Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
20th Century FOX WAR CLASSIC now on WideScreen DVD!, June 13, 2003
20th Century Fox has done an OUTSTANDING job remastering & digital transferring to DVD many of their World War II movies under the heading of FOX WAR CLASSICS!"Heaven Knows Mr. Allison" is the best of this series thus far. This 1957 film is presented beautifully in Delux Color & Anamorphic WideScreen (automatically adjusts to your tv size including 16:9 HDTV) format. Summary: John Huston directs this outstanding story about two of the dearest, most delightful & wonderful people who must survive together in the Southern Pacific during World War II. Sister Angelia (Deborah Kerr - absolutely fantastic (Oscar Nominated for Best Actress)) as a missionary nun and U.S. Marine Corporal Allison (Robert Mitchum - perfectly casted truly) who are stranded on an island in Japanese occupied territory. Their 2 faiths (hers in God & his in the Corps)bring them together and provide each other the strength to overcome over whelming odds. "Heaven Knows Mr. Allison" is a great family picture. Is so delightful & entertaining (the story line is a pleasant surprise). Kerr & Mitchum are magical together. Don't miss this one. I guarantee you will be watching this one more than once. This is a great movie to buy!! Get out the popcorn & see a Great WideScreen DVD movie today. Find out why "Heaven Knows Mr. Allison"? Enjoy. Special Features include: 1957 Movietone News (including Heaven Knows Mr.Allison clip), Theatrical Trailer & Fox War Classic Trailers.
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29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
From Heaven, June 25, 2006
Very few war films have a script with just two characters and all the lines in the movie are spoken by those two characters only. One wouldn't think this would be a war film, but it is. This classic WWII war film focuses on the pinacole of opposite human beings, thrust together and forced to survive on each other's individual strengths. Mr. Allison (R. Mitchum) is the marine who beaches on an island after being cast a drift in the Pacific Ocean for several days. There he searches the island and finds only one living person: a nun. Sister Angela (D. Kerr) is a dedicated nun who accompanied a priest to the island but got marooned there instead, and the priest dying a day or so later. Mr. Allison and Sister Angela work as a team on the island in order to sustain themselves. They do everything together: they gather island fruit, fish for turtles, build a sail, and have deep conversations about each other's contrary occupations and past.
The character of Mr. Allison is brilliantly developed and is easily likeable among viewers. He is portrayed as a big dumb guy, with a soft heart and top marine skills. He's clumsy with words and he's very open about his feelings, which at times puts Sister Angela in uncomfortable positions. Equally developed is Sister Angela, who is greatly sympathized by the many stresses she is forced to endure. She rarely speaks unless spoken to by Mr. Allison, as she is obviously uncomfortable around him half the time. But as the picture progresses, she becomes more and more accustomed with having him around and a mutual fondness for each other develops.
The film is highly original and thorougly entertaining. Although it's a movie about a man and woman, it is not a romance. Even though they are alone on an island together, there's no hint of carnal pleasure for each other. Instead, the movie shows how a man and woman can form a relationship of trust, not just in order to survive, but because they are alone together. It is a movie of friends, not lovers, which is very unusual of Hollywood. The results are phenominally entertaining and realistic.
Since it is a war film, there are explosions and guns and some action sequences, but most of it is toned down. Set in the Pacific Theatre during WWII, there are Japanese marines depicted in the film, but no characters are established amongst them. If any criticism is due for this film it is the need for a more satisfactory ending. There is quite a bit of silence throughout the movie, a lot of sounds from the ocean and exotic birds chirping. It's as relaxing as it is entertaining.
The film is rated G, there is no language (certainly not from Sister Angela!) and no indecency of any kind. Some blood, but it's not worth hiding a kid's eyes over. Only if one is offended by Catholicism or someone getting drunk on Japanese liquor would this film have any form of warnings at all.
To summarize, Heaven Knows Mr. Allison is an original kind of war movie with highly developed characters. It's an uncommon film in today's market of entertainment in regards to what a man and woman can do together. This film shows the sexes not at odds or in lust with each other, but shows them as a team working toward a common goal. It's easily a family film and a movie worth watching time and again.
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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
2 legendary stars...and a Japanese Army!, November 23, 2004
This John Huston classic is one of my favorite war movies. The beautiful island scenery is breathtaking, and Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr are flawless. The chemistry between these two, despite Kerr playing the role of a nun, is awesome. Mitchum, playing a tough-as-nails Marine sergeant, is perfectly cast, and gives one of his finest performances. Kerr is also perfectly cast and was nominated for best actress (she didn't win). This movie doesn't have epic battle scenes like other war films, but it perfectly captures the spirit of the U.S. soldiers in WW2. One of the film's best scenes is when Mitchum gets drunk and almost forgets Kerr is a nun! The dvd version has a great picture quality and the special features include a newsreel from WW2 showing battle scenes in the Pacific, and there are a few trailers. If you want to see a different kind of war movie, I highly recommend this classic.
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