The Miniver Story


The Miniver Story is a 1950 film sequel to the successful 1942 film Mrs. Miniver.
Like its predecessor, the picture was made by MGM starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon, but it was filmed on location in England. The film was directed by H.C. Potter and produced by Sidney Franklin, from a screenplay by George Froeschel and Ronald Millar based on characters created by Jan Struther. The music score was by Miklós Rózsa and Herbert Stothart, with additional music by Daniele Amfitheatrof and the cinematography by Joseph Ruttenberg.
Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Reginald Owen and Henry Wilcoxon played their original roles. Also in the cast were Peter Finch and James Fox in his first film appearance.

Plot

The story, told partly in flashback and narrated by Clem Miniver, commences on VE Day as Clem and Judy return home from war service and Toby returns from a foster family in America.
Judy, a corporal driver, is loved by Tom Foley, a captain in the Royal Engineers, but she is besotted with a general married but separated and twice her age. Kay Miniver has also conducted a brief but platonic affair with an American colonel.
Clem is now restless and dissatisfied; he successfully applies for a design contract in Brazil. But Kay, unknown to him, has developed a major cardiac condition and has one year at most to live. Despite this, she persuades the general to return to his wife, leaving Judy free to marry Tom.
The wedding goes ahead. Clem decides to stay in London and brings Tom into his architectural practice, and soon after he's made aware of his wife's illness. Satisfied that her family are safe and happy, Kay dies.
No mention is made of the eldest Miniver son, Vincent, who appeared in the earlier film, possibly because Greer Garson and Richard Ney had married and been divorced by the time The Miniver Story was produced in 1950.

Cast

According to MGM records the film earned only $990,000 in the US and Canada but performed better elsewhere, making $1,234,000. However this was not enough to recoup the large budget and the movie recorded a loss of $2,311,000, making it MGM's most costly flop of 1950.