The Impatient Years (1944)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Irving Cummings

Writer:

Virginia Van Upp (writer)

Release Date:

10 September 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Drama

Tagline:

They found the answer to WAR-TIME MARRIAGES in the middle of a KISS!

Plot:

Standing before a divorce court judge (Edgar Buchanan) are Sergeant Andy Anderson (Lee Bowman) and Janie...

Plot Keywords:

Judge | Marriage | Divorce | Courtship | Military Leave

Cast

Jean Arthur	...	Janie Anderson
Lee Bowman	...	Andy Anderson
Charles Coburn	...	William Smith
Edgar Buchanan	...	Judge
Charley Grapewin	...	Benjamin L. Pidgeon, Bellboy
Phil Brown	...	Henry Fairchild
Harry Davenport	...	Minister
Jane Darwell	...	Minister's Wife
Grant Mitchell	...	Hotel Clerk
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bob Stanton	...	Singer (as Bob Haymes)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

This movie was originally set to reunite the trio of stars of The More the Merrier (1943) (Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea and Charles Coburn). Only Arthur and Coburn are in it. McCrea backed out before shooting started and was replaced by Lee Bowman.

Soundtrack:

Who Said Dreams Don't Come True?

Jean Arthur and The Stranger She Married

Legendary star Jean Arthur ended her Columbia contract with THE IMPATIENT YEARS in 1944 and walked away from her screen career to return to the movies only twice within the next eight years. This mildly entertaining light drama was not a particularly memorable ending to the golden era of her career but it is an acceptable one. Jean married solider Lee Bowman in a whirlwind courtship before he left for duty, now that he's back they find they have nothing in common except for the baby she gave birth to while he was away. A bad first day back home has the duo headed to divorce court where judge Edgar Buchanan agrees with Jean's dad (Charles Coburn) suggestion that they be forced to relive their whirlwind courtship again for a few days to see if they really don't have anything in common before a divorce will be granted.

This is essentially a drama with a few comic touches. Jean Arthur is always good and looks remarkably youthful at 43 (although publicized at the time as 38) completely believable as a young girl who has become completely domesticated without a husband (or really wanting one). Lee Bowman was one of several rather colorless actors promoted to leading man during the war years while many major stars were away serving in the military. He's OK here but not much more than that and is saddled with a character that has a rather unpleasant edge. Certainly the "second courtship" of Arthur and Bowman doesn't ring true in it's resolution.

Phil Brown plays Jean's bookish boarder who is half in love with her and has been playing surrogate, platonic husband while Bowman has been away. Brown doesn't make a particularly strong impression on screen but he went on to have a very long if minor career reaching his apex with a small role in 1977 in STAR WARS. He passed away just last year, 2006.

Charles Coburn is wasted here but a few other character actors shine in their small roles, notably Charley Grapewin as an elderly bellhop and Harry Davenport and Jane Darwell as the justice of the peace and his wife.

THE IMPATIENT YEARS proves at least that Jean Arthur could handle drama as well as her more acclaimed talent for comedy. The star was one of a kind but the film alas is run of the mill.