Mrs Miniver was outstandingly successful at the box-office, garnering more than $5½ million in domestic rentals alone. Naturally, everyone wanted a sequel. This was finally unveiled 8 years later. Better it had stayed a gleam in MGM's eye. By this time, Garson's mannered impersonation of saintly womanhood had reached an embarrassing peak. Shamelessly hogging the camera to an extent that irritated even her most ardent fans, Miss Garson shovels with obvious relish into a scenario of unbelievable triteness and banality.
Walter Pidgeon is ruthlessly pushed aside. Fortunately, he is a dull actor anyway. Worse, his character has undergone a blasphemous transformation. He is no longer the confidently assured head of the family, but a timorous cluck on the sidelines.
Potter's direction is as undistinguished as the script. The film has but two redeeming features - the photography and the music score.
The photography is credited to Joseph Ruttenberg (who won an Academy Award for his work on the original Mrs Miniver), but we suspect the attractive actual-location landscapes were contributed by some unsung 2nd unit man.
Composer Herbert Stothart died in February, 1949. His elegantly harmonious melodies from the original film have been cleverly adapted by Miklos Rosza.
The Miniver Story outraged both fans and critics alike, making it MGM's biggest flop of the year.
Walter Pidgeon is ruthlessly pushed aside. Fortunately, he is a dull actor anyway. Worse, his character has undergone a blasphemous transformation. He is no longer the confidently assured head of the family, but a timorous cluck on the sidelines.
Potter's direction is as undistinguished as the script. The film has but two redeeming features - the photography and the music score.
The photography is credited to Joseph Ruttenberg (who won an Academy Award for his work on the original Mrs Miniver), but we suspect the attractive actual-location landscapes were contributed by some unsung 2nd unit man.
Composer Herbert Stothart died in February, 1949. His elegantly harmonious melodies from the original film have been cleverly adapted by Miklos Rosza.
The Miniver Story outraged both fans and critics alike, making it MGM's biggest flop of the year.