During World War Two: 1944 Movie Recs

How is it that our 1944 recs list is longer than the one for 1943? Yet here we are. There was a lot of crazy stuff happening that year, movie-wise and news-wise, so obviously this list isn't exhaustive. I saw a bunch of movies in IMDb's advanced search results that I want to add to … Continue reading During World War Two: 1944 Movie Recs

A Gallery of Graduations

Graduation, of course, is on the horizon for so many, my son and nephew included, and the bittersweet feelings are thick right now, as is the nostalgia. What better way to tap into that than watch some movies centered around graduation? Or at least have a graduation scene in them? It all works. In that … Continue reading A Gallery of Graduations

During World War Two: Christmas Anytime

Due to wartime shortages, Christmas was leaner than it otherwise might have been. Kids were given toys made out of paper and wood instead of metal, and the public was encouraged to give war bonds as Christmas presents. Christmas movies, however, were not in short supply, only they could come out at any old time … Continue reading During World War Two: Christmas Anytime

During World War Two: All the Folks At Home

Those who were on American soil, and for that matter, Canadian soil during the war had a different kind of battle to face, as well as an odd kind of limbo. At first there were practice blackouts in major cities and fear that Japanese and German ships would make their way to our shores, but … Continue reading During World War Two: All the Folks At Home

During World War Two: Five Wartime Holiday Songs

There's no doubt the war felt harder around the holidays. Not only were people missing their loved ones, but there were shortages of many materials so everyone had to get creative. Handmade gifts were big, and children's toys were often made out of paper and wood instead of plastic and metal. However, stuff wasn't always … Continue reading During World War Two: Five Wartime Holiday Songs

Why I’ve Seen “Since You Went Away” Umpteen Times

Since You Went Away is very well-trod territory for me. I've parsed it, studied it, scoured the Web for information about it. I've even counted the number of times the movie mentions war bonds and stamps (five times and twice, respectively, in case anyone is wondering). For those who might not be familiar with the plot, it follows … Continue reading Why I’ve Seen “Since You Went Away” Umpteen Times

Page To Screen: Since You Went Away

There were a lot of films made about the American home front during the Second World War, but few are as sprawling or epic as David O. Selznik's 1944 movie, Since You Went Away. The story of a Midwestern family, the Hiltons, the film is based on a book of the same name by journalist Margaret Buell … Continue reading Page To Screen: Since You Went Away

There’s A War On, Darling

Agnes Moorehead was a busy lady her entire life, and she was all over the place during the forties. While under contract at M-G-M, Agnes was loaned out to various studios, including Selznik International, where she made one of my all-time favorite movies, Since You Went Away. Very loosely based on a book of the same name … Continue reading There’s A War On, Darling