{"id":32826,"date":"2014-02-05T16:58:57","date_gmt":"2014-02-05T23:58:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=32826"},"modified":"2021-12-20T18:49:56","modified_gmt":"2021-12-21T01:49:56","slug":"our-town-1940","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=32826","title":{"rendered":"Our Town (1940)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;The day wouldn&#8217;t come when I wouldn&#8217;t want to know everything about our town.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Our-Town-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Our-Town-Poster-213x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"213\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-32830\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Our-Town-Poster-213x300.jpg 213w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Our-Town-Poster-91x128.jpg 91w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Our-Town-Poster.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 213px) 100vw, 213px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA narrator (Frank Craven) reflects on the lives, hopes, and dreams of citizens in the small American town of Grover&#8217;s Corners, focusing specifically on young sweethearts Emily (Martha Scott) and George (William Holden).\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Beulah Bondi Films<\/li>\n<li>Fay Bainter Films<\/li>\n<li>Flashback Films<\/li>\n<li>Historical Drama<\/li>\n<li>Play Adaptation<\/li>\n<li>Sam Wood Films<\/li>\n<li>Small Town America<\/li>\n<li>Thomas Mitchell Films<\/li>\n<li>William Holden Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nThis early cinematic adaptation of <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Our_town\">Thornton Wilder&#8217;s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1938 play<\/a> remains a solid telling of an oft-staged, deeply philosophical tale about the beauty and value of everyday life. With effectively stylized sets by William Cameron Menzies, atmospheric cinematography by Bert Glennon, a typically distinctive score by Aaron Copland, and confident direction by Sam Wood, the film successfully &#8220;opens up&#8221; Wilder&#8217;s play, maintaining some theatrical conventions while also making creative use of cinematic possibilities. Other than a substantial change to a major event in the third act (sanctioned by Wilder himself, who agreed the play&#8217;s original ending would be too downbeat for movie audiences), the film remains relatively faithful to its source material. Watch for fine performances by Oscar-nominated <a href=\"http:\/\/www.allmovie.com\/artist\/martha-scott-p64115\">Martha Scott<\/a> (in her cinematic debut): <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Scott.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Scott.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"644\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-53787\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Scott.png 1000w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Scott-300x193.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Scott-128x82.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Scott-768x495.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Scott-419x270.png 419w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>a very young William Holden:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Holden2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Holden2-1024x653.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"408\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-53781\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Holden2-1024x653.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Holden2-300x191.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Holden2-128x82.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Holden2-768x490.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Holden2-1536x979.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Holden2-424x270.png 424w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Holden2.png 1583w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p> and stalwart character actors Fay Bainter, Beulah Bondi, Guy Kibbee, and Thomas Mitchell as Emily and George&#8217;s parents. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bainter.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bainter-1024x671.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"419\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-53783\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bainter-1024x671.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bainter-300x197.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bainter-128x84.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bainter-768x504.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bainter-1536x1007.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bainter-412x270.png 412w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bainter.png 1557w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bondi.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bondi-1024x662.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"414\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-53784\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bondi-1024x662.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bondi-300x194.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bondi-128x83.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bondi-768x496.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bondi-1536x992.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bondi-418x270.png 418w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Bondi.png 1599w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Kibbee.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Kibbee-1024x639.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"399\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-53785\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Kibbee-1024x639.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Kibbee-300x187.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Kibbee-128x80.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Kibbee-768x480.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Kibbee-1536x959.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Kibbee-432x270.png 432w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Kibbee.png 1619w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Mitchell.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Mitchell-1024x671.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"419\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-53786\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Mitchell-1024x671.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Mitchell-300x197.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Mitchell-128x84.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Mitchell-768x503.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Mitchell-1536x1007.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Mitchell-412x270.png 412w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Mitchell.png 1567w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a> <\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> Film fanatics may be curious to watch this title on a &#8220;double bill&#8221; with Wood&#8217;s 1942 melodrama <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=27202\"><em>Kings Row<\/em><\/a>, which offers a less nostalgic, more cynical glimpse into small town life in early-20th-century America. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fine cinematography by Bert Glennon<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Cinematography-1024x636.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"398\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-53789\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Cinematography-1024x636.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Cinematography-300x186.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Cinematography-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Cinematography-768x477.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Cinematography-1536x954.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Cinematography-435x270.png 435w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Cinematography.png 1631w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>William Cameron Menzies&#8217; stylized sets<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Sets.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Sets-1024x649.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"406\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-53791\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Sets-1024x649.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Sets-300x190.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Sets-128x81.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Sets-768x486.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Sets-1536x973.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Sets-426x270.png 426w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Sets.png 1609w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Aaron Copland&#8217;s memorable score<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Copland.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Copland-1024x655.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"409\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-53790\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Copland-1024x655.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Copland-300x192.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Copland-128x82.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Copland-768x491.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Copland-1536x982.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Copland-422x270.png 422w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Our-Town-Copland.png 1581w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a solid adaptation of an American theatrical classic. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Good Show<\/li>\n<li>Oscar Winner or Nominee<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0032881\/\">IMDb entry<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/movies.nytimes.com\/movie\/review?res=940DE7DE123EE432A25757C1A9609C946193D6CF\">NY Times Original Review<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.qnetwork.com\/index.php?page=review&#038;id=607\">Q Network Review<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s1047town.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.timeout.com\/london\/film\/our-town-1940\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/85941\/our-town#articles-reviews?articleId=26732\">TCM Article<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;The day wouldn&#8217;t come when I wouldn&#8217;t want to know everything about our town.&#8221; Synopsis: A narrator (Frank Craven) reflects on the lives, hopes, and dreams of citizens in the small American town of Grover&#8217;s Corners, focusing specifically on young sweethearts Emily (Martha Scott) and George (William Holden). Genres: Beulah Bondi Films Fay Bainter Films Flashback Films Historical Drama Play Adaptation Sam Wood Films Small Town America Thomas Mitchell Films William Holden Films Review: This early cinematic adaptation of Thornton&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=32826\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32826","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32826","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=32826"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32826\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78870,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32826\/revisions\/78870"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=32826"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=32826"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=32826"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}