Minor spoilers may be present.
If one expects this sequel to match the impact of the classic MRS. MINIVER (1942), it may result in disappointment. However, taken on its' own as a picture made in the early 1950's it is good viewing. Greer Garson is her sparkling self and Walter Pidgeon is equal to the task of reprising the role of the original.
There are some liberties taken in following the original story to the letter. The most glaring oversights are with the Miniver children. There is no mention of their eldest son, Vincent (Vin) a widower as a result of the war. Perhaps one of the most important storylines in the original, Vin's existence is completely ignored in this film. Not even a casual reference that he is away or has been killed in the war. And there is a splendid opportunity for the family to comment on Vin when they sit down to a meal and Kay remarks it is the first time they are ALL together for the first time since 1940. To me, this is the lone disappointment in the sequel. I would love to find out the behind-the-scenes negotiations that resulted in why Vin's character was eliminated. The other inconsistencies are minor. For example, little Toby with thick, curly brown hair has become a thin blond pre-teen who has just returned from America? Why? And daughter Judy has seemed to grow up quite fast and quite beautifully. And she comes hopping back from Cairo? Boy, the Miniver children are quite the travelers! If one can overlook these details and enjoy what has remained consistent, this is a film that can be enjoyed. There are references to some of the original storylines. When Clem Miniver has returned from the War, he and Kay take a stroll and reminisce with the old boat and speak of Dunkirk. And a brief mention of roses has Kay remember fondly having an award winning rose named in her honor. The Miniver house is the same, even the always-behind grandfather clock at the landing of the stairs.
The newcomers to the film are actually quite recognizable. Toby is played by James Fox who I recognized as an adult in KING RAT (1965), which is a fascinating movie set in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. Fox plays Toby very confidently and shares a most hilarious scene with Pidgeon in demonstrating the "Home Run". Cathy O'Donnell plays daughter Judy who is currently (and not secretly) having an affair with a married Brigadier General, egad! Earlier, O'Donnell played a sympathetic wife-to-be of a returning (armless) veteran in BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, THE (1946). The character of Spike, the American officer "in love" with Mrs. Miniver, is played by John Hodiak who played a tough guy in Alfred Hitchcock's LIFEBOAT (1944). I don't recall Spike's character in the original, but his presence in Kay's life plays a small role to remedy Judy's immoral affair. By the way, I highly recommend all three movies referenced in this paragraph.
I found it refreshing to see a picture that depicted "life after...". And in this case after the War and squarely about the Miniver family. There's very little if any danger or suspense which was present in the original. It reminded me of the episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation in which Picard's character visits home after his terrible ordeal of being assimilated by the Borg. The episode followed a particularly intense two-part cliffhanger and was a refreshing soft change of pace. It is the only ST:TNG episode I can recall without any danger or trouble. The Miniver Story has this same calm life-after-the-great-storm feel, with the possible exception of Kay's grim secret. That's all I shall say about that other than it provides a sad, but wonderful scene between Kay and Clem when the secret is revealed. I thought the chemistry between Garson and Pidgeon displayed in the original is very much intact here. The scene where Clem declares "You women are fantastic..." and ends with him smacking Kay on the fanny is belly-laugh funny. He rants about how the English women provide lavish meals for foreign visitors in spite of scarce resources, thus misrepresenting England's temporary post-war poverty. Meanwhile Kay is on the horn making plans for such a meal while pleasantly ignoring Clem's rant. Classic comedy. Greer Garson shows remarkable flexibility in two scenes, one very serious in tone, the other lively and full of wit. In the serious scene, she is reading a letter from the USA she has recently received from Spike. Judy is listening riveted in the background as Kay reads about how when the war ends, some relationships have to end. She is making the point that Judy should consider ending the affair with Steve, the married general. As Kay is nearing the end of the letter, she looks up and continues reciting the letter without missing a word, obviously having already memorized such an important letter in a short period of time. This scene was preceded by Kay visiting Steve, with Judy's blessing, in order to meet this mystery man Judy claims to be in love with. The dialogue between Kay and Steve is very witty, engaging, and quite revealing. Near the end of the scene, Steve is passionately playing a piano piece that demonstrates the love he still possesses for his estranged wife. Kay recognizes this and makes it known to Steve that she feels he is still in love with her. He reluctantly agrees. As Kay leaves Steve's apartment he continues playing the haunting piano piece that left quite an impression on me. In fact, I rewatched the part when Steve plays the two versions, his and his wife's interpretation, to see if I could detect a difference. "His" version was played with more feeling and with a flair, while "Her" version was more mechanical and mathematically precise. However, at first listen I had to agree with Kay: "No, I can't tell any difference. They sound quite the same to me."
I felt compelled to write a positive review of this film after finding only one unfavorable one available so far. I viewed MINIVER STORY, THE soon after watching the original for the first time. I had low expectations based on what little had been written about it, and was pleasantly surprised. If you like an ending that resolves everything, this one is for you. It is by far not a happy, sappy ending but one with a mixture of triumph and tragedy. Check it out! 7.5/10.
If one expects this sequel to match the impact of the classic MRS. MINIVER (1942), it may result in disappointment. However, taken on its' own as a picture made in the early 1950's it is good viewing. Greer Garson is her sparkling self and Walter Pidgeon is equal to the task of reprising the role of the original.
There are some liberties taken in following the original story to the letter. The most glaring oversights are with the Miniver children. There is no mention of their eldest son, Vincent (Vin) a widower as a result of the war. Perhaps one of the most important storylines in the original, Vin's existence is completely ignored in this film. Not even a casual reference that he is away or has been killed in the war. And there is a splendid opportunity for the family to comment on Vin when they sit down to a meal and Kay remarks it is the first time they are ALL together for the first time since 1940. To me, this is the lone disappointment in the sequel. I would love to find out the behind-the-scenes negotiations that resulted in why Vin's character was eliminated. The other inconsistencies are minor. For example, little Toby with thick, curly brown hair has become a thin blond pre-teen who has just returned from America? Why? And daughter Judy has seemed to grow up quite fast and quite beautifully. And she comes hopping back from Cairo? Boy, the Miniver children are quite the travelers! If one can overlook these details and enjoy what has remained consistent, this is a film that can be enjoyed. There are references to some of the original storylines. When Clem Miniver has returned from the War, he and Kay take a stroll and reminisce with the old boat and speak of Dunkirk. And a brief mention of roses has Kay remember fondly having an award winning rose named in her honor. The Miniver house is the same, even the always-behind grandfather clock at the landing of the stairs.
The newcomers to the film are actually quite recognizable. Toby is played by James Fox who I recognized as an adult in KING RAT (1965), which is a fascinating movie set in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. Fox plays Toby very confidently and shares a most hilarious scene with Pidgeon in demonstrating the "Home Run". Cathy O'Donnell plays daughter Judy who is currently (and not secretly) having an affair with a married Brigadier General, egad! Earlier, O'Donnell played a sympathetic wife-to-be of a returning (armless) veteran in BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, THE (1946). The character of Spike, the American officer "in love" with Mrs. Miniver, is played by John Hodiak who played a tough guy in Alfred Hitchcock's LIFEBOAT (1944). I don't recall Spike's character in the original, but his presence in Kay's life plays a small role to remedy Judy's immoral affair. By the way, I highly recommend all three movies referenced in this paragraph.
I found it refreshing to see a picture that depicted "life after...". And in this case after the War and squarely about the Miniver family. There's very little if any danger or suspense which was present in the original. It reminded me of the episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation in which Picard's character visits home after his terrible ordeal of being assimilated by the Borg. The episode followed a particularly intense two-part cliffhanger and was a refreshing soft change of pace. It is the only ST:TNG episode I can recall without any danger or trouble. The Miniver Story has this same calm life-after-the-great-storm feel, with the possible exception of Kay's grim secret. That's all I shall say about that other than it provides a sad, but wonderful scene between Kay and Clem when the secret is revealed. I thought the chemistry between Garson and Pidgeon displayed in the original is very much intact here. The scene where Clem declares "You women are fantastic..." and ends with him smacking Kay on the fanny is belly-laugh funny. He rants about how the English women provide lavish meals for foreign visitors in spite of scarce resources, thus misrepresenting England's temporary post-war poverty. Meanwhile Kay is on the horn making plans for such a meal while pleasantly ignoring Clem's rant. Classic comedy. Greer Garson shows remarkable flexibility in two scenes, one very serious in tone, the other lively and full of wit. In the serious scene, she is reading a letter from the USA she has recently received from Spike. Judy is listening riveted in the background as Kay reads about how when the war ends, some relationships have to end. She is making the point that Judy should consider ending the affair with Steve, the married general. As Kay is nearing the end of the letter, she looks up and continues reciting the letter without missing a word, obviously having already memorized such an important letter in a short period of time. This scene was preceded by Kay visiting Steve, with Judy's blessing, in order to meet this mystery man Judy claims to be in love with. The dialogue between Kay and Steve is very witty, engaging, and quite revealing. Near the end of the scene, Steve is passionately playing a piano piece that demonstrates the love he still possesses for his estranged wife. Kay recognizes this and makes it known to Steve that she feels he is still in love with her. He reluctantly agrees. As Kay leaves Steve's apartment he continues playing the haunting piano piece that left quite an impression on me. In fact, I rewatched the part when Steve plays the two versions, his and his wife's interpretation, to see if I could detect a difference. "His" version was played with more feeling and with a flair, while "Her" version was more mechanical and mathematically precise. However, at first listen I had to agree with Kay: "No, I can't tell any difference. They sound quite the same to me."
I felt compelled to write a positive review of this film after finding only one unfavorable one available so far. I viewed MINIVER STORY, THE soon after watching the original for the first time. I had low expectations based on what little had been written about it, and was pleasantly surprised. If you like an ending that resolves everything, this one is for you. It is by far not a happy, sappy ending but one with a mixture of triumph and tragedy. Check it out! 7.5/10.