Since You Went Away

Saw it last evening on TCM. Excellent performances by a stellar cast, filmed at a time when Hollywood and American movie audiences were fully experiencing World War 2 on the "home-front". This film has somehow managed to avoid becoming "dated"... Full review

Subtle and nuanced in most places, a bit obvious in others, Since you went away may be the best war movie ever made that doesn't have a war scene. It follows the life of a family in the early days... Full review

This movie has managed to stay so watchable because the people portrayed in the movie are so real. Strip away some of the obvious 40s references and you get people facing issues that could occur in any era.Agnes Moorehead's character,... Full review

Watching this film, we couldn't help drawing a parallel between what the Hilton family went through in the early 40s to the actual conflict in Iraq. The film makes clear the hard times on the families left behind. The government,... Full review

As I watched this recently on Turner Movie Classics, a number of trivial points ran through my mind. David O. Selznick certainly had a knack for making clear statements and making sure that everything in his productions (at least up... Full review

I saw this yesterday on TCM. Yes, it is sentimental, patriotic, and a bit syrupy in the dialog. But it was released in 1944 (filmed right in the middle of the war), so the sentiment and especially the times are... Full review

Call 'Since You Went Away' schmaltzy, cliched, idealized, propaganda, soapy - whatever you like: I LOVE this movie. It was made when we called them movies, not films, not cinema.Every Christmastime I HAVE to watch 'Since You Went Away'. The... Full review

Yes, this film can be accused of being cliched and peppered with propaganda. It had it's share of critics even when it was released. It had the tall task of being compared to " Mrs. Miniver" but in the end... Full review

The formula for a successful film incorporates good direction, a deep and talented cast, a sophisticated script, and a profound theme. This film has all of the above. The poignant theme is that of the Homefront's waiting for soldiers to... Full review

Even today, the film's emotional highlights, particularly the much-imitated farewell scene at the railroad station, are sufficient to bring tears to the eyes of the most jaded viewer. She is offered moral support by cynical-but-kindly boarder Monty Woolley , by maid Hattie McDaniel (who willing foregoes her salary "for the duration") and by Navy man and friend-of-the-family Joseph Cotten , whose relationship with Claudette remains staunchly platonic. ... Full Review

David O. Selznick's first production since 1940's Rebecca, Since You Went Away, based on Margaret Buell Wilder's bestselling novel, is a long but rewarding paean to the World War 2 "home front". She is offered moral support by cynical-but-kindly boarder Monty Woolley, by maid Hattie McDaniel (who willing foregoes her salary "for the duration") and by Navy man and friend-of-the-family Joseph Cotten, whose relationship with Claudette remains staunchly platonic. ... Full Review

There's a scene in this film that closely mirrors a scene in 1935's Ruggles of Red Gap , one of my favorite little-known Best Picture Nominees. ... Full Article

A three-hour weepy extraordinaire, this 1944 offering from producer David O. Selznick (who also wrote the screenplay) was a tribute to all the families who stayed behind while their men went off to fight in World War II. ... Full Article