Released – December, 1942 

Directed By - Mervyn LeRoy

Starring – Ronald Colman (Smithy), Greer Garson (Paula), Philip Dorn (Dr. Jonathan Benet), Susan Peters (Kitty), Henry Travers (Dr. Sims), Reginald Owen (Biffer).

Description – A touching story of a World War I veteran who, as a result of being shell-shocked, is an amnesiac seemingly destined to a life in a mental institution.

After wandering from the institution into town he meets and is befriended by Paula a music-hall entertainer. With no memory of his previous life, Paula gives him the name Smithy and, even after learning of his stay in the institution, decides that he is a gentle, harmless man to whom she is attracted.

Paula arranges for Smithy to join her traveling entertainment troupe, but learns that the authorities consider him to be an escapee and are looking for him. Paula decides to take Smithy to a secluded village where they marry, have a son, and appear to have found true happiness.

It is here that Smithy displays a literary talent  and decides to go to London to apply for a writing job with a newspaper. While in London, Smithy is involved in an accident.

It is here where fate takes a cruel turn. As a result of the accident, Smithy now has regained the memories of his life before the war and forgotten everything about his life with Paula.

One man has now disappeared, and another long missing has returned.

NOTABLE: This motion picture was nominated for seven Academy Awards; Best Picture, Best Director (Mervyn LeRoy), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Ronald Colman), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Susan Peters), Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White, Best Music,Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, and Best Writing, Screenplay.

Greer Garson, who gave an excellent performance, was unable to receive a Best Actress in a Leading Role nomination due to the fact that she was already nominated in that category for Mrs. Miniver.

The role of Paula was reported to be the favorite of actress Greer Garson.

Random Harvest

Enjoy browsing the Hollywood Movie Memories Film Store

Released – November, 1942

Directed By - Raoul Walsh 

Starring – Errol Flynn (James J. Corbett), Alexis Smith (Victoria Ware), Jack Carson (Walter Lowrie), Alan Hale (Pat Corbett), William Frawley (Billy Delaney), Ward Bond (John L. Sullivan).

Description – This story of heavyweight boxing champion Gentleman Jim Corbett is based on James J. Corbett’s autobiography The Roar of the Crowd.

Errol Flynn is terrific as the cocky, light-on-his-feet, 1890’s fighter. In a role said to be his favorite, Flynn’s portrayal of Corbett starts with his early days as a bank teller who saves the day for Judge Geary, a member of his banks Board of Directors after a police raid.

The judge, a boxing fan who is looking to improve on the brutal nature of the sport by introducing a more appealing class of fighter along with adherence of the Marquess of Queensberry rules takes an interest in Corbett.

Corbett, welll-spoken, polished, and possessing great fighting skills is a perfect canditate for the judge. However, his cockiness irritates some of the upper class of society including the beautiful Victoria Ware who Corbett is very attracted to.

Winning his early fights with relative ease using his scientific boxing skills and fancy footwork rather than the more common brawling style has earned him a championship fight with none other than John L. Sullivan.

Can Gentleman Jim win both the championship and the girl?

NOTABLE: This was the third Errol Flynn film to gross more than $2 million dollars for Warner Brothers in 1942. Big money in those days.

Errol Flynn did all of his own boxing stunts in the film.

Although Flynn portrayed Corbett as confident and arrogant, in real life James J. Corbett was said to have a quiet personality. 

Gentleman Jim

The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 2 (The Charge of the Light Brigade / Gentleman Jim / The Adventures of Don Juan / The Dawn Patrol / Dive Bomber)

Enjoy browsing the Hollywood Movie Memories Film Store

Released – October, 1942 

Directed By - Irving Rapper

Starring – Bette Davis (Charlotte Vale), Paul Henreid (Jerry Durrance), Claude Rains (Dr. Jaquith), Gladys Cooper (Mrs. Henry Vale).

Description – Charlotte Vale is unattractive, neurotic, depressed, and totally under the thumb of her domineering aristocratic mother.

Fearing for her emotional well-being, her sister-in-law arranges a meeting for Charlotte with psychiatrist Dr. Jaquith. After speaking with Charlotte, the Dr. suggests she spend some time in a sanatorium to get some emotional rest away from her mother.

The time spent at the sanatorium results in a startling transformation for Charlotte in both her appearance and demeanor. When her time at the sanatorium ends, rather than immediately return home, Charlotte decides to exercise her new feelings of independence by first taking a cruise.

On board the cruise ship Charlotte meets Jerry Durrance, a married man traveling with two friends. They enjoy each others company and while on a land excursion have a minor traffic accident that results in their missing the ship departure. They spend the next five days together and fall in love.

Charlotte returns home after she and the married Jerry decide it would be best if they did not see one another again. When arriving home, Charlotte’s family are stunned by her new appearance and independence. While some are pleased, her mother is not and seeks to gain back her dominance of her daughter.

Her efforts are unsuccessful as Charlotte draws upon her memories of Jerry to find the strength to remain resolute. Moving on with her life, she becomes engaged to wealthy widower Elliot Livingston.

A chance meeting with Jerry now turns everything upside-down again for Charlotte, bringing back a turn of events that will again damage the emotional fragility that previously haunted her.

NOTABLE: This picture won the Oscar for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, and was also nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Bette Davis), and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Gladys Cooper).

In 2007 this film was selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

This film ranks #23 on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Passions, a list of America cinemas top love stories.

Original casting considerations for the role of Charlotte Vale went to Ginger Rogers, Irene Dunne, and Norma Shearer. However, after learning of the project, Bette Davis successfully campaigned for the role and convinced producer Hal B. Wallis that she was perfect for the part.

This film was the biggest box office of Bette Davis’s career.

Personal Comment: A well-acted melodrama that showcases the tremendous talent that was Bette Davis. There are a number of films suggested on this site that star Ms. Davis, who truly was one of the greatest actresses in motion picture history.

Now, Voyager (Keepcase)

The Bette Davis Collection, Vol. 1 (Now, Voyager / Dark Victory / The Letter / Mr. Skeffington / The Star)

Enjoy browsing the Hollywood Movie Memories Film Store

Released – June, 1942 

Directed By - William Wyler

Starring- Greer Garson (Mrs. Miniver), Walter Pidgeon (Clem Miniver), Teresa Wright (Carol Beldon), Dame May Whitty (Lady Beldon), Reginald Owen (Foley).

Description- The sentimental story of Mrs. Kay Miniver and her family in the early days of World War II. As the war looms closer to their homefront, the middle-classed Miniver family attempts to cope with the inevitable consequences of war.

Mr. Miniver is a successful English architect. There are three children in the Miniver family; youngsters Toby and Judy, and oldest child Vin who is away at university. While visiting home, Vin meets and falls in love with Carol, the daughter of Lady Beldon.

During a dinner, Vin proposes to Carol and she accepts. Shortly after their marriage the war closes in. Vin joins the Royal Air Force as a pilot, his father Clem assists in the evacuation of Dunkirk.

Trying to live as normal a life as possible under the impending circumstances the family enters a flower show with a rose named after Mrs. Miniver and wins. After the show  Kay and Carol drive Vin back to his air base just as the bombing begins.

As they return home the horror’s of war become all too real with tragedy just ahead.

NOTABLE: This film was nominated for twelve Academy Awards, winning six; Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Greer Garson), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Teresa Wright), Best Director (William Wyler), Best Writing, Screenplay, and Best Cinematography, Black and White.

The character of Mrs. Miniver is based on Jan Struther’s fictional English housewife who appeared in a series of newspaper columns.

The films popularity exceeded all expectations and was the top box office attraction of 1942.

Winston Churchill was quoted as having said that this film had done more for the war effort than a flotilla of destroyers.

Actress Greer Garson would later marry Richard Ney who played her son in the movie.

Norma Shearer was offered and refused the role of Mrs. Miniver. Greer Garson also did not want the role, but was contractually obligated to take it, ending up with an Oscar.

At the completion of the film, Director William Wyler joined the Army and was stationed overseas when he won his Oscar.

Personal Comment: This film was intended as a propaganda film in the same way as the film The 49th Parallel, and is one of the best of its kind ever produced. It was hoped that this type of film would encourage America to enter World War II.

Take note of the very powerful sermon delivered by the vicar in the damaged church at the conclusion of the film. The sermon made such an impact that President Roosevelt used it as a morale builder and also as a basis of the text in leaflets that were printed in various languages and dropped over enemy and occupied territory.

Mrs. Miniver

TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Best Picture Winners (Casablanca / Gigi / An American in Paris / Mrs. Miniver)

Enjoy browsing the Hollywood Movie Memories Film Store

Released - April, 1942 

Directed By - Sam Wood

Starring – Ann Sheridan (Randy Monaghan), Robert Cummings (Parris Mitchell), Ronald Reagan (Drake McHugh), Betty Field (Cassandra Tower), Charles Coburn (Dr. Henry Gordon), Claude Rains (Dr. Alexander Tower), Judith Anderson (Mrs. Harriet Gordon).

Description – A powerful drama set in a midwestern town just before World War I that tells the intertwined story of  its citizens. The story concerns itself particularly with two young men Parris Mitchell, and Drake McHugh.

Revealed through the growing years of these two men will be the corruption and moral decay that lurks behind the peaceful facade of this serene community. There are many difficult facts that must be dealt with including challanges, tragedies, social pressures, and dark secrets.

It’s all there; just under the surface of small town America.

NOTABLE: This motion picture received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director (Sam Wood), and Best Cinematography, Black and White.

This film was Ronald Reagan’s most notable role and was the inspiration for the title of his 1965 autobiography ‘Where’s the Rest of Me?’

There were problems with the Hays Code regarding this film, as they strongly objected to any reference to incest, homosexuality, nymphomania, and euthenasia.

The town depicted is based on Fulton, Missouri; the actual home of the novel’s author Henry Bellamann.

Kings Row

Ronald Reagan – The Signature Collection (Knute Rockne All American / Kings Row / The Hasty Heart / Storm Warning / The Winning Team)

Enjoy browsing the Hollywood Movie Memories Film Store

Released – October, 1941 

Directed By - John Ford

Starring - Walter Pidgeon (Mr. Gruffydd), Maureen O’Hara (Angharad Morgan), Anna Lee (Bronwyn), Donald Crisp (Gwylim Morgan), Roddy McDowall (Huw Morgan).

Description – A classic drama that tells the story of the Morgan family through the eyes of its youngest member Huw Morgan. The Morgan’s are a tightly knit Welsh family living in the South Whales mining town of Cwm Rhondda.

Huw Morgan, now a middle-aged, recalls the struggles faced by his family as a result of an impending coal miner strike and the disasterous economic results that would follow. The family loyalties, their faith, and the aftermath of a changing society provide the background for one of greatest family dramas ever produced.

NOTABLE: In 1990 this film was selected by the United States Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry.

The motion picture won five Academy Awards including Best Picture (topping Citizen Kane, Sergeant York, and The Maltese Falcon), Best Director (John Ford), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Donald Crisp), Best Art Direction-Interior Direction, and Best Cinematography. The film was also nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Sara Allgood), Best Writing, Best Film Editing, Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic Picture, and Best Sound, Recording.

World War II prevented this film from being produced on location. Director John Ford used the Santa Monica Mountains to create an authentic Welsh village based on the real villages of Cerrig Ceinnen and Clyddach-cum Tawe.

How Green Was My Valley

Ford At Fox Collection: The Essential John Ford Collection (The Frontier Marshall / My Darling Clementine / Drums Along the Mohawk / How Green Was My Valley / The Grapes of Wrath / Becoming John Ford)

Enjoy browsing the Hollywood Movie Memories Film Store

Released – August, 1941 

Directed By - William Wyler

Starring – Bette Davis (Regina Giddens), Herbert Marshall (Horace Giddens), Teresa Wright (Alexandra Giddens), Richard Carlson (David Hewitt), Dan Duryea (Leo Hubbard), Patricia Collinge (Birdie Hubbard).

Description – What do you get when you combine ruthless ambition and beauty? The answer;  Bette Davis as Regina Giddens in Lillian Hellman’s story of greed and corruption.

In this early twentieth-century southern town nothing is more important than wealth and influence, and how you obtain them is irrelevant. It is a time when a families wealth was passed onto the sons leaving daughters to fend for themselves.

Regina Giddens has a plan for just that purpose. An arranged marriage, the acquisition (stealing) of valuable railroad bonds, and even a murder without having laid a hand on the victim seem to fit her agenda to a tee.

Done as only Bette Davis could have done it.

NOTABLE: This motion picture was nominated for 9 Academy Awards; Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Bette Davis), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Teresa Wright and Patricia Collinge), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Music Scoring for a Dramatic Film, Best Film Editing, and Best Art Direction.

Actress Teresa Wright is the only actress to garner an Oscar nomination for her first three motion pictures with this being her debut.

Although under contract to Warner Brothers, star Bette Davis was ‘loaned’ to RKO Pictures for this role. It has been rumored that the loan settled a $300,000 gambling debt Jack Warner had with Samuel Goldwyn.

Playwrite Lillian Hellman’s original stage play opened in New York in 1939 and continued for 410 performances. The role of Regina Giddens was then played by Tallulah Bankhead.

Enjoy browsing the Hollywood Movie Memories Film Store