The Impatient Years (1944)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Irving Cummings

Writer:

Virginia Van Upp (writer)

Release Date:

10 September 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Drama

Tagline:

They found the answer to WAR-TIME MARRIAGES in the middle of a KISS!

Plot:

Standing before a divorce court judge (Edgar Buchanan) are Sergeant Andy Anderson (Lee Bowman) and Janie...

Plot Keywords:

Judge | Marriage | Divorce | Courtship | Military Leave

Cast

Jean Arthur	...	Janie Anderson
Lee Bowman	...	Andy Anderson
Charles Coburn	...	William Smith
Edgar Buchanan	...	Judge
Charley Grapewin	...	Benjamin L. Pidgeon, Bellboy
Phil Brown	...	Henry Fairchild
Harry Davenport	...	Minister
Jane Darwell	...	Minister's Wife
Grant Mitchell	...	Hotel Clerk
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bob Stanton	...	Singer (as Bob Haymes)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

This movie was originally set to reunite the trio of stars of The More the Merrier (1943) (Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea and Charles Coburn). Only Arthur and Coburn are in it. McCrea backed out before shooting started and was replaced by Lee Bowman.

Soundtrack:

Who Said Dreams Don't Come True?

Amazingly ordinary

While I am a huge fan of Jean Arthur's films, this final film from her Columbia Pictures contract is a rather mediocre film--at least compared to her more famous films (which are many). Now this isn't to day it's bad--certainly not. No, it's more just a film with excellent acting but a premise and writing that just don't deliver.

Jean and Lee Bowman star as a couple that knew each other only a few days before they married. He then shipped out overseas after only knowing her four days. When he returns, it's now very awkward since they hardly knew each other and it seems that what they do discover about each other they don't like! This is an excellent idea and could be the basis of a good film (sort of like a follow-up to THE CLOCK--an excellent Judy Garland film where she meets and marries a nice guy she hardly knows). However, what happens next is pretty silly and impossible to believe. They decide to divorce and the judge (Edgar Buchanan) decides to follow Jean's father's advice (Charles Coburn) and sentence them to spend four days together re-living the four days they'd previously had--in an effort to get them to realize WHY they married in the first place! This plot device is just silly and impossible to believe. However, if you look past this, the film is amiable enough and entertaining. Not a great flick, but certainly a must for Jean Arthur fans. Also, it is interesting to see Coburn playing a not-so-gruff "nice guy" role for a change. I actually watched the film mostly for him, though I also adore Jean's films.