I have a dissenting voice about White Cliffs of Dover. Most reviewers seem to love it. I thought the movie began well, but descended into sappiness before it (mercifully) ended. When did it lose its way? Probably around the 2/3 mark. The plot line of a high-spirited Yankee being swept off her feet by a member of the "landed gentry" caught my interest. One knew from the date of their meeting that WWI was looming over their romance. And knowing that the movie was produced during WWII, I could almost write the rest of the plot. The problem with the film, for me, was in the execution. The last third of it became self-consciously sentimental and dreary, the weepiness intermingled with the over-the-top attempt to stir the fires of patriotism in viewers. The sounds of a military band and the sight of our soldiers marching on a heroic mission always thrill me, personally. My son is in the military. And WWII is the epitome of heroic times. But I did not appreciate the way the movie clumsily tried to manipulate my thoughts and feelings. What I did love about the film were the superb character actors--Frank Morgan at his best, Dame May Witty, Gladys Cooper, C. Aubrey Smith, and the young Roddy McDowall. It was fun seeing other familiar faces--Van Johnson, Elizabeth Taylor, Tom Drake. Again, I have to differ with viewers who loved Irene Dunne in this part. Her portrayal just didn't work for me. I could see Greer Garson as better suited for the role. I felt the others--Morgan, Smith, Witty, Alan Marshal who played her husband, and even McDowall--carried Dunne along and gave her believability. Two aspects of the movie I especially applaud. First, the significance of Dieppe in the lives of the main characters brought an emotional weight and synchronicity to the film that has stayed with me. And Nanny's final scene helped me to understand the whole situation through her sad, old eyes. I will remember that touching moment when all the marching bands have passed.
Review of The White Cliffs of Dover
