Mrs. Miniver

The "Miniver" family are a well-to-do lot living a middle class life in rural England. "Clem" (Walter Pidgeon) and his eponymous wife (Greer Garson) have to get to grips with the arrival of the war when their son "Vin" (Richard Ney) joins up and they are told they can't leave their landing light on anymore - to help guide in the planes when landing at a nearby RAF base. What now ensues illustrates gently, but quite potently, the impact on ordinary people across the land of the Luftwaffe's constant raids and their concomitant fears. It's the start of the war so confidence is still high - a fact well demonstrated by the stiff upper lip attitude of the stoic "Lady Beldon" (Dame May Whitty) who insists that the local flower show (which she usually wins) proceed as normal. With a couple of unwelcome house guests and a determination to help with the Dunkirk evacuations, this is an engaging - if slightly rose-tinted - look at survival amongst a class of people ill-equipped for this profound change in their circumstances. The rose growing "Ballard" (Henry Travers) also serves as an unlikely conduit for the political message too, as his relationship with the lady of the manor spells, amiably, the final death knells of the entitled aristocracy. Garson is entirely convincing here, as is Dame May, and with Pidegon providing a solid bedrock we are presented with a touching story that's maybe a little heavy on sentiment, but still well worth watching.