User Reviews

Today was the anniversary of Fay Bainter's birthday, so that Turner Classic Movies were showing a number of her films - many of which are rarely available for viewing. Earlier I reviewed THE SHINING HOUR, in which Bainter played a repressed spinster, older sister - with possible incestuous thoughts about her two brothers (Melvin Douglas and Robert Young). I also watched most of this film in which Bainter plays an upper class Washington socialite who feels that the Second World War was a personal attack on herself and her way of life. This may seem to be a ridiculous point of view, but I am aware of one celebrity (I won't say who) who arrived at the same rather stupid point of view in his memoirs.

Bainter's Mrs. Stella Hadley could be (in her point of view) a relative of Ms. Emily Hawkins (Agnes Moorehead) in SINCE YOU WENT AWAY. In that film Moorehead keeps claiming that her selfish actions (she will be willing to throw a large party - because it gives her a chance for social exposure - but she is hoarding and using black market)is "to maintain appearances", as she puts it. Mrs. Hadley is not so despicable, but she resents the inconveniences to herself and her lifestyle by the war (which she tends to blame on the policies of Franklin Roosevelt).

In the films of the 1940s there were occasional comments about the Washington social scene in some of the films. For example, Lucille Watson is a prominent Washington hostess (the widow of a Supreme Court Justice) in WATCH ON THE RHINE. But the social elite did not always support the administration. In fact many members of the nation's upper crust were Republicans, and many were reactionaries to the New Deal and other policies. Mrs. Hadley is the widow of a prominent Washington D.C. newspaper owner who was a Republican. It sounds like the character is based on Evelyn Walsh McClean, whose husband Ned owned the Washington Post in the 1920s (and actually was an intimate of the Harding Administration). But Mrs. McClean was fully supportive of the war effort.

The changes she sees is that her friends (mostly Republican like herself) will not share her views. Edward Arnold is Eliot Fulton, a family friend who has been trying to marry Mrs. Hadley, but he is committed to his work in the F.D.R. war effort. Roosevelt, unlike his predecessor Woodrow Wilson, was smart enough to make the war effort a coalition type, including Republican figures like Frank Knox and Henry Stimson in his cabinet in important jobs (Secretary of the Navy and Secretary of War). Arnold's Fulton, and Spring Byington and Isobel Elsom as her two closest friends, all are spurned by her as they adopt a support the war effort point of view. It's like they forgot their criticism of FDR's peacetime social and political views (which they willingly have). Only Miles Mander, as a chilly physician who is also romantically interested in Bainter, stays close to her socially and politically.

She soon alienates her children, her daughter (Jean Rogers) running off (against Bainter's wishes) to marry Van Johnson, a young man in the armed forces from the lower classes. Sarah Allgood (Johnson's mother) tries to undue the resulting split, but Bainter won't hear of it. And Arnold helps Bainter's son Richard Ney enlist in the army (again against Bainter's wishes). The conclusion of the film shows how a tragic incident brings Bainter to her senses.

The film is fascinating showing an moment of importance that lasted five years. FDR had been under tremendous criticism from 1933 to 1941 for the New Deal and then the third term election. His foreign policy would be criticized by isolationists too, and the court packing plan made many Democrats into enemies. But Pearl Harbor changed it all, and his wisdom on bi-partisan-ism helped. This film showed how the bulk of the country did drop partisan differences because of national shame and peril. The eventual success of our war effort is still another monument to FDR's leadership.

I must confess that I was pretty sure I'd enjoy this film, because I've long admired the wonderful actress Fay Bainter. Often, Miss Bainter was relegated to character roles, often as a mother, and always delightful in such. This film gave her an opportunity to have one of her starring roles, and while not as strong as her performance in "The Children's' Hour", this is a very good performance, though not one in which her character earns much sympathy from the audience.

Interestingly, the film was directed by Clifford Odets, and is the story of...well, really of two things...a matronly rich woman who is a bit vain, selfish, and naive, as well as that same woman struggling to understand America as it changes in the face of World War II. Bainter, here a wealthy American society figure with connections, refuses to sacrifice her son to the war effort or her daughter to a young soldier going to war. Of course, near the end of the film she repents, and the plot twist that makes that occur is quite interesting. But, before her repentance, her personal struggles with what she is confronted by almost destroy her.

Beyond Bainter, it's a strong cast. Edward Arnold, always a strong character actor, is equally strong here as friend and executive in the War Department. Richard Ney is quite good as the son, as is Jean Rogers as the daughter. It's always a pleasure seeing Sara Allgood...whom you'll recognize. And Spring Byington is a hoot as an air-headed, but well meaning, friend. There's also a young Van Johnson, the delightful Halliwell Hobbes as the butler, and the funny Connie Gilchrist as the cook.

A different kind of WWII film that very entertaining. Recommended.

Harold Bucquet directed this wartime drama which won a Best Writing, Original Screenplay Academy Award for George Oppenheimer, on his only Oscar nomination. Fay Bainter stars as the wealthy title character, the widow Stella Hadley, whose annual birthday celebration in her expansive Washington, D.C. home on December 7, 1941 is interrupted with news of Japan's bombing of Pearl Harbor. But Mrs. Hadley is too selfish to be bothered with World War II, she proceeds to take the event as a personal affront and subsequently refuses to participate or even acknowledge its existence until she's finally forced to face the reality of it. Ms. Bainter does a terrific job (as always) in the unsympathetic role and her supporting cast is exemplary as well.

Edward Arnold plays Elliott Fulton, an old family friend whom she'd dated before marrying Mr. Hadley; he'd run the Washington Chronicle newspaper before selling it to Mr. Winters, a Democrat, before his death. Now Mrs. Hadley won't have that newspaper in her home, nor will she associate with Mrs. Winters (who's played by Isobel Elsom). Elliott is a top official with the war department who'd been participating in peace talks with the Japanese just prior to the bombing.

Hadley's son Theodore (Richard Ney, who also appeared as the son of Mrs. Miniver (1942), Greer Garson's starkly contrasting title role) works there too, though her attractive daughter Patricia (Jean Rogers) and surrogate father figure Elliott have been covering for Ted because he's an irresponsible drinker. Pat does her part for the war effort volunteering at the local canteen, a place where soldiers can get food and drink while on leave or before shipping out.

There she meets Michael Fitzpatrick (a young Van Johnson in only his third credited role), a Corporal who's soon to be a Sergeant. Working class Mike is instantly attracted to Pat, who assures him their background differences shouldn't matter; later they become engaged despite Mrs. Hadley's disapproval. When Mike learns he's to be transferred to Phoenix, Pat proposes to him and he accepts. Sara Allgood plays Michael's loving Irish mother, who has these words of wisdom for Mrs. Hadley when she refuses to attend the wedding - "Pride is not very good company when you're lonely". Spring Byington plays Mrs. Hadley's best friend Cecilia Talbot; she too is shunned when Stella catches her learning first aid training with Mrs. Winters and others.

The conflict between would-be suitor Elliot and Stella stems from his wartime duties: his role in having Ted drafted for his own good and for refusing to intervene. Naturally being drafted is the best thing to happen to Ted, who grows up and is proud to serve; he even earns the distinguished service cross (DSC) for his efforts in knocking out a machine gun nest. News of this arrives at the same time that a telegram from Phoenix announcing her daughter's pregnancy does.

Mrs. Fitzpatrick, who'd come after receiving her telegram, is able to help to prevent what would have been an unfortunate incident when reporters (Frank Ferguson and Harry Hayden, uncredited) and Mrs. Hadley misunderstand each other. Learning that Mrs. Winters's son had been killed in the same effort as her son effectively "wakes up" Mrs. Hadley, who experiences a transformation. She then uses her wealth and home to influence, positively affect and contribute to the home- front war effort alongside Mrs. Winters. The film ends with Mrs. Hadley, now married to Elliot and known as Mrs. Fulton, and Mrs. Fitzgerald on their way West to see their first grandchild.

Dorothy Morris playing a somewhat clumsy servant whose brother managed to survive Pearl Harbor, Halliwell Hobbes playing a butler that moonlights as an air raid warden, and Connie Gilchrist as a cook play Mrs. Hadley's domestic staff. Miles Mander plays her longtime doctor, Rags Ragland plays a soldier in Fitzpatrick's unit, and Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer plays a singing telegram messenger boy.

The advertising for MGM's THE WAR AGAINST MRS. HADLEY said viewers could expect 'the truth and nothing but the truth' when it hit movie screens in the fall of 1942. The truth is that it was one of Hollywood's first wartime movies focusing on the home front, and the studio considered it a high-priority release. It had a special premiere in the nation's capitol, where its lead stars (Fay Bainter and Edward Arnold) appeared in person. Proceeds for the event raised a considerable sum of money in war bonds.

Screenwriter George Oppenheimer claimed the idea was conceived right after Pearl Harbor was attacked. In fact, the film begins with the December 7th birthday of the title character, Mrs. Hadley, which is overshadowed by the country's official involvement in the war. Her story will have considerable propaganda value for home front audiences, especially women feeling inconvenienced by the war.

The first half of the drama depicts how Mrs. Hadley refuses to relinquish her previous way of life. In her mind, December 7th and 8th and all the days after should be no different than December 6th and all the days that came before. She fails to see how the country needs to unite. As everyone else mobilizes and pitches in, she retains a selfishness that ultimately leads to her isolation- until she has a dramatic change of heart.

Edward Arnold plays Elliott Fulton, a close family friend who works for the War Department in Washington. When Mrs. Hadley's son Ted (Richard Ney) is drafted, Elliot is asked to help keep him out of the service. Of course, that is deemed unpatriotic, and the young man departs for military duty.

Meanwhile, a daughter named Pat (Jean Rogers) becomes engaged to a soldier she meets while volunteering at a canteen; and of course, Mrs. Hadley disapproves- to the point where she refuses to attend the wedding. The soldier is portrayed by Van Johnson in an early role. Then there's Cecilia Talbot (Spring Byington), a friend of Mrs. Hadley's who works with the Red Cross and finds purpose in charity work.

At every turn the war seems to do battle against Mrs. Hadley and her former way of life. She gradually begins to understand what's important and what needs to happen to bring people together during a major crisis. It's a comforting film on that level. One can imagine how it reinforced the selflessness of women in the audience who recognized Mrs. Hadley's folly. They could accept her as one of their own after she realized she didn't become a year older, she became a year wiser.