Here comes my first big conflict with your review: I LOVE this movie!!! Although only 55, my Dad served at age 18 in the last year of World War II. My college film professor said this was one of the greatest films ever made- and I agree with him. So Many details got lost in your review of this "slow moving" film(YOUR words). Like Myrna Loy and Frederick March meeting after years apart. Diana Andrews re-living his role as bomber pilot in deserted air field filled with junked planes, as his father and step -mother read the letter that came with Dana Andrews award- by Jimmy Doolittle ( Historically VERY famous and one of my own dad's heroes); Director William Wyler put on hold a successful 1930s movie director career to fight for his country- for a fraction of his former salary and flying planes so cold inside that frostbite was common. He came home completely deaf in one ear and partially deaf in the other. This was his first film after the War- and his personal familiarity with the subject matter shows
I love the film too much. It’s one of my top ten films ever. I love classic old time romance, I love Greg Roland’s cinematography and Hugo Friedhofer’s score, I adore Teresa Wright (she’s one of my favorite stars of the era: more than the sex symbols like Marilyn Monroe). Films about soldier experiences and Veterans are bait for me and automatically make me emotional.
I agree that "It's a Wonderful Life" was probably the better film this year, but clearly in hindsight. It was a flop at the box-office and was the ruin of its production company, Liberty. It only grew in popularity thanks to television. But the country was still reeling from WWII and this film certainly was timely.
IAWL is my all-time favorite movie so I would have loved it if it had won Best Picture (the only Oscars it got were special citations for the way snow is depicted on screen)! But TBYOOL did deserve it.
Actually Billy Wilder said before the camera how director William Wyler was so good at getting him to cry: " I see this film, and 10 minutes into it ( meaning Homer with the hooks welcomed home) I'm in tears- and I don't get teary at movies. I laugh at Hamlet"
I think your critique of the movie’s pacing is pretty fair. Maybe the fact that I’m American changes how I see this movie but, to me, it’s a classic. Lovin’ this series.
Here comes my first big conflict with your review: I LOVE this movie!!! Although only 55, my Dad served at age 18 in the last year of World War II. My college film professor said this was one of the greatest films ever made- and I agree with him. So Many details got lost in your review of this "slow moving" film(YOUR words). Like Myrna Loy and Frederick March meeting after years apart. Diana Andrews re-living his role as bomber pilot in deserted air field filled with junked planes, as his father and step -mother read the letter that came with Dana Andrews award- by Jimmy Doolittle ( Historically VERY famous and one of my own dad's heroes); Director William Wyler put on hold a successful 1930s movie director career to fight for his country- for a fraction of his former salary and flying planes so cold inside that frostbite was common. He came home completely deaf in one ear and partially deaf in the other. This was his first film after the War- and his personal familiarity with the subject matter shows
I love the film too much. It’s one of my top ten films ever. I love classic old time romance, I love Greg Roland’s cinematography and Hugo Friedhofer’s score, I adore Teresa Wright (she’s one of my favorite stars of the era: more than the sex symbols like Marilyn Monroe). Films about soldier experiences and Veterans are bait for me and automatically make me emotional.
I agree that "It's a Wonderful Life" was probably the better film this year, but clearly in hindsight. It was a flop at the box-office and was the ruin of its production company, Liberty. It only grew in popularity thanks to television. But the country was still reeling from WWII and this film certainly was timely.
IAWL is my all-time favorite movie so I would have loved it if it had won Best Picture (the only Oscars it got were special citations for the way snow is depicted on screen)! But TBYOOL did deserve it.
Billy Wilder hailed TBYOOL as “the best-directed film I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Actually Billy Wilder said before the camera how director William Wyler was so good at getting him to cry: " I see this film, and 10 minutes into it ( meaning Homer with the hooks welcomed home) I'm in tears- and I don't get teary at movies. I laugh at Hamlet"
I think your critique of the movie’s pacing is pretty fair. Maybe the fact that I’m American changes how I see this movie but, to me, it’s a classic. Lovin’ this series.
thanks a lot:)