Since You Went Away...

[Vecchiolarry]

Hi,

This is one of the great movies about the "human condition", which included everybody and everything. Good, bad and ugly...

It is one movie that once spied, you cannot leave. It draws you in and captivates you.
I have never been one to knock David O. Selznick or his movies. He may have been a fussy old dictator but he could produce.
I have personally told his son, Daniel, that this is his best movie. Daniel was pleased - well, at least he smiled!!

Larry

[moira finnie]

I am considering purchasing Since You Went Away on dvd, but was surprised that there were no extras mentioned for this film. This seems about as shocking as finding out that The Best Years of Our Lives doesn't have a commentary track either. They bring out a fully loaded dvd of some recent drivel but neglect time-tested American beauties such as these films.

What's wrong with the marketers of these films?

[mongoII]

Your on the money, Moira. Although not very many major actors and actresses are still living to comment on their participation in those majestic films, I'm sure that premier footage, past interviews, the Oscars and previews are still available.
I doubt that Jennifer Jones would discuss "Since You Went Away" since she was in the middle of a divorce with co-star Robert Walker at the time.
Shirley Temple may have given us a few recollections though.
There are probably some 'younger' players from both films still alive today who could have shared their memories.

[moira finnie]

Gee Joe,
I hadn't even considered the wealth of background info and film that must be gathering dust at the Margaret Herrick Library or the Univ. of Texas at Austin or MoMA regarding these films! You are so right about so much material that could be included in a dvd without requiring any new production material or expense. I also wasn't even expecting any still living actors to participate in the production of such dvds, since many of them are of an extremely advanced age and have better things to do with their time. All I'd like to see is some film historians and/or critics or perhaps someone such as producer David Selznick's son Daniel Selznick, whom Larry mentioned, or director John Cromwell's son, James Cromwell, offer a bit of commentary and background on these films. As I've mentioned before, I'd think that there would be some knowledgeable and appreciative people who'd gladly do commentaries on the films for free.

Both The Best Years of Our Lives and Since You Went Away may "simply" be Hollywood products, but they would make invaluable and highly engaging teaching tools for youngsters to gain some insight into the world of WWII that is reflected on screen. I realize that certain sociological and biological facts are glossed over or only hinted at in these films, but the small triumphs, problems and conflicts of everyday people and our eternal, fallible human nature were exquisitely captured in some of these films.

[Moraldo Rubini]

I realize that certain sociological and biological facts are glossed over or only hinted at in these films, but the small triumphs, problems and conflicts of everyday people and our eternal, fallible human nature were exquisitely captured in some of these films.

One of the reasons that I love this movie (it's one of the few that I've bought in spite of the fact that there are no supplemental materials) is that it shows victory gardens, window emblems to note occupants who are away to war, rationing cards and hording. I don't think there's any other movie that has a discussion akin to the Colbert/Morehead rationing battle (in the cocktail lounge). It's one of the best WWII slices of American life that we have.