Perfection

Rating: 10/10 (10 July 2006)

Few films send a chill down my spine and even fewer I could watch over and over. The Trip to Bountiful with Geraldine Page is one; this is another. I'm more of the Vietnam era but this story from WWII is great in every way. It's very real; there is nothing hollywoodish about it. I am very familiar with the plight of returning GIs from Vietnam and even WWI and Korea but had no idea the vets of WWII faced some of the same apathetic receptions. I am a great fan of Fredric March and in this film he deserves the Oscar - but then so does Dana Andrews whose character breaks my heart every time I see him try to get a job worthy of someone who used to pilot bombers. This is an old film so I'll just say it -- to see him at that soda fountain just tears me up! And what can you say about Homer - the great Harold Russell? I'm getting all choked up just thinking about it. All the girls are super too including Fred's goldiggin wife but even her character can be understood though not necessarily liked. Like many reviewers of this film I think we could go on and on. This is a keeper. I even checked this one out of the library not long ago and when my roommates didn't seem interested I kicked them all out just so I could watch in peace! Great. Just great!