Till
Cats: Drama|If there was ever a movie made about three returning soldiers that comes close to Best Years Of Our Lives, this picture comes close. Released in 1946 before Best Years Of Our Lives, the picture follows three soldiers coming home after serving in World War Two and the difficulties they face readjusting to civilian life. One can’t deal with the loss of the use of his legs. one gets in trouble with bad debts, and one can’t decide what he wants to do with his life. This is pretty much the end of the similarities.
As with Best Years Of Our Lives, there are many wonderful silent moments. I dare you not to shed a tear when Fredrick March walks down the hallway to the embrace of Myrna Loy. In Till The End of Time, one of my favorite silent moments of all time is when one of our soldiers returns home to find his parents out, no one home and when he goes up to his room it is a room of a boy. This boy went away and came back a man. He came back forever altered. He has killed, seen death all around him and no High School in pre - World War Two southern California prepared anyone for what they were going to see and do. Nothing fits him, not the pennants hanging on the wall, the airplane models dangling overhead and his clothing is many sizes too small. Literally and symbolically nothing fits him.
No one wants to talk about the war. In fact there is one character at a loss for words says “oh, you’re back from the. . . the thing”. His mother makes a point of not wanting to hear what her son so desperately wants to talk about, the loss of friends, innocence, being terrified, feeling guilty. This picture touches very deeply on these subjects. Nobody was allowed to grieve, they were heroes and hailed as such. This picture touches on many subjects including racism (paving the way for Gentleman’s Agreement in 1947)
The only problem with this picture is the lead male. Discovered and guided by Rock Hudson’s agent, Guy Madison was a recently discharged member of the Coast Guard and former olympic swimmer. He was pretty but unfortunately could not act to save his life. He is great when he doesn’t talk, barely adequate when he opens his mouth. What saves the day is the supporting cast, especially Robert Mitchum (but I am prejudiced).
This picture, what I call “the angry version of Best Years of Our Lives” is safe for the kids. Turner Classic Movies Wednesday October 29th at 11:15 AM
