Review of Mrs. Miniver (1942) by Mark S — 18 May 2008

One of the best movies ever made! Kay Miniver (Garson) and her husband Clem (Pidgeon) are a married couple living in middle-class Britain. Their lives are changed instantly when their son Vincent (Ney) comes back from college, on his arrival, the war begins.

Immediately Clem and Vin are sent as soldiers, and Kay and Vin's fiancee Carol (Wright) have to survive by themselves when they are gone. When they arrive again, Britain is attacked by the Air Force right away.

Will this close knit family finally be separated? "Mrs. Miniver" is such a good movie, and was very surprised at how great it was. I have always heard that all of Greer Garson's movies were like soap operas, and this one is always referred to as the big one.

However, I didn't find it to be that way at all, just brutally realistic. The great William Wyler is simply awesome as director, and in no way is overrated. I consider this one of his very best movies, and that's enough to see it.

The acting is simply outstanding, you get stars like Garson, Teresa Wright, Walter Pidgeon, Henry Travers, and Dame May Whitty (in one of her last roles). Everyone is extremely well picked, and Garson deserved the Oscar, even if she was up against someone who was better-- this was a tough role, and she stepped into it with ease.

Though I think the supporting actress Oscar should have gone to Dame May Whitty, I still think Wright deserved the statuette considering how many few amazing roles she got to play. Her chemistry with Richard Ney is great, but Garson's and Pidgeon's is better.

People agreed-- Greer and Walter made many more movies together. This movie captures the essence of a spectacular movie, and though the American Film Institute didn't let it go on their "Top 100 Movies", list they should have, this is beyond phenomenal.