Mrs. Miniver (1942)
Director:
William Wyler
Tagline:
« VOTED THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER MADE! »
Actors:
Mrs. Miniver
Clem Miniver
Carol Beldon
Lady Beldon
Foley
Rating:
(21’441 votes)
(21’441 votes)
Quotes:
[last lines]
« Vicar: We, in this quiet corner of England, have suffered the loss of friends very dear to us – some close to this church: George West, choir boy; James Ballard, station master and bell ringer and a proud winner, only one hour before his death, of the Beldon Cup for his beautiful Miniver rose; and our hearts go out in sympathy to the two families who share the cruel loss of a young girl who was married at this altar only two weeks ago. The homes of many of us have been destroyed, and the lives of young and old have been taken. There is scarcely a household that hasn't been struck to the heart. And why? Surely you must have asked yourself this question. Why in all conscience should these be the ones to suffer? Children, old people, a young girl at the height of her loveliness. Why these? Are these our soldiers? Are these our fighters? Why should they be sacrificed? I shall tell you why. Because this is not only a war of soldiers in uniform. It is a war of the people, of all the people, and it must be fought not only on the battlefield, but in the cities and in the villages, in the factories and on the farms, in the home, and in the heart of every man, woman, and child who loves freedom! Well, we have buried our dead, but we shall not forget them. Instead they will inspire us with an unbreakable determination to free ourselves and those who come after us from the tyranny and terror that threaten to strike us down. This is the people's war! It is our war! We are the fighters! Fight it then! Fight it with all that is in us, and may God defend the right!
»
[the congregation stand and sing "Onward Christian Soldiers", which then segues into an orchestral rendition of "Pomp and Circumstance"]
« Kay Miniver: Did you know that the 12th Lord Beldon was hanged?
»
« Lady Beldon: He was beheaded! Such things happen in the best families. In fact, usually in the best families.
»
« Carol Beldon: I know how comfortable it is to curl up with a nice, fat book full of big words and think you're going to solve all the problems in the universe. But you're not, you know. A bit of action is required every now and then.
»
Trailer:
Mrs. Miniver
Runtime:134 minutes
Plots:
A British family struggles to survive the first months of World War II.
The Minivers, an English “middle-class” family experience life in the first months of World War II. While dodging bombs, the Minivers’ son courts Lady Beldon’s granddaughter. A rose is named after Mrs. Miniver and entered in the competition against Lady Beldon’s rose.
This is the story of an English middle class family through the first years of World War II. Clem Miniver is a successful architect and his beautiful wife Kay is the anchor that keeps the family together. With two young children at home, Kay keeps busy in the quaint English village they call home. She is well-liked by everyone and the local station master has even named his new rose after her. When their son Vincent, Vin to everyone, comes home from Oxford for the summer he is immediately attracted to Carol Beldon, granddaughter of Lady Beldon. Their idyllic life is shattered in September 1939 when England is forced to declare war on Germany. Soon Vin is in the RAF and everyone has to put up with the hardship of war including blackouts and air raids. Mrs. Miniver has to deal with an escaped German flyer who makes his way to her home while husband Clem helps evacuate the trapped British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk. Vin and Carol are married but their time together is to be short. Throughout it all, everyone displays strength of character in the face of tragedy and destruction.
