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November 2, 2008
Oscar Challenge: Mrs. Miniver
Forgive me, movie fans, it's been months since we watched anything after work other than All My Children (TORNADO!) or Amazing Race or Survivor. No, seriously. It's pretty sad.
Even considering my extreme slackitude, we would have watched our next Oscar Challenge film a while ago if it hadn't involved hauling out the laser disc player. Call me crazy, but I just can't get rid of the thing. Dude, I have the original non-fucked-up Star Wars on laser. I will keep it until the end of time.
AAAAnyway, Mrs. Miniver. Damn. Every time I watch it, I think, "Don't get all caught up, it's a propaganda film." But it's sooooo good. Teresa Wright is sooooo good. Greer Garson is soooooo good. The story, the supporting actors, and the message are soooooo good.
As a would-be actress, I've always had the greatest respect for Greer Garson's technique. She had the most amazing ability to convey precisely what she was thinking and feeling without saying a word, and sometimes even with her back to the camera. She and Teresa Wright both absolutely, positively deserved their Best Actress/Best Supporting Actress Oscars. Every single scene they share is riveting.
If you haven't seen this, please do. It's a beautiful film. It's a little difficult to watch at this particular moment in time. It's hard to watch these wonderful actors eloquently make the case for fighting an absolutely necessary war while we're off screwing things up overseas.
Next up in the Oscar Challenge Propaganda-fest: Casablanca! Bring kleenex!
Comments
Mrs. Miniver really is a remarkable film. Even though we'd seen it less than a year ago, I was a moved as I was seeing it for the first time. Very simply, it is a story of every day life in the midst of war, and how normal people manage to carry on and contribute. If you haven't seen it, you should, particularly, as Kate points out, in juxtaposition to our current situation.
Posted by: Nathan at November 3, 2008 2:29 PM