Product Details

• Actors: Frank Morgan, James Craig, Marsha Hunt, Fay Bainter, Ray Collins, Van Johnson, Donna Reed, Jack Jenkins Mickey Rooney
• Format: Black & White, NTSC, Original recording, VHS, HiFi Sound
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM/UA
• Run Time: 117 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000L3K7MW
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #32,035 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Mickey Rooney stars as Homer Macauley, a bright-eyed, fresh-faced, optimistic teenager living in Smalltown, USA during the height of World War Two. Even with soldiers passing through town, the war is still far, far away, and civilization can still be saved 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. 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. It's a fascinating slice of wartime historical hokum -- worth checking out its time capsule qualities, as well as for entertainment value. There are 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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Saroyan's testament to hope, December 16, 2006

By	Orson Scott Card (Greensboro, NC United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a film for people willing to surrender to the story. Writer William Saroyan meant his story to be a common-man epic, which means that the language is sometimes heroic or epigrammatic - as epic language is supposed to be - and the storyline contains the possibility of the supernatural and the divine; and yet the characters are all ordinary people in smalltown America.

In short, this is what Americans wanted to think of themselves, at their best, during World War II. If you expect realism, you will be disappointed; if you can't give yourself emotionally to a film, you will find it sappy. But if you think "It's a Wonderful Life" is a great film, you'll be right at home in "The Human Comedy."

4.0 out of 5 stars When will this ever be on DVD?, September 30, 2009

By	Reyman in SD "Lifelong Fan Boy" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This is one of the last of my favorite classic films that has yet to be put on DVD, and I cannot imagine why it hasn't as yet. I am still holding on to my old VHS of it just in case! MGM or even better, Criterion should work their magic on this near-forgotten classic piece of Americana...