White Banners (1938)

A homeless woman named Hannah drifts into the lives of the kindly Ward family, in a small Indiana town in 1919. Hannah makes herself useful as a cook and housekeeper and stays with the ... See full summary »

Director:

Edmund Goulding

Writers:

Lloyd C. Douglas (from the story by), Lenore J. Coffee (screenplay),

Stars:

Claude Rains, Fay Bainter, Jackie Cooper

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Claude Rains	...	Paul Ward
Fay Bainter	...	Hannah
Jackie Cooper	...	Peter Trimble
Bonita Granville	...	Sally Ward
Henry O'Neill	...	Sam Trimble
Kay Johnson	...	Marcia Ward
James Stephenson	...	Thomas Bradford
J. Farrell MacDonald	...	Dr. Thompson (as J. Farrell McDonald)
William Pawley	...	Joe Ellis
Edward Pawley	...	Bill Ellis
John Ridgely	...	Charles Ellis
Mary Field	...	Hester
Edward McWade	...	Sloan

Storyline

A homeless woman named Hannah drifts into the lives of the kindly Ward family, in a small Indiana town in 1919. Hannah makes herself useful as a cook and housekeeper and stays with the Wards... but her real interest is in meeting their neighbor, teenager Peter Trimble. It turns out that Peter is the son she bore out of wedlock and gave up for adoption, and now Hannah has returned to town to see what sort of young man her son has become.

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Plot Keywords:

housekeeper | invention | secret | family home | intervention | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 June 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

Novos Horizontes

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Fay Bainter was nominated for a best actress "Oscar" for this film. The same year she was nominated for best supporting actress for "Jezebel" - the first time an actress had been nominated in both categories. She won for "Jezebel".

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Quotes

Paul Ward: You don't think I have a fighting chance!
Hannah: I don't think you have a chance, fighting!

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Connections

Featured in Breakdowns of 1938 (1938)

User Reviews

Nobility and self-sacrifice made convincing and attractive in this quiet work of art.

I was very happy to discover White Banners for the first time yesterday evening on TCM. Several reviewers here said it was "dated." Some said "dull" or slow-paced. Too bad! I thought it was first rate and not only because of it's superb cast. I would in fact call it "classic"–––with a message of timeless significance.

It shows very sadly how much ground we've lost as a society that the character of Hannah Parmalee masterfully played with quiet, subtle restraint by Fay Bainter is regarded by some modern observers as priggish, preachy, sappy and too good to be true. That's how cynical we've become in the face of nobility these days. Unselfishness and refined sensibilities are regarded as "sappy."

The story is intensely Christian in tone, because it centers on the tremendous strength and power one gains from considering the needs and feelings of others before one's own. What we are supposed to glean from the story is the idea that by not fighting for our rights and not demanding justice for ourselves we can win a reward much greater than the one we originally sought. Doing the right thing and not taking the paths of least resistance transcends grief, gives added strength and often leads to greater heights than one ever dreamed of reaching.

There is a sweetness and yes a naiveté in this story that is frankly refreshing. The lush romantic musical score written by the same composer who did Gone With The WInd provides a beautiful, perfectly realized, expressive accompaniment to every scene. Music of this high quality gives added dignity and significance to the film elevating it almost to the status of art.

In this noisy age of unbridled vulgarity, cheap sensationalism, excessive noise, and dissolute, despairing characters acting brutal, selfish, inconsiderate, exploitative and callous towards one another the QUIETUDE and profound depth of feeling in this movie is balm for the soul.