Literate, well-acted, depressing story of the effects of wartime upon a family of six (parents and four daughters) in Christchurch New Zealand.
For some reason, the four New Zealand daughters are played by two Englishwomen (Joan Fontaine and Jean Simmons) and two Americans (Piper Laurie and Sandra Dee). The casting of the Englishwomen at least marks a contrast with the Americans soldiers - the casting of the Americans as daughters is just terribly strange - particularly Sandra Dee who only sometimes attempts some kind of accent. (One's left to wonder why more plausible English actresses such as Barbara Steele or Dana Wynter weren't cast).
**** SPOILERS ****
The family's losses are staggering. Both parents, one of the two husbands of the four daughters, one daughter's fiancé, and one sister killed by the other husband -- all dead on separate occasions. You begin to feel that these daughters have the mark of death upon them - anyone they touch -- will be killed. And this makes for a very dark story.
In addition to the actual deaths, one sees the deaths of the moral ideals of the four girls. Unfortunately, it is not really made clear why this is so - except that "the men have been away for X months". That's the only explanation. And the viewer thinks, well, so? If the men were home, then, uh, what? Presumably the film means that if they were home, the girls would not be dying of their lusts -- but why? This central theme of the film is simply odd. There just isn't an explanation of why the women MUST have sex in X months despite the vows some took to God and before all those they knew, to remain faithful until their deaths.
It's a dark film in a number of ways. The four daughters seem to know or care for no one outside their own family.
There is no larger society of which they are a part -- no aunts, no friends, no uncles, no cousins, no bosses or former bosses, no co-workers, no neighbors, to ease loneliness, participate in social functions, see films and plays, play cards, etc. No one.
And in apparent result, two of the three surviving daughters leave the country permanently.
So the happy family of six in New Zealand becomes by the end of the film -- a single person remaining in the entire country. It's as if some bomb had hit the family.
The film is very muted, worried, fraught with usually untold dreary unhappiness. Yet it's a well-made film -- Joan Fontaine, Piper Laurie, and Jean Simmons (and Paul Newman as her suitor) are particularly fine.
So, I can't say I particularly recommend it - but it's not bad if you're feeling you need to come down from some over-ebullient mood.
For some reason, the four New Zealand daughters are played by two Englishwomen (Joan Fontaine and Jean Simmons) and two Americans (Piper Laurie and Sandra Dee). The casting of the Englishwomen at least marks a contrast with the Americans soldiers - the casting of the Americans as daughters is just terribly strange - particularly Sandra Dee who only sometimes attempts some kind of accent. (One's left to wonder why more plausible English actresses such as Barbara Steele or Dana Wynter weren't cast).
**** SPOILERS ****
The family's losses are staggering. Both parents, one of the two husbands of the four daughters, one daughter's fiancé, and one sister killed by the other husband -- all dead on separate occasions. You begin to feel that these daughters have the mark of death upon them - anyone they touch -- will be killed. And this makes for a very dark story.
In addition to the actual deaths, one sees the deaths of the moral ideals of the four girls. Unfortunately, it is not really made clear why this is so - except that "the men have been away for X months". That's the only explanation. And the viewer thinks, well, so? If the men were home, then, uh, what? Presumably the film means that if they were home, the girls would not be dying of their lusts -- but why? This central theme of the film is simply odd. There just isn't an explanation of why the women MUST have sex in X months despite the vows some took to God and before all those they knew, to remain faithful until their deaths.
It's a dark film in a number of ways. The four daughters seem to know or care for no one outside their own family.
There is no larger society of which they are a part -- no aunts, no friends, no uncles, no cousins, no bosses or former bosses, no co-workers, no neighbors, to ease loneliness, participate in social functions, see films and plays, play cards, etc. No one.
And in apparent result, two of the three surviving daughters leave the country permanently.
So the happy family of six in New Zealand becomes by the end of the film -- a single person remaining in the entire country. It's as if some bomb had hit the family.
The film is very muted, worried, fraught with usually untold dreary unhappiness. Yet it's a well-made film -- Joan Fontaine, Piper Laurie, and Jean Simmons (and Paul Newman as her suitor) are particularly fine.
So, I can't say I particularly recommend it - but it's not bad if you're feeling you need to come down from some over-ebullient mood.