Barnes & Noble

During World War II, Hollywood regularly offered home-front audiences big, heaping gobs of escapist entertainment, but from time to time the major studios presented films that recognized the enormous sacrifices being made by American families. This glorified tear-jerker from 1944 is arguably the best of its kind: Smoothly directed (by John Cromwell) and sensitively acted by a great ensemble cast, Since You Went Away tackles the issue with a minimum of sugar-coating. And while it may seem quaint to some viewers today, most will be moved by the honest, direct treatment afforded this subject. Claudette Colbert, at that time only a few years removed from the glamour-girl parts she performed so well, is profoundly affecting as the stoic mother of two teenage daughters (newly minted star Jennifer Jones and former child superstar Shirley Temple) coping with the absence of the family patriarch, an Army captain fighting overseas. Famed producer David O. Selznick adapted the script himself from Margaret Buell Wilder’s novel, imposing upon the narrative an episodic structure that allows for engrossing subplots and close-up character studies. Both Colbert and Jones earned Oscar nominations for their performances, but the other cast members -- including Joseph Cotten, Monty Woolley, Hattie McDaniel, and Lionel Barrymore -- are terrific as well. The wartime ambience, which until just recently might have seemed a bit too quaint for 21st-century tastes, is remarkably well sustained. There’s no denying that Since You Went Away is dated; yet, anyone whose life has been touched by the ravages of war will find it painfully relevant. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

David O. Selznick's first production since 1940's Rebecca, Since You Went Away, based on Margaret Buell Wilder's bestselling novel, is a long but rewarding paean to the World War 2 "home front." Claudette Colbert plays the wife of a businessman who, though well past draft age, volunteered to serve his country as an officer (though the husband is never seen, he is "played"-via a photograph-by Neil Hamilton). Fighting back her own fears and anxieties, Colbert does her best to maintain a normal, stable household for the sake of her growing daughters Jennifer Jones and Shirley Temple. She is offered moral support by cynical-but-kindly boarder Monty Woolley, by maid Hattie McDaniel (who willing foregoes her salary "for the duration") and by Navy man and friend-of-the-family Joseph Cotten, whose relationship with Claudette remains staunchly platonic. The harsh realities of war hit home several times throughout the film, first when it seems as though Colbert's husband is missing in action, and later when Jennifer's young boyfriend, GI Robert Walker, is killed in combat. From the vantage point of the 1990s, it is easy to see why Since You Went Away scored with its wartime audiences. Though the leading characters are slightly more financially secure than most of the moviegoers of 1944, the various vignettes presented throughout-complaints about rationing and priorities, shoulder-to-shoulder sacrifices, the weekly escape to the local movie house, tender partings, joyous reunions, the returning wounded, the dreaded wire from the war department-all had the ring of truth and topicality. Even today, the film's emotional highlights, particularly the much-imitated farewell scene at the railroad station, are sufficient to bring tears to the eyes of the most jaded viewer. Enhancing the film's heartstring tugging tenfold is Max Steiner's Oscar-winning musical score. If you can remain objective while watching Since You Went Away (it isn't easy), see if you can spot Ruth Roman, Guy Madison and John Derek, making their screen debuts in microscopic roles Hal Erickson

Product Details

• UPC: 027616912022
• Source: MGM (VIDEO & DVD)
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Pre-1954 Standard (1.33.1)
• Presentation: B&W
• Sound: Dolby Digital Mono
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, Français, Español
• Time: 2:57:00
• Sales Rank: 3,235

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