Our Town (1940)

Directed by Sam Wood (Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)), this Best Picture Oscar nominated drama is a pretty good adaptation of Thornton Wilder's well known Pulitzer Prize winning play. Of course, Wilder adapted it, along with Frank Craven (who also appears in the film, as the Stage Manager that narrates - speaking directly to the camera) and Harry Chandlee. It stars Martha Scott, who received her only Academy Award recognition with a Best Actress nomination, William Holden (in one of his first roles), Fay Bainter, Beulah Bondi, Thomas Mitchell, and Guy Kibbee (among others). Lewis Rachmil received his only Oscar nomination for his B&W Art Direction; the film also received nominations for its Score, Original Score (Aaron Copeland received both of these), and Sound Recording. It's the story of a simple, small New England town just after the turn of the century (early 20th century) as told frequently through narration. George (Holden), son of Dr. (Mitchell) & Julia (Bainter) Gibbs, and Emily (Scott), daughter of Charles (Kibbee) & Myrtle (Bondi) Webb, are neighbors and young loves destined to be married. Their life, before and after they wed, is the backdrop for the story of this kind of life.

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