Title: Mrs. Miniver
Year: 1942
Director: William Wyler
Country: US
Language: English
In 1937 Mrs.Miniver began as a series of newspaper columns through the Times. These were adapted into a feature film and production began in 1941 prior to the United States' entry into the war. When it was released it became the highest grossing film of 1942 & Churchill credited it as doing an incredible amount to improve British morale.
The Minivers, an English "middle-class" family experience life in the first months of World War II. While dodging bombs, the Minivers' son (Richard Ney) courts Lady Beldon's granddaughter (Teresa Wright) .
Mrs/Miniver is one of the few contemporary films to focus on the domestic struggles of WWII. It isn't about battlefields or politics, but rather about how civilian lives were affected. It's also one of the rare Hollywood productions that show conflictthrough a woman's eyes. Everything we witness is through a woman's perspective. In this film the victims of war aren't men. they are women.
Made during a time when the outcome of WWII wasn't certain, Mrs. Miniver represents a snapshot of the uncertainty associated with a global conflict. William Wyler's superb direction is combined with remarkable cinematography and an atmospheric score. Albeit filmed far from where the real-life conflict takes place, the set design gives an incredible amount of authenticity to the production.
Mts. Miniver is one of the rare pre-60's Best Picture winners that will improve with age. Aside from this, I have yet to see another war film that focuses so much on the female perspective. It's a must watch.
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