Director: William Wyler
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
Top Billed Actors: Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Teresa Wright
Won 6 Oscars:
Outstanding Motion Picture - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Best Director - William Wyler
Best Actress - Greer Garson
Best Supporting Actress - Teresa Wright
Best Screenplay - George Froeschel, James Hilton, Claudine West, and Arthur Wimperis
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White - Joseph Ruttenberg
Nominated for 6 more:
Best Actor - Walter Pidgeon
Best Supporting Actor - Henry Travers
Best Supporting Actress - Dame May Whitty
Best Sound Recording - Douglas Shearer
Best Film Editing - Harold F. Kress
Best Special Effects - A. Arnold Gillespie and Warren Newcombe (photographic); Douglas Shearer (sound)
Plot: World War II affects the British homefront with a housewife at the center of it all.
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
Top Billed Actors: Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Teresa Wright
Won 6 Oscars:
Outstanding Motion Picture - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Best Director - William Wyler
Best Actress - Greer Garson
Best Supporting Actress - Teresa Wright
Best Screenplay - George Froeschel, James Hilton, Claudine West, and Arthur Wimperis
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White - Joseph Ruttenberg
Nominated for 6 more:
Best Actor - Walter Pidgeon
Best Supporting Actor - Henry Travers
Best Supporting Actress - Dame May Whitty
Best Sound Recording - Douglas Shearer
Best Film Editing - Harold F. Kress
Best Special Effects - A. Arnold Gillespie and Warren Newcombe (photographic); Douglas Shearer (sound)
Plot: World War II affects the British homefront with a housewife at the center of it all.
The biggest film of 1942, Mrs. Miniver (1942) was both the highest-grossing at the box office as well as the movie with the most Academy Awards wins (with six) and nominations (with twelve). An American film set in England, it was conceived at a time when the United States was still officially neutral in the war. But as production went on, that changed and many re-shoots were necessary to refresh the sentiments expressed in the picture. As a piece of propaganda, Winston Churchill has gone on record to say this film had done more for the war effort than a flotilla of destroyers. Franklin D. Roosevelt had the concluding speech printed and distributed in Europe. Even the head Nazi propaganda expert, Joseph Goebbels, said that it "shows the destiny of a family during the current war, and its refined powerful propagandistic tendency has up to now only been dreamed of. There is not a single angry word spoken against Germany; nevertheless the anti-German tendency is perfectly accomplished." This subtlety was rare in war pictures and William Wyler later went on to say the story was too light on the war after he returned from his service overseas. In any case, this was Wyler's first of three Best Director wins after his fourth year in a row competing in that category. This is also the first time a film garnered five acting nominations. Teresa Wright won her sole Oscar in a supporting role as the young romantic interest and altruistic granddaughter of her fellow nominee Dame May Whitty. She started her career strong as she was also nominated for The Pride of the Yankees (1942) that year along with her debut in The Little Foxes (1941) for the year prior; three for three ain't bad. Another actress that is not a stranger to the Academy stage is Greer Garson, winning her sole Oscar on her third nomination. She became a subject of Academy legend as she gave the longest acceptance speech in Oscar history to that point in time. It was only five and a half minutes, and it did force a time limit on speeches for future ceremonies, but the legend grew over time to where some reports have her speech at a half an hour long. In fear of dragging out this first paragraph too long, I will briefly list out the film's other accomplishments: it has been entered into the National Film Registry, it was included as a National Board of Review Top 10 films of the year, and it was also named Best Film by the publication Film Daily, which tabulates many critics' ratings.
To start with why I think this works so well as a propaganda piece, I reluctantly have to agree with a man as horrid as Goebbels. But he is correct, the anti-German and pro-British sentiment oozes out of the screen so effortlessly. There are even some criticisms of the British class system on hand but seeing how invaders affect home life, something that can be relatable to any viewer despite the characters being from a more upper class, will put a shiver down any spine. By using Garson's Mrs. Miniver character as the central rock, the narrative has room to rope in all of the aspects of war that can affect domestic life - a son going off to war, a husband on patrol and helping out with the Dunkirk evacuation, children frightened of bombings, an altercation with an enemy soldier, and a ravaged house. Even though battles are only heard and not seen, the peripherals of war are still as present as if we saw actual combat. And Garson's performance throughout all of this is exceptional. She has to react to atrocities as well as many heartfelt and positive moments. As Dame May Whitty says, "[she] has a way of looking at somebody." She was the perfect choice to represent the beautiful rose featured in the film. I also have to commend the final speech. I almost thought it was going to get a bit too religious since the setting is at a war-torn church building, but the Henry Wilcoxon monologue is powerfully stirring and can reach any person regardless of faith. It's a speech that thoroughly summarizes the film and Wilcoxon's delivery makes it an all-timer.
There isn't much I dislike about the film but I do take issue with Walter Pidgeon's nomination. It's not a terrible performance by any means but he isn't even trying to be British as he just plays it like he does in any other film. It worked though as this is the second Best Picture winner in a row to star Pidgeon. I don't think it's his fault, he just wasn't right for this role. I adore the two older nominees in the Supporting categories though. Dame May Whitty is old-fashioned and nasty but adapts her character appropriately as the war goes on. She earned her nomination at the flower show. Henry Travers, better known as Clarence from It's a Wonderful Life (1946), earns his one and only Oscar nomination by playing a delightfully endearing old man who enters his rose against the mean old lady. I'm not sure if he has quite enough screentime to warrant the nomination, but I am still happy for him.
Overall, a World War II propaganda piece that is subtle in political sentiment but heavy on dramatic moments showcases a bevy of acting talent headed by Greer Garson. A slew of supporting performances round out the narrative that provides what war is like on the homefront. Not everyone is right for the picture (Walter Pidgeon) but the concluding speech makes this as rousing as any wartime film could be.
My Score: 8/10
To start with why I think this works so well as a propaganda piece, I reluctantly have to agree with a man as horrid as Goebbels. But he is correct, the anti-German and pro-British sentiment oozes out of the screen so effortlessly. There are even some criticisms of the British class system on hand but seeing how invaders affect home life, something that can be relatable to any viewer despite the characters being from a more upper class, will put a shiver down any spine. By using Garson's Mrs. Miniver character as the central rock, the narrative has room to rope in all of the aspects of war that can affect domestic life - a son going off to war, a husband on patrol and helping out with the Dunkirk evacuation, children frightened of bombings, an altercation with an enemy soldier, and a ravaged house. Even though battles are only heard and not seen, the peripherals of war are still as present as if we saw actual combat. And Garson's performance throughout all of this is exceptional. She has to react to atrocities as well as many heartfelt and positive moments. As Dame May Whitty says, "[she] has a way of looking at somebody." She was the perfect choice to represent the beautiful rose featured in the film. I also have to commend the final speech. I almost thought it was going to get a bit too religious since the setting is at a war-torn church building, but the Henry Wilcoxon monologue is powerfully stirring and can reach any person regardless of faith. It's a speech that thoroughly summarizes the film and Wilcoxon's delivery makes it an all-timer.
There isn't much I dislike about the film but I do take issue with Walter Pidgeon's nomination. It's not a terrible performance by any means but he isn't even trying to be British as he just plays it like he does in any other film. It worked though as this is the second Best Picture winner in a row to star Pidgeon. I don't think it's his fault, he just wasn't right for this role. I adore the two older nominees in the Supporting categories though. Dame May Whitty is old-fashioned and nasty but adapts her character appropriately as the war goes on. She earned her nomination at the flower show. Henry Travers, better known as Clarence from It's a Wonderful Life (1946), earns his one and only Oscar nomination by playing a delightfully endearing old man who enters his rose against the mean old lady. I'm not sure if he has quite enough screentime to warrant the nomination, but I am still happy for him.
Overall, a World War II propaganda piece that is subtle in political sentiment but heavy on dramatic moments showcases a bevy of acting talent headed by Greer Garson. A slew of supporting performances round out the narrative that provides what war is like on the homefront. Not everyone is right for the picture (Walter Pidgeon) but the concluding speech makes this as rousing as any wartime film could be.
My Score: 8/10