The Miniver Story
Encyclopedia
The Miniver Story is a 1950 film sequel
to the successful 1942 film Mrs. Miniver
.
Like its predecessor, it was made by MGM
and starred Greer Garson
in the title role, but it was filmed on location in England. The film was directed by H.C. Potter and produced by Sidney Franklin
, from a screenplay
by George Froeschel
and Ronald Millar
based on characters created by Jan Struther
. The music score was by Miklós Rózsa
and Herbert Stothart
, with additional music by Daniele Amfitheatrof
(from Mrs. Miniver) (uncredited) and the cinematography by Joseph Ruttenberg
.
Greer Garson
(Kay), Walter Pidgeon
(Clem), Reginald Owen
(Mr. Foley) and Henry Wilcoxon
(Vicar) played their original roles. Also in the cast were Peter Finch
(Polish officer) and James Fox
in his first film appearance (Toby Miniver).
The story, told partly in flashback and narrated by Clem Miniver, commences on VE Day as Clem and Judy return home from war service and Toby returns from a foster family in America
.
Judy, a corporal
driver, is loved by Tom Foley, a captain in the Royal Engineers
, but she is besotted with a general (Leo Genn
) married but separated and twice her age. Kay Miniver has also conducted a brief and innocent affair with an American colonel.
Clem is now restless and dissatisfied; he successfully applies for a design contract in Brazil
. But Kay, unknown to him, has developed a major cardiac condition and has one year at most to live. Despite this, she persuades the general to return to his wife, leaving Judy free to marry Tom.
The wedding goes ahead. Clem, now aware of Kay's medical condition, decides to stay in London and brings Tom into his architectural practice. Satisfied that her family are safe and happy, Kay dies.
No mention is made of the eldest Miniver son, Vincent, who appeared in the earlier film, possibly because Greer Garson and Richard Ney
(the actor who portrayed Vincent) had married and been divorced (1943–1947) by the time The Miniver Story was produced in 1950.
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to the successful 1942 film Mrs. Miniver
Mrs. Miniver (film)
Mrs. Miniver is a 1942 American drama film directed by William Wyler, and starring Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, and Teresa Wright. Based on the fictional English housewife created by Jan Struther in 1937 for a series of newspaper columns, the film won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture,...
.
Like its predecessor, it was made by MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
and starred Greer Garson
Greer Garson
Greer Garson, CBE was a British-born actress who was very popular during World War II, being listed by the Motion Picture Herald as one of America's top ten box office draws in 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, and 1946. As one of MGM's major stars of the 1940s, Garson received seven Academy Award...
in the title role, but it was filmed on location in England. The film was directed by H.C. Potter and produced by Sidney Franklin
Sidney Franklin (director)
Sidney Franklin was an American film director and producer. His brother Chester Franklin also became a director during the silent film era best known for helming the early Technicolor film Toll of the Sea....
, from a screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
by George Froeschel
George Froeschel
Georg "George" Froeschel was an Austrian screenwriter best known for Mrs. Miniver, Quentin Durward, and The Story of Three Loves, while working for MGM in the 1940s and 1950s. Before working in film he was a lawyer and journalist.-Biography:Georg Froeschel was born in 1891, the son of a Jewish...
and Ronald Millar
Ronald Millar
Sir Ronald Graeme Millar was an English actor, writer and dramatist.Ronald Millar joined the Royal Navy in 1940 after having studied at King's College, Cambridge, England, for a year. He established himself as a playwright after the second world war, and between 1948 and 1954 lived in Hollywood,...
based on characters created by Jan Struther
Jan Struther
Jan Struther was the pen name of Joyce Anstruther, later Joyce Maxtone Graham and finally Joyce Placzek , an English writer remembered for her character Mrs...
. The music score was by Miklós Rózsa
Miklós Rózsa
Miklós Rózsa was a Hungarian-born composer trained in Germany , and active in France , England , and the United States , with extensive sojourns in Italy from 1953...
and Herbert Stothart
Herbert Stothart
Herbert Stothart was a song writer, arranger, conductor, and composer. He was also nominated for nine Oscars, winning Best Original Score for The Wizard of Oz.-Biography:...
, with additional music by Daniele Amfitheatrof
Daniele Amfitheatrof
-Early life:Amfitheatrof was born in St. Petersburg, into a family that was distinguished in various areas of the arts and culture. His father, Aleksander Amfiteatrov, was a noted writer. His mother Illaria , an accomplished singer and pianist, had studied privately with Rimsky-Korsakov.The...
(from Mrs. Miniver) (uncredited) and the cinematography by Joseph Ruttenberg
Joseph Ruttenberg
Joseph Ruttenberg, A.S.C. was a photojournalist and cinematographer.Ruttenberg was accomplished winning accolades. At MGM, Ruttenberg was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography ten times, winning four. In addition, he won the 1954 Golden Globe Award for his camera work on the...
.
Greer Garson
Greer Garson
Greer Garson, CBE was a British-born actress who was very popular during World War II, being listed by the Motion Picture Herald as one of America's top ten box office draws in 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, and 1946. As one of MGM's major stars of the 1940s, Garson received seven Academy Award...
(Kay), Walter Pidgeon
Walter Pidgeon
Walter Davis Pidgeon was a Canadian actor, who starred in many motion pictures, including Mrs...
(Clem), Reginald Owen
Reginald Owen
John Reginald Owen was a British character actor. He was known for his many roles in British and American movies and later in television programs.-Personal:...
(Mr. Foley) and Henry Wilcoxon
Henry Wilcoxon
Henry Wilcoxon was an actor born in Roseau, Dominica, British West Indies, and best known as a leading man in many of Cecil B. DeMille's films, also serving as DeMille's associate producer on his later films....
(Vicar) played their original roles. Also in the cast were Peter Finch
Peter Finch
Peter Finch was a British-born Australian actor. He is best remembered for his role as "crazed" television anchorman Howard Beale in the film Network, which earned him a posthumous Academy Award for Best Actor, his fifth Best Actor award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and a...
(Polish officer) and James Fox
James Fox
James Fox, OBE is an English actor.-Early life:James Fox was born in London, England to theatrical agent Robin Fox and actress Angela Worthington. He is the brother of actor Edward Fox and film producer Robert Fox. The actress Emilia Fox is his niece and the actor Laurence Fox is his son. His...
in his first film appearance (Toby Miniver).
Plot
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Judy, a corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
driver, is loved by Tom Foley, a captain in the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
, but she is besotted with a general (Leo Genn
Leo Genn
- Early life :He was born at 144 Kyverdale Road, Stamford Hill, Hackney, London, England to a Jewish family. His father, Woolfe Genn, was a jewellery salesman and the maiden name of his mother, Rachel, was Asserson....
) married but separated and twice her age. Kay Miniver has also conducted a brief and innocent affair with an American colonel.
Clem is now restless and dissatisfied; he successfully applies for a design contract in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. But Kay, unknown to him, has developed a major cardiac condition and has one year at most to live. Despite this, she persuades the general to return to his wife, leaving Judy free to marry Tom.
The wedding goes ahead. Clem, now aware of Kay's medical condition, decides to stay in London and brings Tom into his architectural practice. Satisfied that her family are safe and happy, Kay dies.
No mention is made of the eldest Miniver son, Vincent, who appeared in the earlier film, possibly because Greer Garson and Richard Ney
Richard Ney
Richard Ney was an American actor and investment counselor.He was born in New York City, the son of Erwin Maximillian Ney and Rebie Margaret Flood. He was the grandson of the Rev. Theodore L. Flood, editor of The Chautauquan...
(the actor who portrayed Vincent) had married and been divorced (1943–1947) by the time The Miniver Story was produced in 1950.
Cast
- Greer GarsonGreer GarsonGreer Garson, CBE was a British-born actress who was very popular during World War II, being listed by the Motion Picture Herald as one of America's top ten box office draws in 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, and 1946. As one of MGM's major stars of the 1940s, Garson received seven Academy Award...
as Kay Miniver - Walter PidgeonWalter PidgeonWalter Davis Pidgeon was a Canadian actor, who starred in many motion pictures, including Mrs...
as Clem Miniver - John HodiakJohn HodiakJohn Hodiak was an American actor who worked in radio and film.-Early life:He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Walter Hodiak and Anna Pogorzelec . He was of Ukrainian and Polish descent...
as Spike Romway - Leo GennLeo Genn- Early life :He was born at 144 Kyverdale Road, Stamford Hill, Hackney, London, England to a Jewish family. His father, Woolfe Genn, was a jewellery salesman and the maiden name of his mother, Rachel, was Asserson....
as Steve Brunswick - Cathy O'DonnellCathy O'DonnellCathy O'Donnell was an American actress, best known for her many roles in film-noir movies.-Early life:She was born Ann Steely in Siluria, Alabama...
as Judy Miniver - Reginald OwenReginald OwenJohn Reginald Owen was a British character actor. He was known for his many roles in British and American movies and later in television programs.-Personal:...
as Mr. Foley - Anthony BushellAnthony BushellAnthony Bushell was an English film actor and director, who appeared in 56 films between 1929 and 1961. He also appeared on and directed various British TV series such as Danger Man.-Early life:...
as Dr. Kaneslaey - Richard GaleRichard GaleRichard Gale may refer to:*Richard Nelson Gale , British soldier*Richard Gale , Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council*Richard Pillsbury Gale, U.S. Representative from Minnesota...
as Tom Foley - Peter FinchPeter FinchPeter Finch was a British-born Australian actor. He is best remembered for his role as "crazed" television anchorman Howard Beale in the film Network, which earned him a posthumous Academy Award for Best Actor, his fifth Best Actor award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and a...
as Polish officer - James FoxJames FoxJames Fox, OBE is an English actor.-Early life:James Fox was born in London, England to theatrical agent Robin Fox and actress Angela Worthington. He is the brother of actor Edward Fox and film producer Robert Fox. The actress Emilia Fox is his niece and the actor Laurence Fox is his son. His...
as Toby Miniver