I'll Be Seeing You

This is a kind of forgotten Christmas or Christmas-themed movie. I've only seen this a few times on TV over the years but this is a good movie. Ginger Rogers doesn't sing or dance here but she puts in an excellent dramatic performance as a woman on furlough for the holidays from prison. Joseph Cotton is the soldier on leave from the front lines of World War II. Both have psychological problems and no significant other to help them through. David O. Selznick is executive producer here but this film doesn't have the look of an Selznick film with giant sets and big interior shots and sweeping landscapes. Selznick doesn't put his name on it and Dore Schary is Producer but Selznick had the final say in how this was done. William Dieterle directs. He had renowned success with such films as The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Devil & Daniel Webster and would go on to direct Portrait of Hennie, Love Letters, Dark City and September Affair among others. Selznick is reported to have not liked this script and tried changes that Dieterle basically ignored but Selnick did call in director George Cukor to re shoot a scene critical to the plot that involved Shirley Temple. Joan Fontaine was originally offered the Rogers role and this may have been a very different picture with Fontaine starring opposite Cotton but I think Rogers was better for this role and brought more strength and hardness to the character that Fontaine would have been too delicate and vulnerable in. Shirley Temple in her transition from child star into adult roles delivers a fine performance from the supporting cast which also includes Chill Wills and a young John Derek. This film was adapted from the Charles Martin radio play Double Furlough by screenwriter Martin Parsonette. I would give this an 8.0 out of a possible 10 and recommend it.

Old-fashioned corn, romance and nice, wholesome people - just what the sick movie critics hate.....but I find refreshingly nice to see. Yes, it's dated, but that's part of the charm.

In this movie, people say their prayers, sing hymns, are respectful to one another, are considerate, etc. Unfortunately, they exhibit a trait that Hollywood has always loved to portray: they lie or, if you prefer, they cover up the truth. Here, Rogers does it, trying to hide her past while Cotten almost does the same, but comes clean early on.

Other than that, it's a throwback-to-the-more-wholesome-past film that, while it might be a bit slow in parts, features interesting lead characters by famous actors of their day: Joseph Cotten, Ginger Rogers and Shirley Temple. The latter is almost as entertaining as when she was the incredible child star but it was strange to see her in a role where she's trying to show off her chest! Yikes! Well, I guess you can't play a little kid forever.

Even though they were famous, Cotten and Rogers, I believe, were two of the most underrated actors of their day, particularly Rogers who was far more than just a great dancer.

Criticize this movie as you will, call it schlocky, or cornball, or whatever, it will always be one of my favorites ... perhaps because it was one of the first late night tv movies I ever got to stay up late and watch at 12 yrs old. I lapped up this sentimental romance like a puppy laps up cream. It didn't occur to me to take it any way but seriously. And years later the sound of two stones hitting a lamp post at the end still makes my spine tingle.

Everyone else has outlined the plot, I'd just like to point out something really interesting. Ginger was around 33 when she made this movie playing a girl in her early twenties. And each time there's a close up of her face at Christmas, it's obvious the lens has been coated with vaseline or something... she looks softer and hazier than anyone else in the movie. "I'll Be Seeing You" is the epitome of old 1940's sentimental romances. And if you like that sort of thing, you'll love this one.

I usually gobble up 1940's romantic movies like freshly made creamed rice pudding, so I was most surprised to see this on DVD whilst looking for something else ! For the occasion, I gave in to an impulse and came home with the DVD in my bags ! This is not normal as I only usually buy DVD's of films I know and like.

The "risk" paid off ........ I thoroughly enjoyed the film, of course, I dearly love both of the main actors and am also fairly fond of Shirley Temple ( it's a change to see her as an adolescent instead of as a small kid ). Although the beginning of the film is a tad slow, the whole outfit soon warms up and of course viewer suspense is maintained by asking oneself when each one of the couple will discover the "terrible" secret of the other. It's an old and tried formula, but the hard fact is that it WORKS ! The only unpleasant moment is a frighteningly savage dog attack on Mr Cotten - which I wasn't expecting - and left me momentarily breathless (let's face it, those big white teeth were impressive !!!). I am happy to have this film as part of my DVD collection and would highly recommend it to all of you who are smitten with 1940's style romanticism !

I didn't know what I was going to see when I first watched this film. It's not big and splashy but it's a quiet film that I almost overlooked. I'm so glad I didn't. This movie made me a fan of Ginger Rogers and Joseph Cotten even more. It's an amazing movie and the ending was a great twist. The quiet and subtle performances are what made it more personal. It's one movie that is overlooked that shouldn't be. It's a small and quiet film, but it's a great one at that.

I'm used to seeing Ginger Rogers either dancing around with Fred Astaire or playing a chorus girl in a show that is struggling, but this movie has shown me how much talent she really had. And I only saw Joseph Cotten in Citizen Kane and Since You Went Away. This movie made me take notice and see how good he was as a leading man and actor.

The story is simple and is perfectly played that way. Although it might seem a little too melodramatic and hokey, it's really not. For anyone interested in old movies, I would recommend it to them. This needs to be on television and seen a lot more.