Undescribable Perfection

Memorable, crazy movie

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

I bought this film on eBay.co.uk and its cover revealed it is distributed by "Onyx Media International" under the banner of "2 Classic British Movies", the other being "The Rakes Progress" with Rex Harrison, Lilli Palmer, Griffith Jones & Jean Kent.But to "So Well Remembered", like other reviewers I was mildly surprised that I had not heard of this film until now, especially as I am a connoisseur of 1940s films.In 1947 Britain was almost bankrupted by the second world war and only managed to repay its war debt in 2006.For this reason producers who wanted higher production values sometimes had to compromise on cast and market films like this to the U.S.(our biggest creditor), which had the money, to market to American audiences.For this reason and despite a plethora of British acting talent available at the time, they cast Martha Scott (born in Missouri) to play the Cheshire born wife Olivia of John Mills (George Boswell).It is hard enough for even English actresses to get the Lancastrian/Cheshire intonation right and in "Coronation Street" the long running (50 years!) British soap, they tend to cast authentic Lancashire born actresses for the sake of social realism.By the same token casting Richard Carlson as Charles Winslow, I found his American speech patterns destroyed what should have been a realistic story set in a grim northern English setting.Those two actors (not their fault just circumstances) completely destroyed the illusion, making the story seem almost surreal.Another reviewer points out that the fictitious town of "Browdley" was actually shot on location in Macclesfield, now considered an affluent enclave of Cheshire (which borders Lancashire).It is where rich Lancastrians tend to gravitate e.g. premiership footballers.I was pleased to see Patricia Roc (Julie Morgan) and Trevor Howard (Dr.Richard Whiteside) who gave top support billing to Mills & Scott.Also the ever reliable Beatrice Varley (Annie) whose favourite role of mine was as "Aunt Prowd" in "Gone to Earth" (1949).Even the minor actors got my attention, there was Roddy Hughes ("Quiet Wedding" 1941 and "A Girl Must Live" 1939") and Ivor Barnard popping up playing "Spivey" the type setter.Ivor appeared most notably in David Lean's "Great Expectations"(1946) playing "Wemmick" who was "Jaggers" clerk, again with John Mills as Pip.There was a social message in the film which portrayed the abject poverty and disease prevalent amongst the poor between the two world wars.Major improvements to housing and health were urgently required and the pacifist British Governments of the 20s & 30s put this as paramount in their social order (but ignored the threat from Germany).I marked this film 6/10.

The British Rank Organisation came up with a gem of a 1947 film, "So Well Remembered." Interesting to see the usually kind and sympathetic Martha Scott playing a nasty sort of woman here. You wouldn't think that from the beginning of the film when Scott as Olivia seems to be a victim of her father's imprisonment.Sociologists would enjoy this film tackling the housing situation in Britain circa the post-World War 1 period. The areas shown are slums with diphtheria running rampant.John Mills is our hero here. He sacrifices a very lucrative career in parliament to devote his energies to improving housing in his area and therefore trying to solve the problem of poverty. He weds Olivia who can't seem to bring their young son to a clinic when the diphtheria epidemic strikes. After the child dies, she leaves her husband, remarries and has a son by that film, played by an adult, Richard Carlson. Carlson is extremely good here,especially in his disfigured scenes when mother Scott becomes totally possessive.Trevor Howard shines as an alcoholic doctor. The unevenness of the film may be shown from the problems of poverty to the all-possessive Olivia who tries to smother her war-injured son.(Carlson). She is finally rebuked in her effort to do this by Mills, who should have done this years before.An interesting film, well acted.

First of all let me tell you that the copy I watched on video is produced by Hectic House Records and sold in the town of Macclesfield, England, - the location at which the movie was shot. Bear in mind that this film has recently been re-discovered, owned by a private collector. The production is in Sepia (that sort of brownish/greenish effect that is neither colour or black and white). The quality of sound is absolutely appalling. Even using a high quality video/TV/separate powered speakers a lot of patience and forgiveness is required by the viewer.Now on to the movie. What can I say? It is an absolute gem. John Mills' portrayal of George Boswell is almost reminiscent of his performance as Willy Mossop in "Hobson's Choice" (although dare I say even better). Trevor Howard once again plays a doctor (recalling "Brief Encounter"), except this time a sullen, often drunken character; but nevertheless a highly moralistic and commendable Dr. Richard Whiteside. Martha Scott's performance as Olivia Channing reminds males of all ages how it is always possible for a weeping, vulnerable pretty young woman can be a devil in disguise! Great performances from the rest of the cast, including a 'natural' performance from Hayley Mills as baby Julie.Macclesfield as a Town has changed considerably since 1947; in fact it's one of the wealthiest areas of the whole of the UK in 2004. But scenes in "So Well Remembered" do remain recognisable.This movie deserves a complete make-over as it is so outstandingly good.

A typically well-made British drama (with an Anglo-American cast including John Mills, Martha Scott and Trevor Howard); rarely seen today and deserves a far wider audience. Based on a novel by James Hilton ("Lost Horizon"), who also does the narration, "So Well Remembered" captures perfectly the gloom of a poverty-stricken British village; chronicles the efforts of a newspaper editor (Mills) to fight for better living conditions. Great atmospheric black-and-white photography; good performances by Mills and Martha Scott as his ambitious, class-conscious wife who grows ever resentful of her husband's dedication to his village. A small dramatic gem. (Unfortunately not available on video, but was released on laserdisc as part of the now out-of-print RKO Classic Collection).