Review of Mrs. Miniver (1942) by Leighton T — 05 Aug 2010

While the whole cast is terrific here, the film, almost unknowingly, rests on the shoulders of Greer Garson who turns in a magnificent performance as the matriarch of a British family dealing with the trying times of the German invasion of England.

While just a mother and wife, she proves to be an everyday heroine, and all you need is one look in her eyes and you're almost convinced it's more than just a role she's playing. It shows life on the home front during war, and it is so easily relatable in almost any era of war that it makes for a timeless film.

There a few tiny moments where the propaganda of this time in Hollywood seems to come out, but really, this is an earnest story, filled with compelling quality of everyday life, searing dramatic scenes (the bomb shelter scene stands out), and tinged at the edges with sly humor, and it is admirably directed by William Wyler.