Since You Went Away

Since You Went Away

30/6/1944 2h 57m 6.5/10

Overview

In 1943, several people enter, re-enter, and exit the difficult life of a Midwestern family whose patriarch has been called up to war, leaving behind his wife and two teen daughters.

Director

John Cromwell

Top Billed Cast

Shirley Temple

Shirley Temple

Bridget 'Brig' Hilton

Joseph Cotten

Joseph Cotten

Lieutenant Tony Willett

Lionel Barrymore

Lionel Barrymore

Clergyman

Claudette Colbert

Claudette Colbert

Mrs. Anne Hilton

Jennifer Jones

Jennifer Jones

Jane Deborah Hilton

Monty Woolley

Monty Woolley

Colonel William G. Smollett

Reviews

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

9/6/2022

7/10

Claudette Colbert is great as the struggling "Anne", who must bring up her two daughters "Jane" (Jennifer Jones) and "Brig" (Shirley Temple) whilst her husband is off fighting in WWII. To assist with the usual problems of making ends meet, she must take in a lodger "Col. Smollett" (Monty Woolley). At times you cannot help but feel for this poor lady who is constantly at the end of her tether. Their lodger is fastidious to say the least - he hates children, pets and yes, who better to illustrate that military pomposity than an on-form Woolley. To add to her woes, the young "Jane" is obsessed with men - more particularly their family friend "Tony" (Joseph Cotton). A man some years her senior who joins the navy leaving poor old "Jane" unaware that she is the object of the affections of their house guest's rather hapless grandson "Bill" (Robert Walker). On the face of it, this all appears rather convoluted but Colbert, Woolley and Cotten really do gel well together providing a quickly paced and entertaining series of escapades that, though exaggerated, do ring true a little for many households during the war that were left bereft of funds and a father/husband. Temple features now and again, largely do-gooding for the war effort by collecting junk, and Jones delivers well as both girls have to grip up - whether they like it or not. Max Steiner provides a lively, jaunty, score that sets and keeps the pace engaging and sometimes frenetic - but it's Colbert who shows she is very much the star here. I enjoyed it.

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