05 Aug Random Harvest
Random Harvest, WWI Movie starring Ronald Colman and Greer Garson
(1942) First of all, let me explain that even though this movie takes place right at the end of World War I, it was released at the beginning of World War II. Greer Garson and Ronald Colman were very popular stars, both British. As Ben Mankiewicz explained at the end of the film on Turner Classic Movies, the director said that “between the two of them, the English language was never spoken more beautifully on film.”
A World War I officer is injured and cannot remember anything of his past life. What ends up happening is an improbable romantic fantasy. It was a very popular story, right at the beginning of World War II when I am sure most people were unsure about the future of their own romances.
Nominated for several Academy Awards, including best picture, “Random Harvest” was based on the 1941 novel by James Hilton, an English author who wrote many other memorable books including “Goodbye Mr. Chips” and “Lost Horizon.” He wrote the screenplay for Mrs. Miniver, another Greer Garson favorite and the movie that won for her the Academy Award for best actress that same year.
It was sad to read that Susan Peters, nominated for best Supporting Female star, who was just 20 when the film came out, was confined to a wheelchair after a duck hunting accident just three years later. She died at the age of 31.
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