Good Morning, Miss Dove

Excellent entertainment guaranteed to get the weepy eyes out and the warm and fuzzies too. This movie reminds me of Goodbye Mr. Chips which was good but I thought they could have done more in that movie to stress the point of all the good Mr. Chips the teacher did. Here, they do just that via flashbacks which are highly entertaining and give good background to the story-telling. In a Twilight Zone episode titled "The Changing of the Guard", they also capture the theme of this movie quite well so if you like either example I gave you will love this movie as it takes its place among them. A couple of those flashbacks had me in tears as you realize that those people are you or someone you know who cannot only use a helping hand but also allow us all to contribute to a better world one person at a time. Who hasn't gotten to where they are today without help of some kind? Imagine if you turned that principal up a few notches. That's what is going on here only someone donates their life (literally) to the theme. Good investment by my tally. Good supporting cast too with familiar faces that became famous in their own time. The virtues acted out and displayed in this move are numerous. Humility, sacrifice, service, hope, charity, unconditional love, honesty and commitment all come on the screen throughout this movie and make their points. We are also reminded not to base everything we do solely on money outcomes but instead to invest in the bigger picture of life that build character and joins the everlasting properties into eternity. I am also reminded of the many who we don't hear about, who stay in the shadows doing their share of good happy to do so and going unnoticed for it but perfectly content and satisfied. Why? The simplest answer is found in a well known scripture that keeps teaching us this principal: When you did it to the least of them, you did it to me. I know you. Come forward faithful steward. That's all that counts in the end is that you are recognized by the one who sent you here just for that purpose. Good movie to snack with plus a tasty drink, Kleenex on standby and bring an open heart so your soul can be cleansed too. Enjoy! I did!

This wonderful film contains a warm, nostalgic look back at the life of an ailing school teacher. As time and her illness progresses, Miss Dove, best known to the small town as a rigid and stiff disciplinarian, realizes the positive effects she has had on the people around her, and their love for her. Never married, childless Miss Dove finds purpose and contentment in her duty -- to repay her father's debt and thereby avoid a scandal, by working as a teacher, instead of marrying the man she loved.

The film has especially fine direction, performances, and an intelligent, multi-layered script. While Miss Dove appears a one-dimensional, humorless snob at the beginning of the film, the many layers of her story and personality are revealed throughout the course of the film. By the end, you realize why everyone is so fond of her.

Thinking back over this film, I was struck by the image in my mind of an America that seems to no longer exist. Healthy, proud, and affluent small towns, the belief in following one's duty in life instead of whims, and the sense of personal responsibility among these characters are so unusual to see in a modern film -- or modern life. There was a scene in which Miss Dove helped a bank avoid closing, a selfless, altruistic act that seemed so different than anything that could have occurred in the recent banking crisis.

Growing up in the 1980s, I think I was seeing the last of this generation fade away. Perhaps I still am. I remember writing a fan letter to Jennifer Jones years ago. I loved her then as I still do. I never considered it odd that she did not reply. She was a symbol of the grace and dignity of a long gone era. Noticing that she just passed away, I can't help but feel she passed away with the unfortunate changing of our culture, to the violent, seedy, and irresponsible. But what an enduring, magical film legacy she left behind.

I now know that they were definitely the biggest and best influences on my life as a young man. I watched this movie in tears most of the time, and yet enjoyed it immensely. Now I'll buy it for my own children and grandchildren - simply because when they reach old age, they too should look back and realize just how important {a good teacher} was to your life.

A favorite moment - Miss Dove (referring to the town policeman, whom she -of course- had taught when he was a young student): "William Holloway started out with a gift rarer than mathematical genius or perfect pitch. A child in whom the ethical instinct was as innate as the function of breathing." A cop. He knew, he's always known - because of Miss Dove.

God Bless You teachers, each & every one of you. It truly is - a calling.

I only discovered this movie about 18 months ago when I saw it on TV. I really enjoyed it and have seen it a couple of times since. it is sentimental and very simple in its construction. That is not to say it is not emotionally effective. I am an ex-teacher who always had a good relationship with the kids I taught (though not as authoritarian as the Miss Dove of the title. Each time I see it I find myself more affected than the last time, to the extent of blubbing like a baby at every emotional scene!! It is a very dated movie and the performances, though honest and direct, are not Oscar-winning. I was surprised to see Chuck Connors do justice to his part as a hardworking cop who dragged himself up from poverty-stricken childhood to upstanding adulthood. Jennifer Jones, as the star of this film acquits herself well as Miss Dove, a fearsome and legendary primary school teacher. She is respected and loved by the people of the town (as she has taught most of them or their children). She is taken ill and through flashbacks we learn about her life, career and relationships. Movie-making as it used to be- not a blockbuster but a solid story well told.

I can't understand why this movie was never put on DVD or at least video. I haven't even seen it on the TV for years, but I have seen it a couple of times years ago. It is a touching story about a dedicated schoolteacher with a passion for teaching. Miss Dove is played by Jennifer Jones. A young Robert Stack is in the movie and there are some very touching moments.

Too bad it wasn't on DVD. If you see it listed on TV. jump at the chance to watch it if you like classics, because this is one good classic. Keep a hanky handy.