Our Town (1940)

Director:

Sam Wood

Writers:

Thornton Wilder (play)
Thornton Wilder (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

24 May 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

I don't want to get married.....I'M AFRAID!

Plot:

Change comes slowly to a small New Hampshire town in the early 20th century. People grow up, get married...

Plot Keywords:

Dream | Professor | Life Cycle | Student | Childbirth

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 2 wins

Cast

William Holden	...	George Gibbs
Martha Scott	...	Emily Webb
Fay Bainter	...	Mrs. Gibbs
Beulah Bondi	...	Mrs. Webb
Thomas Mitchell	...	Dr. Gibbs
Guy Kibbee	...	Mr. Webb
Stuart Erwin	...	Howie Newsome
Frank Craven	...	Stage Manager / Mr. Morgan
Doro Merande	...	Mrs. Soames
Philip Wood	...	Simon Stimson
Ruth Tobey	...	Rebecca Gibbs (as Ruth Toby)
Douglas Gardner	...	Wally Webb
Arthur B. Allen	...	Professor Willard (as Arthur Allen)
Charles Trowbridge	...	Dr. Ferguson
Spencer Charters	...	Constable Warren
Dix Davis	...	Joe Crowell
Tim Davis	...	Si Crowell
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tom Drake	...	Best Man at Wedding (uncredited)
Dan White	...	Wedding Guest Talking to Constable (uncredited)

Directed by
Sam Wood

Writing credits
Thornton Wilder		(play)
Thornton Wilder		(screenplay) &
Frank Craven		(screenplay) &
Harry Chandlee		(screenplay)

Produced by
Sol Lesser	....	producer

Original Music by
Aaron Copland

Cinematography by
Bert Glennon

Film Editing by
Sherman Todd

Production Design by
William Cameron Menzies

Art Direction by
Lewis J. Rachmil

Set Decoration by
James W. Payne		(uncredited)

Production Management
Barney Briskin	....	production manager (uncredited)
Alfred Raboch	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Sherwood	....	assistant director
Lee Sholem	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Julia Heron	....	interiors
Harry Horner	....	associate production designer

Sound Department
Paul Neal	....	sound technician
Thomas T. Moulton	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jack Cosgrove	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Coburn	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Edward P. Lambert	....	wardrobe
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Irvin Talbot	....	orchestral director
Jerome Moross	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Edward P. Goodnow	....	technical advisor
Sol Lesser	....	presenter

Production Companies

• Sol Lesser Productions (as Principal Artists Productions)

Distributors

• United Artists (1940) (USA) (theatrical)
• Memory Lane Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• United American Video (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• VCI Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Monterey Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Hollywood Classics (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Simitar Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Questar Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Films Around the World (II) (2002) (USA) (TV)
• FOCUSfilm Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Better Television Distribution (2006) (worldwide) (TV)
• Epoca (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• IndieFlix (2010) (worldwide) (all media)

Other Companies

• Hypercube  digital restoration

Also Known As:

Runtime:

90 min | 89 min (Hypercube restored version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #6071) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Argentina:Atp | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Fort Bragg, California, USA

Company:

Sol Lesser Productions

Trivia:

The failure of the original copyright holder to renew the film's copyright resulted in it falling into public domain, meaning that virtually anyone could duplicate and sell a VHS/DVD copy of the film. Therefore, many of the versions of this film available on the market are either severely (and usually badly) edited and/or of extremely poor quality, having been duped from second- or third-generation (or more) copies of the film.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Studio lights are reflected on the mourners' rain-soaked umbrellas.

Quotes:

Mrs. Julia Hersey Gibbs:It seems to me, once in your life, before you die, you ought to see a country where they don't speak any English and they don't even want to.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Action: Strong Sexual Content (#1.9)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

The Wedding March

A film I dont want to watch..but I cant stop watching...

Why is this a film I dont wanna watch...because it moves me to uncontrollable tears everytime...It hits home...Thornton Wilder must have known my family ,understood my psyche..It hits home... Americana at the turn of the century.. my parents born... not in samll town america but Mid size city... still the thought the virtues the principals, the ideals were the same the happiness of a a home in America.. Mom & Dad providing a home, warm morning breakfasts on a cold winter day.. family members irrelevant yet unforgettable... the birthdays the graduations & the weddings the changes & the phases of life... and death are simply adequately & beautifully presented by Thornton Wilder & his play & screen play.. Emily portrayed by Marhta Scott is superb... if this doesnt bring a tear to your eye, you are not human... & George played by William Holden perfectly & the best supporting cast ever assembled.. Fay Bainter, Beulah Bondi, Thomas Mitchel, Guy Kibee,Dora Merande etc etc...non stop emotions.. non stop truth.. and the score ,all so memorable... i shouldnt watch this film..becsause its non stop tears everytime... but to me its an American Classic,,, maybe underrated...watch it absorb every line & cry your eyes out..