A few years ago, this would have been considered a woman's movie, dealing as it does with romantic relationships and family. Now it's basically a time capsule, showing a revealing, if idealized, portrait of the home front during WWII. The stars are certainly attractive and winning. Morgan and Parker manage an exceptional on-screen chemistry that converts what might otherwise be treacle into rather poignant drama. It's not surprising that Parker went on to a number of Oscar nominations.
Produced during the war (1944), the movie shows how traditional rituals of courtship, marriage, and fidelity have been undercut by wartime priorities. Morgan and Parker are attracted to each other. But after a brief courtship, they must decide whether to marry since he's being sent off to the war front. For example, she must consider what if he's killed. Then she would be a war widow with maybe a child and no prospects for future marriage. And what of him. Is he asking too much of her. Those letters from home may be a lifeline, but what if he gets a Dear John instead. After all, Janet's (Parker) sister Molly (King) is running around on her army husband. These are the kind of uncertainties the couple must face because of the war's disruption of normal civilian life, while the screenplay does a good job of raising them.
I can't help noticing that Jerry Wald acted as the producer for Warner Bros., which means the studio considered this a prestige production. Despite the many location shots, it's not a budget-heavy film. Still, there is considerable care with detail. Note that the lengthy beach scene is staged at the beach with no budget-cutting process shots, which cheaper productions undoubtedly would have used. Then too, the many supporting roles are almost uniformly well-cast, right down to lively little Ellie (Settle).
My only real reservation is with Molly's sudden turn-around, a gesture, I suppose, to sunny commercialism. Then too, note the background picture of wartime Japanese Prime Minister Tojo, plus liberal use of negative term 'Jap'. Both would quickly disappear after the war. Nonetheless, the movie remains an entertaining look at how personal relationships were having to adjust to wartime priorities. And is, therefore, worth a look.
Produced during the war (1944), the movie shows how traditional rituals of courtship, marriage, and fidelity have been undercut by wartime priorities. Morgan and Parker are attracted to each other. But after a brief courtship, they must decide whether to marry since he's being sent off to the war front. For example, she must consider what if he's killed. Then she would be a war widow with maybe a child and no prospects for future marriage. And what of him. Is he asking too much of her. Those letters from home may be a lifeline, but what if he gets a Dear John instead. After all, Janet's (Parker) sister Molly (King) is running around on her army husband. These are the kind of uncertainties the couple must face because of the war's disruption of normal civilian life, while the screenplay does a good job of raising them.
I can't help noticing that Jerry Wald acted as the producer for Warner Bros., which means the studio considered this a prestige production. Despite the many location shots, it's not a budget-heavy film. Still, there is considerable care with detail. Note that the lengthy beach scene is staged at the beach with no budget-cutting process shots, which cheaper productions undoubtedly would have used. Then too, the many supporting roles are almost uniformly well-cast, right down to lively little Ellie (Settle).
My only real reservation is with Molly's sudden turn-around, a gesture, I suppose, to sunny commercialism. Then too, note the background picture of wartime Japanese Prime Minister Tojo, plus liberal use of negative term 'Jap'. Both would quickly disappear after the war. Nonetheless, the movie remains an entertaining look at how personal relationships were having to adjust to wartime priorities. And is, therefore, worth a look.