be very disappointed. It is no wonder this film was overshadowed by "Mrs. Miniver" and "Since You Went Away". A better script and better direction would have helped this film immensely! The production values are grand though and Dunne makes the film worth watching. One expects to get more than one gets, unfortunately.