Forever and a Day

Rating:
Summary: Amazing collection of stars in a classic epic film
Review: Forever and a Day is a marvelous, lyrical piece of World War II propaganda that boasts one of the most amazing casts and crew ever assembled for a motion picture.

As the film begins, the Nazis are bombing London and an American visitor, Gates T. Pomfret (Kent Smith), journeys into the city searching for a house his father owns and that the current boarder, Lesley Trimble (Ruth Warrick), wishes to purchase. Gates' sarcastic attitude about the house leads Lesley to relate the history of the manse, and how both of their families have been intertwined since Admiral Trimble (C. Aubrey Smith) built it back in 1804. The house eventually fell into the hands of the Pomfrets, who later leased it out as a hotel during the First World War. Now, the building is only used as a bomb raid shelter.

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Hollywood was inundated with a phalanx of British actors and directors seeking refuge from the war while continuing the careers. Forever and a Day was specifically designed as a morale booster for the folks back home as well as a bit of propaganda for American audiences. The house, of course, is a metaphor for England herself--stalwart, traditional, broken but defiant and ultimately triumphant. The film combines laughter and tears to achieve its end, and though the fadeout is bittersweet, it's still incredibly uplifting.

To create the film, one of the largest all-star casts imaginable was assembled to portray the various personalities who inhabit the house during the century and a half. Besides those mentioned above, there's also Ray Milland, Victor McLaglan, Anna Neagle, Herbert Marshall, Claude Rains, Dame May Whitty, Gene Lockhart, Anna Lee, Buster Keaton, June Duprez, Nigel Bruce, Elsa Lanchester, Donald Crisp, and many, many others. My favorites in the cast include Smith, who's alternately amusing and moving; Charles Laughton as a tippling butler; Ida Lupino and Brian Aherne as a maid and coal tender (respectively) who develop a romance during Queen Victoria's jubilee; Gladys Cooper and Roland Young as parents awaiting the return of their son from World War I; and Robert Cummings as an American doughboy and Merle Oberon as a hotel secretary who fall in love during that war.

There was an all-star line-up behind the camera as well, with such acclaimed directors as Rene Clair, Edmund Goulding, Cedric Hardwicke, Frank Lloyd, Victor Saville, Robert Stevenson, and Herbert Wilcox. The writing credits are equally diverse, including such names as C.S. Forester, James Hilton, Christopher Isherwood, Donald Ogden Stewart, and John Van Druten. I can't say who wrote or directed which episodes, because it's all been so seamlessly and exquisitely combined.

Students of history and classic film are sure to thrill to Forever and a Day; modern audiences that just like a good story well-told are bound to enjoy it as well.

The DVD is a bare-bones presentation, with just the film and chapter selections. The picture is a bit dark at times, showing its age, but the sound is marvelous.

Rating:
Summary: One Of The Best Epical Films Yet...
Review: The British, and some American, cast shines in thiswnderful depiction of a grand English mansion and its inhabitants for over one-hundred years. The scenes of this picture are geniusely executed and planned out to the second! The efforts of actors such as Ray Milland, C. Aubrey Smith and Claude Rains were beyond words. Anyway, to all those not familiar with "Forever and a Day," it beigns with one grand-scale English being built in 1804 during the Napoleonic Era. This film advances through all the years up to then present day World War II with humor, adventure, and historical grandeur. Even though going through rough times, the house withstands the outside threats of enemy nations until 1940. By then, the manor is bombarded by one A. Hitler and inspectors are sent to report on the tragedies. However, on the wall of the house, the portrait of C. Aubrey Smith, head master and founder of the house, remains intact and shows England's durability during its darkest hours. You can also see that in this fim, the darndest guest appearences are made by veteran actors such as Buster Keaton, Charles Laughton, etc. All the actors did this film for free and looked to help the war effort in 1943, when truly the world was involved. This film is very hard to get. However, when it first opened, I saw it in my local motion picture theatre and have yet to forget the details. They are symbolic and still stand out in my mind. The message here is simple. It just tells you to smile, for tomorrow is another day.

Rating:
Summary: Struggles To Maintain Your Interest
Review: This film suffers slightly from being a product of its times. The Second World War was in full cry and to help raise morale (and money) well-meaning directors and actors got together to make 'Forever and a Day'. In fact the cast list is one of the prime reasons for buying this DVD - it's certainly why I bought it. Jessie Matthews, Elsa Lanchester, Claude Rains, Charles Laughton - even Buster Keaton - they're all here! But you can't escape the feeling that this is a 1940's 'USA for Africa'. Whilst you loved hearing Lionel Ritchie, Michael Jackson & all singing 'We are the World', it was never as good as listening to their solo work. 'Forever and a Day' just has too many actors and directors to produce a fully coherent movie. I may be mistaken, but I'm sure somebody once said of this film 'Never have so many given so much for something so dull'. That's a little harsh but for once I have to disagree with Leonard Maltin and award this only average marks. I'm still glad I have it in my film collection - if only for that great cast and it's historical interest.