- Paula Smith (Greer Garson) is the secretary of industrialist Charles Rainier (Ronald Colman). She’s also his wife, which Charles does not know. Shell-shocked during World War I, he doesn’t recall his days as her husband, John Smith. Advised not to endanger Charles’ fragile mental state, Paula cannot openly reveal her identity. She must find other ways to help him remember their life together.From
An amnesiac World War I British veteran marries a showgirl, then forgets her.The ultimate tearjerker, this 1942 romance classic directed by Mervyn LeRoy (based on a novel by James Hilton) stars Ronald Colman as a British army officer suffering from amnesia after World War I. After falling in love with and marrying a dance-hall singer (Greer Garson), Colman’s happy character begins a career as a writer and doesn’t seem to mind that he doesn’t remember who he is. A car accident changes all that, however, causing the hero’s memory to return and making him forget all about his lovely cottage and bride. LeRoy modulates the obvious suspense element in the story (for example, is Colman going to remember Greer or not?) extremely well, building ever-so-deliciously slowly toward a huge payoff. This is one of the great date movies of all time. –Tom Keogh
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March 14, 2010
#1
I was so disappointed in this movie. Colman and Garson are wonderful actors but not in “Random Harvest.” There was no chemistry between these two actors. I found the story to drag on and on. Don’t waste your time viewing this movie.
March 14, 2010
#2
I just received my pre-release notice for “Random Harvest” and I am greatly disappointed. Why did WB delay the release of such a long-awaited DVD until almost three weeks AFTER Christmas (Jan 11, 2005)? And provide no technical info about the DVD’s format or content. What are they thinking over there at Warner Home Theater? Do they want to sell any of these discs? With a little intelligent scheduling this release would have made an excellent 2004 Christmas gift! Releasing it in January almost guarantees it to have mediocre sale figures. Once again, Warner Bros. has shot itself in the foot.
March 14, 2010
#3
Years ago, Carol Burnett used to serve up comedic treatments of old movies, as a kid I saw her version of “Random Harvest”, about a shellshocked amnesiac WWI soldier who wanders away from the mental hospital and into a romance and marriage with an amiable music hall singer. However, a chance accident has him regain his previous memory only to forget about his most recent past and marriage. Will he ever remember the girl he left behind him? As you may imagine, CB had a lot of fun bonking the soldier over and over on the head to make him go in and out of amnesia.
Well, then I read the novel by Hilton, and enjoyed that, so I was all set to love the “real” movie with Ronald Colman and Greer Garson. However, I was disappointed. Dare I say it? Boring. Yes, it just seemed to be far too long. And while I could buy Greer Garson as a secretary in the latter part of the movie, I just couldn’t see her as a music hall singer (although I think she did actually start out as one).
So, my harvest was not what I hoped for. But you can go ahead to see if you think better of it.
March 14, 2010
#4
Coleman and Garson were excellent. But what an implausible plot. The first part of the movie is well done and interesting. But the story got so dumb that I fell asleep to find that Coleman is going to marry his wife’s child?????
Give me a break. I’m a romantic, but how dumb was this movie?
March 14, 2010
#5
This old movie was and interesting story with a predictable 1940′s ending. This movie was recommended to me by old and dear friends, and while I’m sure it was an exciting movie then, it seems to have lost a little with the times.