Since You Went Away (United Artists) (1944)

Selznick Production Garners High Praise The film which Ben Hecht, in¬ ternationally renowned author and playwright, described as “a song of America” makes its long- awaited arrival at the .... The¬ atre on ... . through United Art¬ ists release. It is “Since You Went Away,” David 0. Selznick’s first production since his Academy Award-winning films, “Gone With the Wind” and “Rebecca.” With a cast of hundreds and a roster of leading players that looks like Hollywood's own spe¬ cial “Who’s Who,” “Since You Went Away” has been acclaimed as Selznick’s greatest production to date, even exceeding his own “Gone With the Wind.” Starring in the production are Claudette Colbert, Joseph Cotten, Jennifer Jones, Shirley Temple, Monty Woolley, Lionel Barrymore and Robert Wal¬ ker. Seen in important featured roles are Hattie McDaniel, Nazi- mova, Agnes Moorehead, Albert Basserman, Keenan Wynn and Lloyd Corrigan. “Since You Went Away” was produced on the lavish scale which has marked all of Selznick’s big productions. But unlike so many of the Selznick films this one is not by any means a “spectacle” fea¬ ture. Rather it is a simple and heartwarming tribute to the people at home, the American home front which has contributed so directly to the winning of the great global struggle in which we are now en¬ gaged. Selznick has, through the story of the Hilton family, an average American household whose man has left for the Army, de¬ lineated a portrait of all America and all people. It is a story full of all the laughter, joy, pathos and tragedy of day to day living. But as directed by John Cromwell the humor and down-to-earth joy of life in the U. S. A. emerges as the major motif of the film. “Since You Went Away” was produced with all the eye for meticulous realism which has been so marked in Selznick features. A whole staff of experts on every phase of contemporary American life aided in the research and preparation of the film. The result is perhaps the first serious tribute to America, itself, to have reached the screen. Mother! Claudette Colbert is not afraid of portraying the mother of Jennifer Jones and Shirley Tem¬ ple in David 0. Selznick’s “Since You Went Away,” now playing at the .... Theatre through United Artists release. “There’s always room in mo¬ tion pictures for adult ro¬ mance,” she said. “The character I’m playing is very alive and vital and there’s no feeling ever that her own life is finished. She and her husband are very much in love, and they are shar¬ ing a great adventure, even though it has temporarily parted them.” Joseph Cotten, Monty Wool- ley, Lionel Barrymore and Rob¬ ert Walker have other starring roles in the poignant drama of the home front which was di¬ rected by John Cromwell. Joining the list of Selznick movie residences which have gained wide recognition is the Hilton house, scene of the major action of the film. The home, a gracious livable house in the suburbs of any fair¬ sized midwestern city, represents the finest effort and care of liter¬ ally hundreds of persons. It has been beautifully furnished by W. J. Sloane, famed interior decorators, and possesses the finest collection of miniatures and props ever to reach the screen. In “Since You Went Away” Selznick has captured the essence of the American, spirit. How thor¬ oughly he succeeded is attested in the statements of ten members of LOOK magazine’s Hollywood staff. Of the ten, four rated the film the finest they had ever seen, three others rated it as one of the two best, and the remaining three placed it among the five best of all time. Claudette In Welding Ranks Any time Claudette Colbert’s screen duties allow her to take an outside job, there’s a spot open for her as a welder. Claudette learned to weld dur¬ ing the filming of David O. Selz¬ nick’s all-star production, “Since You Went Away,” the unusual drama of the home front slated to open at the .... Theatre on ... . through United Artists release. In the picture she fails to make the grade in a try-out as a welder. In¬ stead, a shmvard executive hires her as a social activities leader. However, Mr. G. L. Revell, weld¬ ing engineer with the Lincoln Electric Company of Los Angeles, insists it’s all a bit illogical. Revell personally supervised the scenes in which Claudette tried her hand at welding, and he flatly states that she was the most promising stu^ dent welder he ever instructed. Starring with Claudette in the film are Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, Shirley Temple, Monty Woolley, Lionel Barrymore and Robert Walker. New Film Acclaims Home Front Courage The American way of living during the period of the peo¬ ple’s war serves as the vital subject matter of David 0. Selz¬ nick’s sweeping and heartwarming story of the American home front, “Since You Went Away,” coming to the ..... Theatre on ... . through United Artists release. Hollywood has paid tribute to Bit Parts Get Close Attention Even though his new film, “Since You Went Away,” which opens at the ... . Theatre on ... . through United Artists release, boasts a starring cast of seven brilliant players, and, in addition, has twen¬ ty-five well-known featured players, Producer David O. Selznick could not face the casting of “bit” parts with any degree of indifference. The result was that the film ended up by having the largest and most colorful collection of “bit” players ever assembled. Prominent among them is John Montagu, famous “mystery man” of golf, who has been equally mys¬ terious to motion picture producers whose most inviting offers he has turned down until Selznick engaged him for a links’ sequence in the film. The former Mrs. Jackie Coogan is another “bit” player, and so is Ruth Brennan, daughter of the actor, Walter Brennan, who unsuc¬ cessfully tried to hide her family tie from Selznick casting officials by calling herself Lynn Winthrop. Nearly every ex-star now on Central Casting rolls appears among the more than 5,000 extras used. Among them are names re¬ membered by many film fans, such as Gertrude Astor, Eva Novak, Aileen Pringle, Matt Moore, Minna Dupree Arbuckle and Theodore von Eltz. Second and third generations are represented by Carlyle Blackwell, Jr., son of the famous matinee idol of silent film days; Rudolf Friml, Jr., son of the composer, and George Beban, Jr., a former Olym¬ pic wrestling champion and son of the famous vaudeville star who once had his fling in pictures. the heroism of the British, the Russians, the French, the Dutch, the Norwegians and other gallant nations as their people withstand the battering ram of the forces of fascism. But it has remained for Selznick to come forward with a document of Americana. It’s the story of the Hiltons which might be any family in vast America. Families every¬ where are up against the same problems that face Anne, the mother, and “Brig” and Janet, her daughters. The universality of the theme has touched a responsive chord in the hearts of all who have seen “Since You Went Away.” The seven-star cast composed of Clau¬ dette Colbert, Joseph Cotten, Jen¬ nifer Jones, Shirley Temple, Monty Woolley, Lionel Barrymore and Robert Walker was directed by John Cromwell. “Since You Went Away” is sec¬ ond in length only to “Gone With the Wind,” Selznick’s Academy Award-winning masterpiece, run¬ ning just under three hours. In addition to the stars the sup¬ porting cast includes such popular standbys as: Hattie McDaniel, Al¬ bert Basserman, Agnes Moorehead, Nazimova, Keenan Wynn, Craig Stevens, Jane Devlin, Gordon Oli¬ ver, Christopher Adams, Rhonda Fleming and Vicki Styles. 64 Million Dollar Cast”Comes True! Like the weather, everybody in Hollywood talked about a million dollar cast but nobody ever did anything about it. Not, at least, until David 0. Selznick produced “Since You Went Away,” the heartwarming drama currently at the .... Theatre through United Artists re¬ lease. With “Since You Went Away” that most desirable of all Hollywood visions became reality. Mr. Selznick can truthfully say that he has a million dol lar cast. The seven stars who head the cast are probably worth in aggre¬ gate far more than a million dol¬ lars in salaries alone. They are Claudette Colbert, Joseph Cotten,' Jennifer Jones, Shirley Temple, Monty Woolley, Lionel Barrymore and Robert Walker. Most producers would be satisfied with a combina¬ tion of any two or three of them. Not Selznick. The famed pro¬ ducer of “Gone With the Wind” and “Rebecca” has surrounded his top seven with such players as Nazimova, Hattie McDaniel, Agnes Moorehead, Albert Basserman, Gor¬ don Oliver, Dooley Wilson, Jane Devlin, Keenan Wynn, Craig Ste¬ vens, Lloyd Corrigan and Charles Halton, each of whom is worth his weight in gold. The supporting cast would be considered a leading cast in any other film. And Selznick has not merely crowded his film with “name” players merely for “crowding’s” sake. Every star moves in and out of the story in so natural and logical a way that Ben Hecht on seeing the picture said, “I did not know till after I had left the pro¬ jection room that I had been look¬ ing at an all-star cast. They all seemed too much like people ever to have acted before.” Which is probably the best reason for spending one million dollars on a cast. Mark Twain’s Ghost Has Movie Field Day Mark Twain’s ghost had a field day in the Selznick casting office when bit players were chosen dur¬ ing the early days of “Since You Went Away,” Selznick’s master¬ piece of the home front coming to the .... Theatre through United Artists release. First Ann Gillis was cast for the role of Becky and it was recalled that she played in “Tom Sawyer,” produced by Selznick. A few mo¬ ments later it was determined to give the role of Jerry Mahoney, the grocer’s boy to Jackie Moran, who played a part in Selznick’s “Huckleberry Finn.” Panoramic Hit Here “Since You Went Away,” David 0. Selznick’s first film since his Academy Award-winning “Gone With the Wind” and “Re¬ becca,” arrives at the .... Theatre on ... . through United Artists release. With seven stars: Claudette Colbert, Joseph Cotten, Jennifer Jones, Shirley Temple, Monty Woolley, Lionel Barrymore and Robert Walker leading the cast of hundreds, the big new film has been described as a “panorama of the home front.” The story of the Hilton family, an average American household whose man has gone to war, “Since You Went Away” captures the spirit and human courage of simple people across the face of the nation. It is a heart-warming tale, full of the energetic humor of the American home front. The famed Selznick genius for painstaking realism is sharply in evidence in the new film. Aided by experts from every field of en¬ deavor, the portrayal of various facets of life in the U.S.A. emerges as a living experience which can be shared with understanding by every member of the motion pic¬ ture audience. Perhaps the best single example of the degree of Selznick’s purposeful exactness is the construction of the Hilton home which has been acclaimed as the finest example of set construc¬ tion yet to come out of Hollywood. Here, indeed, is a house to b<» lived in. John Cromwell directed the film at a swift pace, assuring a maxi¬ mum of comedy interspersed with the everyday pathos of living. The screenplay was written by David 0. Selznick. Page Fiv*