Since You Went Away (1944) User Reviews

History repeats itself

[jotix100 · 8/10 · 31 August 2004]

Watching this film, we couldn't help drawing a parallel between what the Hilton family went through in the early 40s to the actual conflict in Iraq. The film makes clear the hard times on the families left behind. The government, unfortunately, doesn't provide for the people that have to sacrifice a great deal by making do with a reduced income in order to survive, while the men, or women are away in combat.

John Cromwell directs the film with an accurate eye for details. There is a lovely sequence at an airfield hangar where we see couples in silhouette dancing a waltz. It's at that time when war seems so far away from the lives of the family at the center of the story. This is a distraction that is shattered shortly thereafter when Anne Hilton learns about the airplane accident where the young son of her grocer dies. War shows its ugly face no matter how far removed one is from the actual theater of operations, as it is in this case.

David O. Selznick adapted the novel in which the film is based. It runs for almost three hours, and it could have used some cutting, but this movie has proved to be a favorite for many that have discovered it years after it was first released.

Claudette Colbert was an accomplished actress who made this Anne Hilton come alive. Jennifer Jones is a compelling Jane, a girl deprived of a father and confused about what she want from life. Joseph Cotten plays Tony, the man who comes into the lives of the Hilton women. Monty Woolley, Robert Walker, Agnes Moorhead all have excellent moments where they shine.

It was also good to see in minor roles people that would go on to have careers of their own. Guy Madison, Keenan Wynn, Craig Stevens appear in the film shortly, but they leave their mark on it.

This is a film that will not disappoint.

Agony on the Homefront

[dexter-10 · 8/10 · 27 November 2000]

The formula for a successful film incorporates good direction, a deep and talented cast, a sophisticated script, and a profound theme. This film has all of the above. The poignant theme is that of the Homefront's waiting for soldiers to safely return from the various battle zones of World War Two, with full knowledge that some would not return. In this film, released just two weeks after D-Day, the daily lives of the characters are dominated by the pall of war, and the casualty reports. Non-patriotic foils are sprinkled throughout, especially those who regularly violate the rationing system. In essence, the main thrust of the film to the audience is this: Do not despair, everyone with servicemen abroad is experiencing the same fears and emotions. Like "Casablanca" and other films produced during the war, the message of common sacrifice prevails. Everyone is in the same boat, or so says Hollywood. This film is both entertaining and instructive, as intended. If this film has a weakness, it is the title. It would better be something like "what would I do when you're no longer here to tell my troubles to?" No longer here could be for the duration of the war--or for eternity.

War heroes left homes with flags of patriotism, but they didn't know they were leaving their families uncovered. Know their story here.

[SAMTHEBESTEST · 7/10 · 7 January 2023]

Since You Went Away (1944) : Brief Review -

War heroes left homes with flags of patriotism, but they didn't know they were leaving their families uncovered. Know their story here. The 1940s decade gave us the best World War films; let's not argue about that. There have been films about the battlefield, horrors of war, spy dramas, inspiring musicals, comedies, family dramas, and even the post-war situation. Buck Privates (1941), Mrs. Miniver (1942), The Best of Our Lives (1946), Germany Year Zero (1948), and The Search (1948) can be named as a few. While almost every angle of the world war has been attempted, Cromwell had an idea to take up the story of a family-the women who are left behind by men to complete their patriotic duties towards the country. Well, it was hard, as we all know, but having a sneak peek into their daily lives was no ordinary job. John Cromwell does that here. Yes, it's a long film of almost 3 hours, with 10 minutes wasted in the overture and all, but it will never make you feel bored. It has various interesting scenes and events lined up one after another to keep you hooked on the film. The film is about a housewife who has to take care of her two daughters and the home as her husband is away fighting the war for the country. Let me tell you, the film doesn't show the face of her husband once. Not even once. Maybe that's the most unique part about it. The writer and the director wanted that character to be the one from every family; hence, they didn't give him a face. If they had, it would have become a personal family drama, not a film about society. Yes, Claudette Colbert has done "Cleopatra," "Imitation of Life," and "It Happened One Night," but this was her best on-screen performance. Period. The rest of the cast is good too. The screenplay, cinematography, editing, emotions, social appeal, and direction all go well. All said and done, this WW II flick will never go away from our memories.

RATING - 7.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Classic Gem

[ralphdl · 9/10 · 8 February 2001]

Yes, this film can be accused of being cliched and peppered with propaganda. It had it's share of critics even when it was released. It had the tall task of being compared to " Mrs. Miniver" but in the end it stands on it's own as a classic gem. To really enjoy and understand this movie (and truly, all vintage movies)you must place yourself in their time and place.. the context of the times.

I grew up hearing the stories of the hardships of the depression and WWII. My family was not as well off as the family in this film but the emotions were the same. If "since you went away" seems at times to be a little preachy, consider it a peak into a long gone America that we sorely could use a lot of today.

In the meantime, enjoy the wonderful acting, direction, lighting and beautiful score- and of course, the greatest goodby scene of all time! The train station farewell is a masterpiece by itself...get your kleenex!

The premier Sunday afternoon experience.

[movibuf1962 · 9 February 2004]

I saw this yesterday on TCM. Yes, it is sentimental, patriotic, and a bit syrupy in the dialog. But it was released in 1944 (filmed right in the middle of the war), so the sentiment and especially the times are aptly reflected. More than anything else, the film's virtues are the performances. Claudette Colbert reminds me very much of Norma Shearer's matriarch in 'The Women:' warm, intelligent, and very likable, but surrounded by the constrictions and circumstances of the time. (It's interesting to hear her tell Joseph Cotten two hours into the film that she feels useless and is not contributing to the war effort when in fact she's been contributing all along.) Cotten is wonderful as her surrogate mate (still carrying a torch after all these years) and daughters Jennifer Jones and Shirley Temple are quite good. The standout scene, of course is Jones and real-life husband Robert Walker parting at the train station. The Steiner score (echoing the chugging of the train) and especially Jones' tearful run as the train departs are especially heartbreaking. (Does she sense her soldier's fate? There's something almost psychic in her face as she reads the engraving on the watch.) Good performances also from Agnes Moorehead and Selznick veteran Hattie McDaniel. Nominated for a ton of Oscars, and deservedly so.

One of the best movies about life on the 'homefront' during war

[jarcid-1 · 10/10 · 11 January 2005]

Subtle and nuanced in most places, a bit obvious in others, Since you went away may be the best war movie ever made that doesn't have a war scene. It follows the life of a family in the early days of America's entry into World War II. The coming of age thrust upon young men and women is splendidly captured, but central is the silent pain and worry of those who with loved ones in harm's way. Watch for the scene when Mr. Mahoney leaves the movie theater. There is no dialog, and there need not be.

This movie is often shown near the Holidays because of a great Christmas scene,it's general warmth, and its theme of Country, God, and Family.

One of Jennifer Jones' best performances, with strong work by Claudette Colbert, Shirly Temple, Joseph Cotten, Robert Walker, Hattie McDaniel and Monty Woolley. Agnes Moorehead foreshadows her role years later in the series 'Bewtiched', playing the town 'witch'.

Overlong, overblown and over here

[Igenlode Wordsmith · 6/10 · 16 May 2006]

I found this film quite simply too long. Too syrupy, too unsubtle, too American for my taste -- but none of these reactions would have been insuperable if they hadn't been continued at such length. In its quest for a domestic epic, the script basically encompasses far too many strands, each afforded a leisurely treatment more suited to a central plot line; a perfectly adequate movie could have been made out of Jane's story, or Colonel Smollett's story, or Tony's story all on their own. And come to that, a perfectly adequate movie could indeed have been made out of Anne's story as a framing network for all the others -- but it would have had to have been far tauter and more concisely scripted than was the actual result. There's too much talking, too much happening for too little actually conveyed: this is one big-budget production that could profitably take lessons from the tight structure of the 60- and 70-minute B-movies of the period. If it had lost the best part of an hour overall, the pacing of what was left might have held my attention far longer. As it was, I caught myself clock-watching from little more than an hour in.

It is unfair, given the circumstances of its production, to blame "Since You Went Away" for being too American. The amount of tub-thumping on display is nevertheless somewhat alienating for those outside the congratulatory circle; it's not the most uplifting Home Front picture I've seen. To English eyes at least, certain propaganda points might have been more effectively (as well as more concisely) made by implication rather than by driving them home with a sledgehammer...

The same applies to the music. In the past, and especially in the case of silent film accompaniment, I've applauded the use of appropriate themes to underpoint visual references... but here it really struck me as crashingly unsubtle and almost, I'm afraid, amateurish in its unrelenting quotation. Evidently you either love it or you don't: I found the opening montage, so highly praised, particularly irritating.

All this makes it sounds as if I thought this to be a bad film. I don't; it's beautifully photographed, there is some fine acting from a stellar cast, and the basic concept is an intriguing one. (Although I have to say that I saw the final 'twist' coming from about two hours beforehand; and it wasn't half a long wait...) But the movie was never intended for the likes of me, and it makes no bones about it -- I couldn't honestly recommend it to anyone I know. I'd rate it a "6": 'inoffensive film I have no especial desire ever to see again'.

This one holds up well

[jblake1243 · 10/10 · 12 January 2005]

Saw it last evening on TCM. Excellent performances by a stellar cast, filmed at a time when Hollywood and American movie audiences were fully experiencing World War 2 on the "home-front". This film has somehow managed to avoid becoming "dated" and remains entertaining, appealing and instructive to a contemporary audience. The story is primarily about a middle class family and its attempts to deal with problems caused by the war. The characters are decent people confronted by issues that test their faith and ability to carry on with life in a normal way. I particularly enjoyed the performances of Claudette Colbert and Monty Woolley, although the entire cast did excellent jobs. The music was appealing and appropriate and helped create the mood intended. TCM played the opening "Overture" which added to the production quality. Three hours is a long sitting but this one is worth it.

A Long, Emotional Experience

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 23 May 2007]

The cast is tremendous in here; lots of big names. That's the good news, at least for most male viewers, because the bad news is that this is a woman's movie from start-to-finish.

From the moment Claudette Colbert comes home after seeing her husband off for war, the tears start and the women's soap opera begins. It goes on and on, too, because this film is almost three hours long. That is a lot of time for a lot of heartaches. How many hankies is that? It has to be the whole Kleenex box!

I'm not making fun of it. The topic - women seeing their men off to war and never knowing if they'll come back alive - has been a tragic one since mankind began.

The cast in here was astonishing with people such as Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, Guy Madison, Shirley Temple, Monty Whooley, Hattie McDaniel, Agnes Moorhead, Craig Stevens, Keenan Wynn, Robert Walker and Lionel Barrymore.

I found no fault with any of them expect perhaps Temple, whose young-adult roles never matched her little girl performances, except for "The Bachelor and The Bobbysoxer."

It was interesting to see a young Stevens, who 15 years later starred in television's "Peter Gunn" series. It also was a bit odd seeing Jones and Walker together because they got divorced in 1944, the same year this movie was released. This must have been awkward for them to film since they obviously were not doing well in their real-life marriage.

This movie isn't all tears. There are some genuinely warm moments in here, including a very nice Christmas scene. People generations ago were more hopeful and optimistic, too. Today's world is much more cynical, so this film makes some critics unhappy because they think the people are too goody-goody. Well, too bad for them. For me, that's part of the charm of classic era movies: nicer attitudes.

The photography was pretty good, too. There are lots of lights-and-shadows. Is the too long and should it have been edited? Yes, but it's still an emotional experience for many viewers, even 60 years later.

As relevant today as when it was first filmed

[smoyer-1 · 10/10 · 6 September 2004]

This movie has managed to stay so watchable because the people portrayed in the movie are so real. Strip away some of the obvious 40s references and you get people facing issues that could occur in any era.

Agnes Moorehead's character, Mrs. Emily Hawkins, is alive and well and living in your city. Look at how some of the comments after Sept. 11 reflect the same mean-spirited mindset her character displayed.

More than a mere war story, this is a great character study, one that should be viewed several times, the more you watch it the more you get out of it.

Since You Went A-Way Too Long

[myronlearn · 6/10 · 4 September 2023]

For starters, 'Since You Went Away' (SYWA) went on too long. The editing job left a lot to be desired. With nearly three hours long, including a brief intermission, SYWA had many slow moments which is typical of films that are too lengthy. Jennifer Jones was completely miscast, just coming off her Oscar win the year before for 'The Song of Bernadette'. Jones was simply too old for the role she played. Her chemistry with Claudette Colbert who played the role of her mother was weak. Her husband, David O. Selznick, was responsible for her being cast, a bad choice on his part. It was obvious that these two stars were trying to outdo each other, though ultimately, it was Colbert's film. Shirley Temple, Monty Wooley, Joseph Cotton, Robert Walker and the wonderful Hattie McDaniel round out the supporting players, who, as a group, were better than the two leads.

SYWA was well intentioned. It dealt with the ups and downs of an American family whose patriarch was serving in the military during WWII. It mirrored the plight of many such families in 1944, when the picture was made. The writing was mediocre, the acting passable, but overall, SYWA should have been shorter and should have given a stronger account of a family facing this dilemma. It tugs at the heart strings for sure, but that's not enough to make this movie what could've and should've been an outstanding one.

Every Christmas I HAVE to Watch This Story

[Piafredux · 10/10 · 21 June 2003]

Call 'Since You Went Away' schmaltzy, cliched, idealized, propaganda, soapy - whatever you like: I LOVE this movie. It was made when we called them movies, not films, not cinema.

Every Christmastime I HAVE to watch 'Since You Went Away'. The laughter - that good, clean kind of fun laughter that gets trashed nowadays by the many who like to affect "sophisticated" jadedness - it provokes from my heart, and the tears it pulls from my eyes are worth every second of this Selznick masterpiece (in my opinion this movie trumps the overblown, talky, overpraised 'Gone With The Wind').

I laugh and cry, especially, watching and listening to the gifted, lovely Hattie McDaniel handling her role, a good measure of which was written in the period's typical "Negro dialect," with dignity and aplomb. If I had to be stranded on a desert island with one person I'd hope it could be McDaniel, a woman who embodied grace under pressure.

Claudette Colbert simply glows throughout. Jennifer Jones oozes smoldering sexuality, but manages to convince us that she's a teen verging on responsible adulthood. Shirley Temple tugs at your heartstrings. McDaniel radiates strength, stamina, and tenderness. Monty Woolley irritates and charms. Joseph Cotten brings a healthy dose of class and charm. Agnes Moorehead infuriates - she was one of the most talented actresses ever to grace the screen. Robert Walker exemplifies the innocence that war guts from the young, and the sacrifice made, like his character, by thousands of young people in defending, and assuring the legacy, of America's founding ideals.

Have your tissues - a whole box - handy. And let 'Since You Went Away' make your heart soar.

a rather large dose of choking sentiment

[den_quixote · 6/10 · 14 November 2021]

Those were the words the great Bosley Crowther used to describe the film and he has never been more accurate. Filmed from a script by Mr. David O. Selznick himself it cannot hold a candle to either Mrs. Miniver or The Best Years of Our Lives. Since Selznick was the producer as well it must have been a little difficult to edit out some of the parts that are totally superfluous. Also, several of the parts were horribly miscast. What worked for Shirley Temple when she was 5 are no longer quite so cute at 15 or so. Robert Walker was as handsome as ever but there is no way in the world that he would have caught the eye of Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten was more than pitiable. OTOH, Claudette Colbert was magnificent and Monte Wooley was Monty Wooley. This film could have been so much better if Selznick had hired a screenwriter and maybe a director who could stand up to him. Well worth seeing just for the WWII ambience and Ms. Colbert's performance.

Overly Inflated Home Front Propaganda

[JackCerf · 4/10 · 6 May 2019]

As a piece of inspiration and moral instrruction for the folks at home, this is far inferior to either Mrs. Miniver or The Fighting Sullivans. A very talented cast struggles gamely with a ham-handed script and overwrought direction. As Ann Hilton, Claudette Colbert is way too emotional as the upper middle class wife of an advertising executive who chucked his job to volunteer for the Army. She's portrayed as completely unstrung by his departure and as initially helpless inside her bubble of privilege. I can't help comparing the role as written unfavorably with the way I visualize Myrna Loy's Millie Stevenson having coped with the same situation while Al was away, before the beginning of The Best Years of Our Lives. Jennifer Jones's burgeoning and barely controlled sexuality as Jane, the older daughter. is similarly over the top, compared with Teresa Wright's cool, sensible Peggy Stevenson. Joseph Cotten's man about town Navy officer and family friend emits almost the full too clever by half serial killer vibe he had in Shadow of a Doubt, and his "Uncle Tony" relationship with Jane, who keeps throwing him none too subtle invitations, is as sexually cringe-worthy as his uncle-niece relationship with Wrignt in Shadow. Hattie McDaniel is stuck in another broadly played faithful maid role, right down to the name Fidelia, but then Hollywood never allowed her to do anything else. The script hits every patriotic beat required -- taking in a boarder, growing a victory garden, volunteering for war work, eschewing the black market -- with Agnes Moorehead as the snobbish exemplar of what not to think, say and do. The nice young men you can see will be killed duly are, to the grief of the women left behind and the service of the plot, and the same is true of the ones you know have to survive. It perfectly suited the taste of the time, but unlike The Fighting Sullivans, Mrs. Miniver, and the Best Years of Our Lives -- which are also true to the values of their day -- it has dated badly and is only of historical interest.

Personal Remarks

[harry-76 · 9/10 · 26 August 2004]

As I watched this recently on Turner Movie Classics, a number of trivial points ran through my mind. David O. Selznick certainly had a knack for making clear statements and making sure that everything in his productions (at least up to this time) was easily understood by viewers of all levels.

As his cinematographer, Lee Garmes, was noted for his tendency toward dark images, I was constantly aware of the many shadows in his shots. For his actors to move from one position to another they walk through at least one area of total darkness. There are many shadows on their faces, many profiles, and sharp light and dark contrasts in the background. While Selznick reportedly didn't appreciate Garmes' signature style for GWTW, David certainly tolerated it here, and this dark ambiance gave "Since You Went Away" a quality of depth and substance it might not otherwise have had.

David's effort to get the "perfect" cast paid off. With Colbert anchoring the enactment with a great performance, the film was also blessed with excellent work from Cotten, Jones, Temple, Wooley, McDaniel, Moorhead, et al.

It looks like Colbert's preference for being photographed from the left side is valid. On my system, motion can be stopped and slowly forwarded, observing her from the right side when she turns. In real time one only glimpses; in slow motion one can see her point.

Max Steiner's themes are quite haunting (one of his main ones reveals generic influences of the "Liebestod" from Tristan und Isolde--another the basis for a later Christmas song) and his careful underscoring of every action works well here. TMC Channel's inclusion of the complete Overture and Entr'acte enhances the presentation's effectiveness. It's a joy to see material once cut from so many "classics" now sensitively restored.

Knowing what the Walkers were going through in real life (marital separation) during this filming does indeed make me further appreciate the fine quality of their work. Though Jennifer reportedly often left the set in tears, not a hint of that shows. That indeed is strong acting.

The volume of sad and tragic events depicted in this film now seems, by the end, a wee bit much. Still, this "tear jerker supreme" continues to be enjoyed by many viewers, and "Since You Went Away," remains a nostalgic enactment of an emotional period in American history.

Underrated and I disagree with other viewer's comments

[Siblvane · 11 September 2003]

I thought this film was nicely naturalistic rather than melodramatic- in that the naivete, sincerity and hopeful nature of people in the context of 1940s smalltown America was honestly portrayed by all of the principle actors. A pleasant counterpoint to "The Best Years of Our Lives"- yes, admittedly much more of a striving to be cheerful/optimistic bit of propaganda than "Best Years", but similar in tone nonetheless. I also recommend this film for the intriguing casting of Robert Walker (best known as psychopath Bruno Antony in Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train") as Jennifer Jones' somewhat wishy washy yet ultimately tragic boyfriend- the infamous scene where Jones tearfully bids him farewell as his battlefield destined train departs is classic. Genuinely emotional. Not one of the all time best movies I have ever seen, but certainly worth a watch. Probably of interest to Shirley Temple fans, too, as it is one of her 'young adult' roles.

Oh, wonderful! Bravo!

[LolaJean · 10/10 · 25 March 2005]

This movie is beyond words. Filmed and released during the war and dealing with the war, this film would have attracted many to the theater being that those at home were faced with the same issues. They would have seen that they are not alone in their battle and that even Hollywood can show that they are not by themselves.

I have never seen a movie that touched me quite as well as this one. I find it interesting that when the movie first opens, Mr. Hilton has just left for the war, so you don't see him. And then when it closes...not to give anything away...but, hence, the title, "Since You Went Away." You'll get that if you watch the movie. The acting is superb, as well as the script, direction, etc. The whole movie is just wonderful. It all seems natural and it's almost like you were watching in through a window at these people's daily lives during the war. It's a good insight to see what it was like during that time. It's almost flawless.

And might I add that I fell in love with Robert Walker as Bill, and I was just rooting for that relationship between him and Jane Hilton. Their love gives you a chance to see love blossoming during the war, and then what happens when he's sent away to war.

Claudette Colbert was a very warm, understanding mother in the film, and you see the effect that a husband's going away to war has on a wife/mother. You find out that they lead two lives: one, in the public, where they appear to be strong and leading their lives as if nothing has happened, war or not. And then there's the second, where they're by themselves, lonely, sad, weak. But in reality they are not, and they are even stronger for leading this double life because it keeps the morale high in the home, helping their children realize not to dwell and to be strong.

This movie must have helped and/or touched many people when they went to see it, realizing that they must be strong. It helped me to really see what everyone when through those days, and let me see now, in today's world, most people are ignorant and don't realize some people are living with those sorts of things happening to them, having people go away in war and maybe dying or missing in action. It's pretty horrible, actually.

I give this movie 10 stars and recommend it to anyone who likes a really excellent movie.

Fascinating Banality

[n_r_koch · 6/10 · 8 November 2009]

There is no point in trying to see this movie as anything other than what it is: a feature-length fantasy. Nothing in it could have happened, been said, been lived in or around, etc., but in the film's terms that doesn't matter. Everything, including the dog and the maid, looks like it still has the price tag on. That doesn't matter either. Even the stupid script doesn't matter:

Big Sister. It's Communism, that's what it is.

Baby Sister. Oh, pooh!

It is easy to see what mattered: in 1944 there were a lot of home-front wives to sell tickets to. What is harder to understand is why a film set in Anytown, USA got made in the Gothic-romantic style of REBECCA. Maybe Selznick was ahead of everyone else (again) in grasping that, in 1944, this glossy banality really was the audience's dream rather than its nightmare. The movie made money.

A characteristic moment: that dazzling smile and sisterly kiss the wife (Colbert) lays on her bachelor admirer (Cotten) as he ships out for danger without his reward. The humane alternative, of course, would have been to make herself unattractive to him-- and then explain why after the armistice. The film being what it is-- a talking issue of a women's magazine-- this was clearly impossible, and the dramatic instincts of both Colbert and Cotton in this scene feel right: "If that chump's got to die for our country," you can almost hear the wife thinking, "at least he'll do it with me on his mind!"

It doesn't get much better than this....just be sure to have some Kleenex handy.

[planktonrules · 10/10 · 22 January 2012]

"Since You Went Away" would make an amazingly fitting film to watch along with "The Best Years of Our Lives". "Since You Went Away" is an incredibly well-crafted tale about one family as they deal with losses and separations caused by having the men in their lives serving in the armed forces. And, just as well-crafted, "The Best Years of Our Lives" shows men returning home to their families--like a fitting conclusion to "Since You Went Away". Both are highly emotional films, so be sure to have a Kleenex handy--but it's well worth it, as they are two of the very best films of the 1940s. While "The Best Years of Our Lives" won many Oscars (which it richly deserved), "Since You Went Away" only earned one--as the more schmaltzy "Going My Way" swept the Oscars that years. I really like "Going My Way", but it's simply not in the same league as this film--truly a must-see film of the era.

The film begins with the man of the house having just left for the war. You never see the guy--just photos of the actor Neil Hamilton. Left behind are his adoring family--his wife (Claudette Colbert) and two daughters (Jennifer Jones and Shirley Temple). Through the course of the film, the oldest daughter falls in love (with her real life husband at the time, Robert Walker), the family takes in a cranky boarder (Monty Woolley) and the wife entertains an old friend (Joseph Cotten). While the film is very deliberately paced and lacks excitement like a traditional movie, it is completely engaging throughout because the film is so well made. The acting is tops. The direction (more about that in a moment) is tops. And, the writing is tops. The film really pulls you into what it must have been like for the folks at home and your heart breaks several times through the course of the film--just like it happened with families during the war. In a way, it's like vicariously living through their lives.

It's interesting that this David O. Selznick film is shear perfection--just like "Gone With the Wind". I say interesting because the meddling Selznick did EXACTLY what he did with this earlier film--he kept changing directors and actually filmed parts of the film himself because he was such a control freak. It paid off very well in both case--you'd never suspect multiple directors as the camera-work and mood are consistently wonderful.

The bottom line is that the film is amazing and there is NOTHING negative in the least I could say about it. The film comes off as sincere, beautifully crafted and a wonderful glimpse into the past. See this film and you'll enjoy it from start to finish.

By the way, as you watch the film, listen to the wonderful Max Steiner music. He is considered a genius at his craft and here he is at his best. Another thing to listen for are the wonderful nonsense words used by Hattie McDaniel in the film.

Homespun epic

[Boyo-2 · 6/10 · 13 August 2001]

The acting in this three hour family drama ranges from terrific to pretty bad. There are some very artistic shots and some genuine emotions on display, but the whole thing is too long!

Best scene-Robert Walker and Jennifer Jones meet Guy Madison at a bowling alley and they all converse briefly. It might have seemed like a throwaway scene but something about the chemistry the three of them shared really ignited my interest, which was waning at that point to say the least.

Another excellent scene was an immigrant friend of Colbert expressing her love for her new country; this was easily the most emotional scene in the whole movie for me.

You have to wade through a lot of schmaltz to get to the good stuff.

I recommend the movie mostly for the talent on display-personally, Jennifer Jones and Agnes Moorehead are among the best there ever was, even if this does not show either at her best. Its always great to see Hattie McDaniel even if her dialogue makes you cringe once or twice; I don't gain a lot of pleasure hearing a line like "When I'm alone I likes my solitude and my privation" spoken by anyone, much less a really good actress who had to say lines like that in order to stay working in movies. Claudette Colbert and Shirley Temple are Hollywood-bred actresses whose talents were not entirely utilized to their best here. Shirley pouting at age six was adorable; Shirley pouting at age sixteen is less so. Agnes Moorehead tries her best with a badly written part that even she cannot rescue.

As far as the men go, Joseph Cotten is interesting because his role is somewhat vague; you can't tell if he really wants to bed Colbert or just refers to it a lot. Robert Walker probably does the best acting in the movie, in a role that he was pretty familiar with - being in love with Jennifer Jones. I believe they were divorcing when this was being made, though.

A lot of scenes are filmed in shadows, as in 'the shadow of war' is upon them. The musical score is very effective and overblown at times but I'm sure it was supposed to be.

Moorehead and Cotten would meet up later on in 'Hush..Hush Sweet Charlotte', Jones and Cotten would do a couple of movies together too.

Keeping Up The Home Front

[bkoganbing · 9/10 · 6 March 2007]

Since You Went Away is David O. Selznick's fine tribute to the folks of the home front during World War II. Like his father-in-law Louis B. Mayer's film Mrs. Miniver, the action is seen through the experiences of the Hilton family, the typical American family, just as the Minivers were Hollywood's idea of the typical British family.

Though she didn't get the big prize like Greer Garson did for Mrs. Miniver, Claudette Colbert was nominated for Best Actress. The previous year's Oscar winner in that category, Jennifer Jones, was nominated in the Supporting Actress category as was Monty Woolley for Best Supporting Actor in his role as the cantankerous boarder Colonel Smollett. Since You Went Away got a whole flock of nominations in 1944, but only came up with best musical scoring as a win. The film had the misfortune to be up in the year of Going My Way. America certainly like its films sentimental that year.

Claudette Colbert is typical American mother as the film opens up whose husband enlisted right after Pearl Harbor. She's got two daughters in school, Jennifer Jones and Shirley Temple. Since You Went Away follows their experiences over the next few years.

I can tell you they were pretty typical. My mother herself graduated Benjamin Franklin High School in Rochester, New York and while there and afterwards worked at a lot of the things you see the Hilton family doing. Her brother, my uncle, was in Europe and would later see action at the Bulge. She did the scrap metal drive like Shirley Temple does here and she also worked at Bausch&Lomb Optical factory like Claudette Colbert later does. She helped make gas masks which while poison gas was not used in World War II, people had memories of it from the previous World War. She had a mission, she worked as though that gas mask would be used by her brother and might save his life in a gas attack.

Everyone back in the day had a mission, it seemed like the whole population was engaged. I'm sure there were a few like gossipy neighbor Agnes Moorehead who complained and moaned about the inconveniences like rationing, it was pretty rare and socially discouraged. Of course after the war, there was a nationwide revolt against such rationing.

This film changed the lives of several of it's principals, David O. Selznick flipped completely over Jennifer Jones. I can certainly see why, she was beautiful back in the day. He broke up the marriage between Jones and Robert Walker who was her husband and also in the cast playing the young soldier Jones falls for. After Since You Went Away, Selznick divorced his wife Irene Mayer and married Jones. He spent the rest of his life as husband and career Svengali to his new wife.

Joseph Cotten was also in the cast as a best friend of Colbert's husband and this was the first of several films he did with Jennifer Jones. He was one class act as a performer, never shown to better advantage than here, not even in Citizen Kane.

David O. Selznick spent the rest of his life trying to top Gone With the Wind. Of course he never did, but in its own way, Since You Went Away is as much an epic as Gone With the Wind. After all, you can't do much better than a supporting cast that was no less than the whole civilian population of the USA.

Not a classic but a decent product of the time

[dierregi · 6/10 · 4 May 2020]

Clearly made as a propaganda movie to support the morale of American citizens in the middle of WWII, the movie tells the story of housewife Anne (Colbert) who just said goodbye to hubby Tim, leaving for the front and now must wait faithfully at home with their two daughters, for him to come back alive and in one piece.

We never get to see Tim, which is partly detrimental to the plot, but we see plenty of his best friend Tony (Cotten) who hangs around Tim's house a great deal. Cotten has the ungrateful role of the guy in love with his best friend's wife and manages decently.

Debbie, the eldest daughter is supposed to be barely eighteen, but she is played by 24 y.o. Jones, who looked her age and, as a mother of two, did not quite cut it as an innocent virgin. To compound the felony, her soon-to-be ex-husband Robert Walker, plays Bill, her love interest. They make for an awkward couple.

Lots of scenes drag on forever (Anne and Tony spending a long evening dancing, flirting and taking a night drive; Debbie and Bill debating his emotional issues, etc...) others are totally superfluous (the weird girlfriend; the ongoing feud between the family dog and the lodger, etc...)

Tragedies are acknowledged but they take place in the background and are underplayed, because citizen had to keep a steely resolve and a smiling face.

With better editing this could've been at least 30 minutes shorter, leaner and a more compacts story. As it is, it's overlong and corny at times. Still, an interesting specimen of at-home war movie.

Claudette Colbert is Brilliant in David Selznick's great Film classic

[adventure-21903 · 10/10 · 15 September 2020]

David Selznick always did things a big scale. After winning back to back Oscars for Best Picrure, Selznick set out to make a movie about life on the homefrontduring WW2.

Selznick cast Claudette Colbert as the Mother of Jennifer Jones and Shirley Temple. All three are simply great. Note: Jennifer was married to Robert Walker and Walker was cast as her beau. Behind the scenes Jennifer was having a affair with Selznick .Selznick re named Philip Isley of Oklahoma to Jennifer Jones who became a great International film star The famous scene where Jones chases after the departing troop train carrying Walker is brilliantly photographed by Stanley Cortez*. There is also a great scene one likely. Filling up an entire soundstage of servicemen dancing with their beautiful dates. The Movie was a big hit and one of my favorites at Christmas time. Jennifer's marriage exploded, Robert Walker never got over losing "Jennifer" to Selznick, and died at the early age of 32. Jennifer received an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress and married Selznick. Hedda Hopper once said sharply but truthfully that "Jennifer must find it easy to remember and hard to forget" Jennifer's treatment of Walker. Jennifer became a truly huge movie star with her David obsessed over Jennifer. Selznick micromanaged Jennifer 's career and life.

Claudette Colbert brought class to the filming. Colbert lived a rich life in private with a mansion in Barbados, an apartment in New York, and an apartment in Paris. Colbert never had to do a "horror" film the way Bette Davis, and Joan Crawford did.

Jennifer Jones said the Colbert aware f her affair with Selznick never said. Word.

Agnes Moorehead is superb in a small but pivotal role in this film.

* Stan Cortez was a great cinematographer , personal friend of Susan Hayward's and was Susie's cinematographer on several of her films most notably Ross Hunter's "Back Street" Cortez photographed the legendary scene of Jennifer running after the troop train carrying her beloved boyfriend in th film (played bty her estranged husband)

Epic-Length Home-Front WWII Soap Opera Has Colbert and Some Startling Camera-work

[EUyeshima · 7/10 · 28 May 2008]

Two things still stand out in this elongated, patriotic 1944 soap opera produced in immaculate style by David O. Selznick ("Gone With the Wind", "Rebecca") - the natural, self-effacing warmth of Claudette Colbert's portrayal of a WWII wife and mother holding down her home as her husband goes off to war, and the striking black-and-white cinematography by Lee Garmes and Stanley Cortez, who use a lot of deep focus and long shadows to accentuate the more dramatic moments. Look at the dance sequence in the airplane hangar or the departing train scene for clear evidence of their artistry. Otherwise, the film directed by John Cromwell is emblematic of its time as a morale booster to war-weary audiences looking for ways to cope with the eternal wait for the serving men. Based on a novel by Margaret Buell Wilder written in the form of a series of letters, Selznick took it upon himself to flesh out the story into a full-fledged screenplay with the intent of making an American version of the 1942 MGM classic, "Mrs. Miniver" complete with an overly effusive musical score by Max Steiner. While some jingoism is expected from a film of this era, it remains a poignant piece of Americana during a more innocent time - not as emotionally resonant as William Wyler's "The Best Years of Our Lives" but cut from the same dramatic cloth.

The simple story focuses on the Hilton family. Head of the household Tim (who is only seen in the movie in photos) has just left, and his wife Anne is trying to cope with the initial loneliness. Oldest daughter Jane is a boy-crazy high school senior, and fifteen-year-old Brig is the perky rabble-rouser-wannabe. Devoted to Tim with unconditional devotion, the three have an ideal relationship. Because they have to now survive only on his allotment checks, Anne has to let family maid Fidelia go, even though she comes back to work for them for free. Such situations obviously just happen in the movies. They take in a boarder, the easily irritable Colonel Smollett, and things get complicated when family friend Lt. Tony Willett shows up. Jane develops a crush on Tony, but her affections quickly transfer to Smollett's grandson Billy, a puppyish enlistee who is summarily ignored by his grandfather for getting ejected from West Point. The film starts to move into a quagmire of tear-jerking scenes at this point, and the last part introduces new situations and characters much too quickly - including a potentially interesting episode on Anne's job in a steel mill - before the film finally ends.

Colbert is wonderful as the patient Anne from start to finish. As Jane, Jennifer Jones tries too hard to be youthful at the beginning (she was 25) but settles down when her character falls in love with Billy and matures due to an unexpected tragedy. In a role similar to the one he played in Vincente Minnelli's "The Clock" opposite Judy Garland, Robert Walker overdoes Billy's callowness to an off-putting degree. Regardless, I have to admit his scenes with Jones are touching, especially the famous goodbye scene at the train platform (satirized hilariously in "Airplane!"). Appearing about four years after the last of her child roles, Shirley Temple transitions nicely into adolescence as the spirited Brig. As the dashing Tony, Joseph Cotten is not particularly challenged here since he seems to be replaying Uncle Charlie from Alfred Hitchcock's "Shadow of a Doubt" with none of the darkness. The same can be said about Monty Woolley as Smollett, Hattie McDaniel as the comically inappropriate Fidelia (whose musical accompaniment sounds patronizingly like a cotton plantation spiritual), and even Agnes Moorehead playing Anne's narrow-minded society friend. Silent screen actress Nazimova shows up near the end as Anne's sanctimonious Russian émigré co-worker. The 2004 DVD unfortunately offers no extras.

Award: Four tears

[masterjk2 · 2/10 · 24 December 2005]

Some movies stand up very well with time... Citizen Kane, Sunset Blvd., Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Metropolis... others fail miserably, like this movie. The characters are all Donna Reed too good to be true. The plot is incredibly predicable. The home spun homilies are insufferably sweet. The movie is a victim of its time. The RaRa for war drum beat is ever present. It was a hard time for our country and of course people did die and many were injured. But they were real people...not these card board cut outs. Movies which try to manipulate with so little talent for doing so are repulsive. I'll give Selznick credit though, he knew how to play his war time audience and he did it with the very limited talent he had. It might have helped if he had hired a real script writer instead of doing it himself. I was so bored by this 3 hour epic that I switched part of the time to the shopping channel for comic relief. My final criticism is the sound score. It's as drippy as the movie. I guess if they awarded "Scoring best matched to a pitiful movie," Max Steiner would have been a ringer for this one. It's fine to be patriotic. It's not fine to manipulate your audience with fake emotions, fake crying, stereo-typed casting (the malapropped black maid, the stoic colonel, the goody two shoes mother, the Lolly popped Shirley Temple, the Hedda Hopper type gossip columnist, the green as corn corporal, the German accented psychiatrist... the list goes on forever.) There was not a real person in this movie and the problem with that is some people see a movie like this, particularly in 1944 and think that this is the way people should act. Well they don't. It's a cartoon and a truly dreadful movie. I hope they have not been able to save the celluloid and it dissolves into a pile of saccharine sweetness.