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The Human Comedy (1943) - Full Reaction (Patreon)

Published:
2025-08-25 04:34:58
Edited:
2026-08-19 19:30:44
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

Content

⚡Auto-Sync (Apple TV+) | 🎬 Requests | 🍿 Pick-A-Flick | ▶️ YouTube | 💻 Watch/Download

A 1940’s slice of life. So interesting this came out while the war was still going on? I think this maybe would have given americans at the time comfort. Thank you Ted for this pic I had never heard of!

Files

The Human Comedy (1943) - Full Reaction - Popcorn In Bed

Watch the full reaction to The Human Comedy on Popcorn In Bed.

Comments

Thoko

When I saw the notification for this, I read it as “the human centipede” 😭

Larry Darrell

The poster for my last Pick a Flick can be seen as they walk by the theater, and find Lionel in line. Desperate Journey (1942). I’ll be watching both of these tomorrow. :-)

Neill Shaughness

Loving all the classics we've been getting lately! Can't wait for Philadelphia Story

Brian McGovern

I just realised what the comments for the Human Centipede were all about.

Nathan Swapp

I thought you were watching the human centipede but trying to psych yourself up by saying it's a comedy and not a horror movie

Clay F

My dad born in 1942. My mom born in 1944. This movie released the intervening year 1943. Trying to decide whether to watch the movie. Probably will b/c war time and get to see a young Mickey Rooney. SD on Amazon Prime to stream is rent $3.79 and buy $9.99. The movie well received in 1943 but today apparently not much of a 'known' movie (even among some cinephiles of movies of that time)? But we do have fellow patron Ted who chose the movie as his PAF -- so I will go with that. Plus, nom for Oscar Best Picture.

K, Zachary

This one I had watched a while ago strictly for who was in it. Donna Reed who is actually from Denison IA. I should know I use to volunteer with the Donna Reed Center For Performing Arts. Her Oscar is on display there the one she won for From Here To Enterity. (1953) I loved this movie however I have to wait til 19:30 to watch it. My gf Eva wants to watch it with me so I have to wait till she gets home from work. Also wanted to say thanks for the great pick Ted. 👍

Keith Brown

Glad you enjoyed this classic heartwarming movie. You picked out Donna Read, some other actors you have seen Frank Morgan/Willie Grogan was the "Wizard of Oz" and in "The Shop Around the Corner. Homer's dad was Ray Collins/"Citizen Kane". The 3 soldiers who the girls took to the movies were Robert Mitchum /Cape Fear , Barry Nelson/ The Shining and Don DeFore no movies yet but many people will remember him the the 60's TV series "Hazel".

Just Plain Bob

Cassie, it’s not unusual for films set during wartime to be made at the time those wars were occurring. You’ve already seen one before this. “Casablanca” was released in 1942. In fact, the Allies didn’t win the war for control of North Africa until a year after its release.

Michael West

I enjoy these '40s classics. Something very nostalgic about them. I was reminded of your "Good Morning Vietnam" reaction, there is a scene where Robin Williams' character commented that the lieutenant (polka guy) looked a little like Donna Reed. You stated that you didn't know who that was, now you have been introduced, :)

Clarence Newman

Patreon only? I'm not emotionally involved with the film, but it would be a shame to do that to every PaF selection.

Clarence Newman

As for the intent of the film, I imagine there are two types of movie made during wartime - propaganda movies, designed to bang the drum and promote your country's narrative, or heartwarming life-stories, designed to show that life goes on regardless, bravery is everywhere, and there's still a lot of humanity worth fighting for. No bad thing.

Richard Maurer

Clarence - come on, this one would be lucky to get 20k views on YouTube. They can’t put their time and energy (and money) into films that are not going to produce. We should be grateful for the opportunity to even get films like this watched. I know I can be critical of some of the decisions made here, but not this gift-horse. Personally of the two movies I regularly request for PaF, I’m already resigned to the fact that The Final Programme won’t get a YouTube edit if it wins. Even my other pick, Horror of Dracula might not get a edit, although I think it should, it would probably do well enough on YouTube to be worth it.

Clarence Newman

Agreed on this one, Richard. I’m just talking about it becoming a given to send PAF’s to Patreon only.

Ted Little

This film lost the Oscar to Casablanca.

Ted Little

The "apricot thief" was Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, who was also the floor opener in "It's a Wonderful Life."

Richard Maurer

I don’t think all of them will. But I imagine they’re going to be very picky about it. Other than Dungeons & Dragons, I don’t think any of the PaF films did even reasonably well (I could be wrong, but not off by much) on YT. Probably some research is done on YT to see if there’s any chance of a film doing well before they decide to give a YT edit, or not. At least I hope that’s what’s happening. But even then it is possible that potential YT “winners” could be passed over. That’s my fear for Horror of Dracula - has no reactions by even moderately known reactors, just a couple of unknowns, but that doesn’t mean it won’t get any views. Just being a Dracula movie, and it being Cassie watching it. should get it 40-50k views. But I don’t know what exact criteria they’re using to decide what gets an edit, so I can’t be sure it will even get considered. If I could make a suggestion to whoever makes the decisions on YouTube edits - older iconic horror movies generally do better than other genres of old films. Look what King Kong and Godzilla did last year (Godzilla 54 particularly - at 97k currently, not bad for an old B&W film).

Ted Little

Cassie, thank you very much for reacting to this movie. I have been on pins and needles ever since it was picked, waiting for your reaction. It is the closest Hollywood ever came to epic poetry. Most war movies are about combat and heroics but for every soldier at the front there were thousands on the "home front." Everything that happened in this film was happening every day to people all over the world. In those days, you didn't go to see a movie, you went to a movie show. There were cartoons, short subjects, features, and, often, a sing along. Imagine yourself in the audience when they are singing "Leaning" and Frank Jenks looks straight at you and says, "Everybody sing." You would have been surrounded by people singing. Movie going, like much else in those days, was a community event. I love this movie, Oscar nominated for best picture and best actor, and am happy that, through you, more people have now heard of it. Thank you again.

MikeLL

I almost had a heart attack! Cassie recognized an actor in an old movie! When Cassie recognized Donna Reed from It's A Wonderful Life, I almost cheered. Or had a heart attack, or something! How far Cassie has come! As for the movie itself, I'm still watching the reaction and I've never seen the whole movie through yet, but it seems the dictionary definition of "heart warming". And it seems the title, The Human Comedy, denotes life's complexities and tragedies more than anything else.

Above Average Dave

I'm thinking there's an opportunity here for a mash-up RomCom: "The Human Comedy Centipede" Log Line: Val, a non-nonsence Professional Woman with bad luck in love falls for Chad, an Aspiring NFL Place-Kicker working Kids' Party Performer who does dancing magic while dressed as a centipede." Starring: Gal Gadot as Val, Glen Powel as Chad, Barney the Wonder Chimp as the HOA President, and Lori Loughlin as Aunt Becky.

Richard Maurer

But where does the horrific surgery come in?

Joe J

Even Cold Mountain sank like on stone on YT, lol. I always hope something reasonable for me gets picked, so far...nada. TBR Schmitt's PAF only has around 120-130 entries every month, so I think I'll play his for awhile. If you win, you can't play for just one month, then your back in.

MikeLL

Archive.org is free if you don't care to donate right now, which I have in the past.

Steve Holton

Inspired by the work of the great William Saroyan who wrote so beautifully and humorously about life. His play “The Time of Your Life” remains a timeless classic. “In the time of your life, live—so that in that wondrous time you shall not add to the misery and sorrow of the world, but shall smile to the infinite delight and mystery of it.” But my favorite quip of his was, “Everybody has got to die, but I have always believed an exception would be made in my case.” Which sums up how most people in good health feel about living. We need this delightful optimism, I guess. 😊

Joe J

Here's a good quote for you Steve. "Pain and heartaches aren't options in life.....misery is a choice."

Richard Maurer

Joe - That’s not bad. Do you have to be a higher tier patron to enter? I can’t really afford to spend a lot of extra money right now but depending on the cost I might join.

Joe J

Richard - If you haven't seen his reactions, I wanted to mention that TBR (Dan & Samantha) have reacted to all the Evil Dead movies, re-makes, and the TV series.

Joe J

TBR's PAF tier is $10 also. I will just play his for a few months and skip PIB.

bgb1975 (Brian)

This was a great pick, Ted. Thanks to you as well for submitting it.

Clarence Newman

I'll be sure to check those other sites out, just as soon as Cassie has finished Game of Thrones and watched all the films on my list. I'll be a little tied up until then.

Richard Maurer

You’re like a train Clarence - stuck on that track with no ability to explore the countryside.

Clarence Newman

Yes, but it's the Orient Express I'm on. Gold trimmings, spacious compartments and Morgan Freeman as the tannoy announcer. In the immortal words of Joey Tribbiani...."Outside bad. Inside good!"

Joe J

Play the field Clarence...live a little, lol. Reaction channels are like ice cream, there's more than one flavor to enjoy.

Clay F

Thanks Mike. I will check archive.org

Ted Little

Saroyan wrote the story for this film at the same time as he was working on the book version. It was one of the first movies to have a novelization and to be a Book of the Month Club selection.

Anjolie Lanel

At first glance I thought this said, The Human Centipede lol. I may be dyslexic

Clay F

Congrats Ted

Just Plain Bob

Well done on the pick, Ted, and well said in the post. We live in an extraordinary time when we can easily watch almost anything we want in the privacy and comfort of our homes at the mere press of a button. But, as your post makes so evident, we also lose a lot with our fancy new technology, such as the sense of community and belonging engendered by activities such as an evening at the theater, watching movies and have sing alongs. I used to get together several times a year with an old friend of mine and her husband and we’d make a day of going to the theater, eating out and discussing what we’d just seen, then hitting the nearby bookstore and then back to the theater for the next film on offer. The prevalence of streaming has killed that. The ease of simply watching a film at home, then catching up by text with friends has made such day long excursions seem like too much effort (it’s not, of course, but it’s too easy to fall into that kinda thinking). As I grow older, my appreciation for my grandparents’ generation and their wisdom, way of life and sacrifices (home and abroad) only deepens. They really were the Greatest Generation.

Clay F

Several patrons have confused with Human Centipede, so you are not alone. I never had that confusion. The night it won PAF, I looked it up, and never once thought Centipede.

Anjolie Lanel

Whew! Glad I wasn’t the only one lol

bgb1975 (Brian)

See what you've done, Richard Maurer? Shame on you! ;P

Tim C

Donna Reed had a long Hollywood Career alot of Movies Also know for the Donna Reed show 60s , 6 or 7 Seasons I believe. Funny when It a Wonderfull came out it performed badly at the Thearter. Only time her and Jimmy Steward would be in a Movie together.

Clay F

Donna Reed is stunning.

Richard Maurer

I’m innocent! I was just as confused as everyone else.

Tim C

She was Beautifull and had a Raidance to her.

Clarence Newman

A very beautiful face. I'm always impressed by that scene in It's A Wonderful Life where she and Jimmy Stewart are dancing ever closer to the hole in the ballroom floor without a single glance over their shoulders.

Chitown Livingston

Clay F... question... WTF are you? Not being mean... just want to know. I sometimes dabble in this channel. You sent me a not so nice message. So again... WTF are you? Everything good? Just want to know the association you have with this channel. Thanks.

Clay F

Cassie is by far my No. 1 reactor (the ball game for me). PiB was the 2nd Patreon reaction channel I joined. My first was Hold Down A (“Ames” - Canadian female in her early 30s) who like Cassie reacts to classics and AFI Top 100. Ames did the intro for the action category on The Poppies this year. Ames’ channel has a focus on classics, and she is going through the entire AFI Top 100. She big fan of Cary Grant and Paul Newman. She cannot hide her attraction to those two. She reacts to more pre-1980 movies than post-1980 movies. She goes way back -- she has reacted to silent movies. Most of her reactions are not on YouTube but instead are Patreon-exclusive full reactions. Classics commonly beat modern movies in her Patreon polls. In her last Pollception-type poll (last month), the choice “pre-1970” won (as if there isn't already enough pre-1970 on the channel). “Noir 1940-1960” came in 3rd. “Sci-fi” genre commonly wins but wasn’t included this time. My top choices (‘2000 to present,’ drama, war, western) all finished at bottom. Ames’ reactions this month included It Could Happen One Night (1934) (she loved it), Cool Hand Luke (1967), A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), West Side Story (1961), Blood Simple (1984), etc. Ames’ reactions last month (July) included M*A*S*H (1970), Predator (1987), The Color of Money (1986), The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) (she called “pure genius”), The Hustler (1961), The Gold Rush (1925), Nashville (1975), etc. The last couple of months, she reacted to select episodes of TNG S1/S2 but this month she started reacting to TNG S3 w/o skipping episodes. She is big on sci-fi (her favorite genre). Other examples of her reactions (since her start in 2023) include Yojimbo (1961), Arsenic and Old Lace, Cinema Paradiso, Taxi Driver, This is Spinal Tap, A Dog's Life (1918), Chinatown, The Deer Hunter (1979) (great reaction), The Maltese Falcon, Paper Moon, 12 Angry Men, No Country for Old Men, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Barry Lyndon, Casablanca, Raging Bull, Planet of the Apes (1968), Bladerunner (1982), The Thing (1982), Apocalypse Now, The Godfather, The Wild Bunch (1969), The Graduate (1967), Witness (1980) (my PAF that won), Glory (1989), The Apartment (1960), etc.

Chitown Livingston

Clay F... oh by the way... I signed up for 1 month as patreon just to review... somehow I was charged 1 year. I let it go... but I would LOVE to hear an explanation on how that happened. Waiting patiently....

Larry Darrell

I think I just realized I’ve been blocked by someone. Cool. :-)

Larry Darrell

I wouldn’t recommend making Hollywood Propaganda films today, but back then I totally support it. Some of my favorite films are WWII Propaganda features. Also, you gotta admit. These films landed on the right side of History.

Clarence Newman

How do you find out you've been blocked?

Larry Darrell

All I see is you and Richard in this reply thread, but I suspect there is another, besides us 3 now, that I’m not seeing. Maybe I’m wrong. Either way thought it interesting.

Clarence Newman

There is one other. I can neither confirm nor deny the identity.

Mike Lemon

Is she going to be doing/has she done The Birth of a Nation (1915)? I would be curious how you would defend the lie it exposes, not that I would ever bother to look it up and it can't be discussed here.

Stick Figure Studios

I had never even heard of this movie before this, Ted. Thanks for introducing a new classic film to me.

TheSingulatarian

Mickey Rooney was the top box office draw of the 1940s. He kept making movies up to the 1980s. He played teenagers for far to long including a ton of "Andy Hardy" pictures with Judy Garland. He was married about 8 times which is seven times too many. Interesting little piece of war time propaganda for the troops and the Homefront seeing as how it was made pre-D-Day. They didn't lay it on too thick.

Catherine LW

Will watch this tonight. Sounds like WWII era on the home front. Another one Cassie would probably love is Mrs. Miniver, about a British housewife and mother living through WWII - bombings, Dunkirk, son who’s an RAF pilot. Directed by William Wyler (The Best Years of Our Lives), it was a propaganda film to increase American support for the war. Very moving that even Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels called it “powerful”.

Clay F

Chitown -- yeah, ask Cassie or a mod. I am just a patron like you. Also, while I have replied to couple of your comments (and clicked like on at least one of your comments), I have never sent you a message. WTF?

Clay F

Chitown -- sorry I missed that thread in which you asked me questions. Ask a mod about your subscription. I am just a patron like you. Also, while I have replied to a couple of your comments (and clicked like on at least one of your comments), I have never sent you a message WTF?

Clarence Newman

A must-see for any true movie fan, Mike, but you're right - the most blatant bit of propaganda ever laid on film. I'd recommend Cassie watch it just for the experience - but not on channel.

Clay F

Mike -- Ames hasn't reacted to The Birth of a Nation (1915). She has no plans to that I know of. The movie was AFI Top 100, but not on updated 2007 list she going by. "[The movie] is an unavoidable fact of American movie history, and must be dealt with." --Roger Ebert (2003) (score 4/4). I've never seen it, except portions. You like it? I googled "what lie does birth of a nation expose" and below is what Google AI gave: The 1915 silent film The Birth of a Nation does not expose a lie, but rather propagates and sensationalizes dangerous and racist historical lies of its own. The film is based on the "Lost Cause" interpretation of the Civil War and Reconstruction, which mythologized the Confederacy and portrayed the Ku Klux Klan as heroic. The central false narrative promoted by the film is that white Southerners were the victims of an oppressive and corrupt Reconstruction led by Black people and Northerners. In this false telling, the Ku Klux Klan was a valiant and necessary savior of the South. Key lies promoted by the movie: -The incompetence of Black people in politics. ... -The sexual threat of Black men against white women. ... -The nobility and necessity of the Ku Klux Klan. ... -Reconstruction as a corrupt and lawless period of "Black rule". ... The film's powerful cinematic techniques and compelling narrative structure made its racist message highly influential, helping to revive the defunct Ku Klux Klan in 1915.

Mike Lemon

That fact that the movie is over 80 years old and you can still pirate it is so wrong. If it were up to me, copyright wouldn't last any more than 25 years, 50 at the most.

Mike Lemon

"The 1915 silent film The Birth of a Nation does not expose a lie" (edit- damned sticking shift key) Yes, it does. Not within the movie, but much later. Like I said though, " it can't be discussed here."

Richard Maurer

Larry - I would be surprised if anyone blocked you. You’re generally a pretty affable guy. I got blocked by someone on here for awhile a couple of years ago, they eventually unblocked me. But considering how opinionated I was back then I wasn’t all that surprised by it.

Larry Darrell

The Hollywood war films made during WWII, also known as Propaganda films, lifted the Spirits and Morale of civilians and soldiers alike. They got America through one of its darkest times, by giving moments of levity and overall being entertaining. These films reminded every American what they… their sons and daughters, their mothers and fathers, their brothers and sisters, their family and neighbors… were fighting for. A slice of that good ole American Pie, called Freedom. These films inspired countless young men and women to volunteer for Military service and countless others at home to take jobs at defense plants, building aircraft, tanks, munitions and every other necessary life saving materials that the fighting men and women needed abroad. These films, and the hundreds of Hollywood actors and actresses that appeared in them, greatly helped in the selling of War Bonds during the war, which in the end equated to approximately $185 Billion. Fundraising Drives took place from 1942 - 1945, all across the country, and Box Office numbers reached record highs during the war years. Some of the studios even produced training films for the Military and many A-List Actors and Directors actually volunteered for service. James Stewart, Clark Gable, Henry Fonda, Robert Montgomery, David Niven, Tyrone Power, Gene Kelly… all left the safety of Hollywood to fight for their country. Five top Hollywood Directors joined the armed services, and created documentaries and propaganda films. They were Frank Capra, John Ford, John Huston, George Stevens and William Wyler. Frank Capra created a whole series of seven short films, (along with another Russian born film director, who had just become an American citizen, and also enlisted in the US Army, Anatole Litvak), titled… Why We Fight, produced from 1942 thru 1945. Highly Recommended! Also recommended, a documentary series about these 5 directors and Hollywood’s role during the war… Five Came Back (2017). There were many, many, many films produced by Hollywood, about the war, during the war, and some even before America became involved. If anyone’s interested in these films, I recommend this “short” list… Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939) Foreign Correspondent (1940) The Great Dictator (1940) The Long Voyage Home (1940) Night Train to Munich (1940) 49th Parallel (1941) International Lady (1941) Man Hunt (1941) A Yank in the RAF (1941) Across the Pacific (1942) All Through the Night (1942) Captains of the Clouds (1942) Desperate Journey (1942) Hitler - Dead or Alive (1942) In Which We Serve (1942) Joan of Paris (1942) Mrs. Miniver (1942) Reunion in France (1942) Saboteur (1942) To Be or Not To Be (1942) Wake Island (1942) Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) Above Suspicion (1943) Action in the North Atlantic (1943) Air Force (1943) Background to Danger (1943) Bataan (1943) The Cross of Lorraine (1943) Cry Havoc (1943) Destination Tokyo (1943) Edge of Darkness (1943) A Guy Named Joe (1943) Hangmen Also Die! (1943) Hitler’s Madman (1943) Journey Into Fear (1943) The More the Merrier (1943) Sahara (1943) So Proudly We Hail! (1943) This Land is Mine (1943) The Conspirators (1944) The Fighting Sullivans (1944) Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) Hollywood Canteen (1944) The Hour Before the Dawn (1944) Lifeboat (1944) Ministry of Fear (1944) Passage to Marseille (1944) The Purple Heart (1944) Since You Went Away (1944) Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) To Have and Have Not (1944) Back to Bataan (1945) Objective, Burma! (1945) Pride of the Marines (1945) The Story of G.I. Joe (1945) They Were Expendable (1945) A Walk in the Sun (1945) even Sherlock Holmes was moved into modern day, so that he could help fight the Nazis. Four of the fourteen films Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce starred in as Holmes and Watson had them sleuthing for the Allies. Casablanca (1942) already seen. Probably didn’t know it was a Hollywood Propaganda film. :-) If you want more of The Human Comedy and The Best Years of Our Lives type film, then check out… Mrs. Miniver (1942) Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) The Fighting Sullivans (1944) Since You Went Away (1944) Pride of the Marines (1945) If you want to see some Action and Intrigue behind enemy lines, then check out… Desperate Journey (1942) Air Force (1943) Destination Tokyo (1943) Edge of Darkness (1943) Hangmen Also Die! (1943) This Land is Mine (1943) and for some laughs and levity in these life and death times… The Great Dictator (1940) All Through the Night (1942) To Be or Not to Be (1942) A Guy Named Joe (1943) The More the Merrier (1943) Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) Hollywood Canteen (1944) In today’s world, I don’t know if I could recommend Hollywood making Propaganda films pushing any one side of an issue or conflict. But back then, I believe it was greatly needed. (I think History proves this right.) If Hollywood had not gotten involved in the War Effort… if there hadn’t been as much propaganda promoting Patriotism… how different would the War have turned out? Might there have been fewer recruits? Might there have been not enough funds to supply our troops with the necessary essentials they needed? I’m no historian, but as far as I know, WWII was a war that needed to be won. Millions of lives were lost, yes. But how many more might have continued to die if the Allies had lost. What would Europe look like today? What would America be like today? I love these films because they remind me of a time when we ALL… Americans, Foreign Friends, and Future Enemies… worked together to eliminate a world conquering Evil. This can happen again… if we try. So I’ll leave these quotes from The Human Comedy, to wrap things up… Tobey - “A guy who was given his name by an orphanage and doesn’t even know what his nationality is?” Marcus - “Ahhh, you’re an American Tobey, anybody can see that.” Tobey - “Oh sure, but I want to know which American.” Marcus - “The one whose name is Tobey George. That’s all. That’s good enough for anybody.” PS: Mickey Rooney is problematic!!! What the… 🤦‍♂️. I’m sorry Macarooney. These days, even your smallest mistakes, will be held against you your entire life, and beyond. :-(

MikeLL

Larry, my Popcorn Pick A Flick is in your list!

MikeLL

It was a great revelation seeing this movie!

Larry Darrell

Thanks Richard. I try to be affable. That’s why it struck me funny that someone may have blocked me. I know I make large posts that ramble on, but no one has to read them. If you see them get long, then click on them and they get small again. There’s been a couple people that I’ve gotten heated with, but I still see their posts and I’ve never blocked anyone. Unless I’m forgetting a bitter exchange with someone. I usually remember if I’ve insulted someone. Woops. Sorry if that happened… to whomever. Oh well. As long as everyone’s happy. :-)

Larry Darrell

Lemme guess… Yankee Doodle Dandy.

bgb1975 (Brian)

Haven't seen many of them. But I'll back "The Fighting Sullivans" anyday. Based on a true story & mentioned in "Saving Private Ryan"

David Patterson

If I'm not mistaken, the park where they play horseshoes is the same back lot as BTTF and Gremlins.

Terry Yelmene

this was truly touching... I recall seeing a Meg Ryan movie several years ago that was kinda like this one.

Terry Yelmene

agreed - Cassie should watch it, but not for the channel

Catherine LW

Well that was a tender film. It reminded me of my Dad, who grew up in Stockton, California in the San Joaquin Valley, mentioned in the film, although Ithaca was a made up town. He would have been a year older than Homer. From what memories he told me of his childhood, it was similar, in that children played and wandered around till dark, even little ones like Ulysses. Everyone knew each other, and looked out for each other. Gives me a sense of hiraeth - a word I learned to mean “nostalgia” or a sense of longing and loss for a world long gone.

Old As Dirt Bert

Mrs. Miniver was playing at the theater where they went to the movies.

Larry Darrell

Gremlins (1984) and Back to the Future (1985) both Amblin Entertainment films produced by Steven Spielberg, and both shot at the Courthouse Square on the Universal Studios Backlot. Gremlins was a Warner Bros. production and Back to the Future was a Universal Pictures production. The Human Comedy was a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production filmed on the MGM Studios Backlot, which was sadly torn down and demolished in the 1970s.

Catherine LW

PS Mr. Grogan was played by Frank Morgan, the Wizard of Oz! Robert Mitchum was uncredited as one of the 3 soldiers who took the girls to the movies.

Ted Little

If I am not mistaken, Cassie's idea in starting this game was to give movies a chance that would never be picked in a poll. You can only vote for movies you know. I am gratified that now, thanks to her, more people now can appreciate this great movie.

Larry Darrell

The other uncredited soldier was Don DeFore who would later star in one of my favorite Christmas films, It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947). The only credited soldier of the soldier three, (the one who did all the talking) was Barry Nelson, who Cassie probably doesn’t remember as Stuart Ullman in The Shining (1980). He was the in-season manager of the Overlook Hotel that gave Jack the interview, told about the incident, and gave Jack and Wendy the tour. Barry Nelson and Don DeFore did another film together, just before shooting The Human Comedy. They practically walked off one set and onto another. That film was… A Guy Named Joe (1943)… another WWII “Propaganda” film that I completely forgot to include in my previous list. (Adding now) Nelson and DeFore also play servicemen in this film. A Guy Named Joe would later be remade by Steven Spielberg, a film recently included on a poll… Always (1989). Spielberg for years has considered A Guy Named Joe to be one of his favorite films. He even included it as a film on TV, within the film Poltergeist (1982). One year later from the release of The Human Comedy, the 2 male leads from A Guy Named Joe… Spencer Tracy and Van Johnson… as well as Robert Mitchum and Don DeFore… would begin filming a True Story picture about Colonel Doolittle’s Raid… Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944)… Anyone that has seen Michael Bay’s, Pearl Harbor (2001)… the ending where they launch the bombers from the aircraft carrier in order to make the first strike against Japan. Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo is the first film version of that story, told while the War in the Pacific was still raging on.

fastecp1

Great list! She has seen many of these, but there are so many more here she needs to see.

fastecp1

She almost watched The Human Centipede 🤣 That probably would have been the end of Pick a Flick for her. I really enjoyed this movie. I usually love anything with Frank Morgan in it. I think that started with The Wizard of Oz, The Shop Around the Corner, and The Stratton Story. The Mortal Storm, another Frank Morgan movie with Jimmy Stewart, is a film I would recommend watching.

Larry Darrell

+1 for The Mortal Storm (1940)… another Hollywood WWII film that I forgot to include earlier. There really was a ton of these, and so many of them terrific. Especially this one.

Clay F

Ted -- how were you first exposed to the movie?

Clay F

We regularly sang the song "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" in church when I was a kid. Also, played horseshoes, which I liked. I watched the movie (360p) at archive.org. Both Donna Reed and Marsha Hunt were pleasant on the eye. Mickey Rooney = good acting. Apparently, the peak of his career was when he was 15-25. I always knew of Mickey Rooney (e.g., would see him in the news) but didn't watch many of his movies. The dude was short. Thanks Ted for your PAF. I like expanding my horizon. An aspect I like about old movies is learning about the time. The movie overly sentimental but didn't bother me -- need that sometimes. One of my favorite scenes is Tom and Diana Spangler driving through the Valley Festival w/immigrant Americans (Mexicans, Greeks, Armenians, etc. -- "all Americans") celebrating their cultures. Folk dances, traditional costume, traditional music, etc. Diana said "Viva México." Such a receptive tenor to immigrants, and the notion that immigrant cultures contribute to the patchwork that forms the US culture. You alluded to movie having idealized notions of the war, which the movie did. Yet, the movie did mention death a few times and culminated in the death of Marcus. However, not the realism of a Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers. Home front movies can tend to be less gritty. Didn't realize until after watching the movie that Robert Mitchum (an actor I like) was 1 of those 3 soldiers walking -- the character name = Quentin "Horse" Gilford. Apparently, his 1st movie (an uncredited role). My grandfather was in the war (North Africa and D-Day landing). My other grandfather was in the occupation of Germany immediately after the war in Europe.

Ted Little

Clay, It is so long ago that I cannot remember exactly; it was in a previous millennium. We did read the novel in school in the mid sixties and, I suppose, I saw the movie some time after that. I hope this is what you were wanting to know.

Thomas Thompson

I’m so glad I remembered to watch this. I’m surprised I’ve never seen it before. This was really a kind of propaganda film. The type they made during the war extolling the virtues of everything that they were fighting for it reminds me a bit of the English propaganda film that came out during the war This Happy Breed. Another excellent film.

Stephen Dias

I finally got around to watching this. When I was growing up, my brother, cousins and I always remarked about how much my Uncle Roy looked like Mickey Rooney. I had mostly seen his other comedies, like the Andy Hardy movies. This one was new to me. What a sweet, emotional movie!

James M

This is as you noticed like a different war than "Saving Private Ryan", but this was a wartime film. It was for the people at home who had to sacrifice to help win the war. They needed inspiration. They needed to come together and remain united. The film makers, studios, directors, writers and actors all knew this was important for the war effort. So they made the movie everyone needed at the time, full of love and support, sadness and hope. They tell everyone that even those who are no longer with us are still with us in our memories and because we care for them, just the sort of thing to reassure a family that may or did lose a son in combat.