William Holden dreams of baseball glory. Image: Pinterest
Okay, this is an unpopular opinion, and you have every right to disagree with us.
We (yours truly) are unreasonably annoyed with the drama Our Town (1940), because it tries to pull a Fast One on the audience.
We don’t disagree with the message that friends and family are important, and that we should appreciate loved ones while we’re still alive. The film reminds us our Time on earth could be shorter than we think.
Our Town is a thoughtful look at life in small-town New Hampshire, where everyone Knows everyone else’s Business, but they’ll also Pitch In if you find yourself in a Jam.
The story centres around a young girl (Martha Scott), a young man (William Holden), and their respective families. There’s no domestic drama here, no fights between neighbours, no running off with someone’s spouse. The people in this movie live a quiet, predictable life. (A minister muses – rather unfairly, we think – that only one in a thousand of these people is actually interesting.)
But, near the end of the film, a character looks back on their life and expresses regret about how busy everyone was and how no one even looked at each other.
Wait, what?
The audience has just watched almost an entire movie of families spending time together, eye contact included, and now the script is trying to tell us we didn’t see that.
Seriously, Hollywood? You should make up your mind about how it’s going to be, and spare us the lecture about not seeing what we plainly saw.
(We warned you about being unreasonably annoyed.)
Whew. Now that we’ve gotten that off our chest, let’s turn our attention to one of the best things about this film: William Holden.
Absolutely no one predicted this wedding. Image: Biblio
William Holden was 22 years old when Our Town was released, and, for the most part, he looks like his seventeen year-old character. Holden plays a sweet and innocent young man who is immature, but has a good heart.
Look at the way Holden moves at the start of the film; it’s as though he hasn’t yet become comfortable with his height. He has the nervous energy of an ambitious person who suffers the mundane things in life, like homework and chopping wood.
But look at him when he’s talking to Scott, and how nervous he is in her presence. We can tell he loves her – probably always has – and that he pushes down his feelings for her in case it scares her away.
Watch him on his wedding day, as a young man of twenty, when his mother (Fay Bainter) chastises him for improper footwear, and his father (Thomas Mitchell) tells him, “Listen to your mother.” Holden balks a little at this treatment, but accepts it without acrimony. He doesn’t hold grudges.
It takes a skilled actor to reveal such traits without dialogue. It shows Holden understood this character, and embraced him, warts and all.
In fact, it’s hard to believe this is the same William Holden who would later appear in such gritty, cynical films as Sunset Boulevard (1950) and Stalag 17 (1953).
Holden is in Hot Water with Dad (Thomas Mitchell). Image: Alamy
Our Town was based on a stage play by American novelist and playwright Thornton Wilder, who also co-wrote the script. Those who have seen the play say the film is a faithful adaptation, except for the ending.
This film was nominated for three Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Scott.
Should you make the time for Our Town? We think so, because you’ll probably be more forgiving of the script than we are. It’s more unconventional than we’ve led you to believe, especially the last act.
It’s the performances, though, that really make this film worth it, specifically William Holden’s portrayal of an amiable, unspoiled youth.
This post is an entry for The 5th Golden Boy Blogathon, hosted by Love Letters to Old Hollywood, The Wonderful World of Cinema, and The Flapper Dame.
Our Town: starringWilliam Holden, Martha Scott, Faye Bainter. Directed by Sam Wood. Written by Thornton Wilder, Frank Craven, Harry Chandlee. Sol Lesser Productions, 1940, B&W, 90 mins.
First off-I agree the script of Our Town is bloody frustrating! I didn’t personally enjoy the movie- and to be honest- only watched it for Bill! Young, Handsome, still somewhat learning the ropes Bill Holden fresh and non-cynical! I think he was pretty adorable despite the plot being blah! Thank you for acknowledging a truth that many people would try to dance around- sometimes a script just isn’t good! And also thanks for participating in this blogathon honoring Bill- always love reading the entries! I hope to do one of your blogathons soon! -Emily
I hear you. I had to watch this film a couple of times to see what the deal was. The script is a bit of a disappointment, but maybe the stage play is a better. Have you seen the play, by any chance?
That frustrating part about the film didn’t really struck me when I saw the film but when I think about it… It’s indeed a bit of a weird twist! But of course, what I remember and liked the best about the film is William Holden sensitive and touching performance. You explain why perfectly in your article why the film is worth watching for his acting alone. I love how you analyse the way he simply moves in the film and how it expresses many ideas, feelings and thoughts. Thanks so much for this great participation to our blogathon!
William Holden alone is worth the price of admission, isn’t he? His whole body is so expressive, especially when he’s in Martha Scott’s presence. He’s remarkable in this film.
I would have to disagree with most of you. I DID like this movie. It’s a bit weird, yes, especially Emily’s celestial trip. But Thornton Wilder wanted more than a simple love story; he delved into deeper issues not normally found in run-of-the-mill comedies: the nature of living, of dying, of eternity, and of why things happen. Maybe it’s pretentious or precious, but IF the outcome made you stop and think, then Wilder would have been happy.
Holden is so handsome and already very talented, showing his ability to transition from a brash and boisterous Golden Boy boxer to an unsure but sweet-natured teenager on the cusp of falling in love. In fact, Holden popping in and out to deal with his mother, Martha Scott’s father, and of course with girlfriend Scott are the best and most delectable, scenes in the movie.
I like that the film delves into the deeper things of life, and if the script stuck to a consistent message, it could have been one of the great films. And isn’t William Holden fabulous here? He’s so convincing, I forget he’s an actor!
I do feel like you’ve missed the point of the play, here, but I’ve never seen the film version, so it’s possible it was missed in this version as well. In fine, I would say that if the movie makes you realize that there is never enough time to celebrate life, it has succeeded.
William Holden showed the world what a promising awarding winning actor he was and it was no surprise his career took off the way it did. I found the movie had an air of melancholy throughout that lurked like a shadow even in scenes that were about happy events. I wonder if Emily’s comments at the end were directed and ‘everyone’ or were they directed at her mother who was always busy working around the house.
I’ve never seen this version of Our Town, but this covers all of them. This “value of family” has a big-time downside which nobody ever mentions. Our Town shares this flaw with It’s A Wonderful Life so I’m quoting myself from what I said about that movie as it covers both:
“That brings us to the over-arching lie that wrecks this whole film. What people want to believe is the aforementioned “uplifting tale of the true wealth in life coming from being surrounded with loving friends and family” gets exposed for telling us that we are all surrounded by a cavalcade of jerks who will crush our dreams for no other reason so they can suck the life out of us.”
Of course, this might also might be a function of just having had to spend an afternoon around my pain-in-the-ass in-laws…
Bahaha! Yes, some relatives have that effect on a person.
I want to believe in the family and friends angle, and I do, but I also agree when you say filmmakers who yank the rug out make that notion seem hollow. And, I guess, that’s ultimately what bothers me about Our Town. That last act certainly sucks the life out of the film – and out of us, too. It’s the ol’ bait-and-switch, posing as insightful social commentary.
As somebody who is most familiar with Willian Holden as a grizzled Pike Bishop in the Wild Bunch it’s quite startling how young he looks here. I could do with catching up with some of his earlier work, although reading your reservations I would probably try other films before Our Town.
William Holden looks so different as a young man, doesn’t he? He plays such a sweet and naive character in Our Town that it’s hard to believe it’s the same person.
I would try to seek out his earlier work, but his post-WWII filmography is better, in my opinion.
The thing that bugged me about this movie is that it changes the play’s original ending and it feels weird. Argh. I agree that Mr. Holden is great, though. 🙂
It really does, because it gives everything a lot more gravity, whereas the dream thing feels like the characters have the option to forget the lesson they just learned once life picks back up again. Don’t know why the filmmakers decided to change the ending, but oh well.
Funny, I never noticed the conflicting messages! BTW, I’m not a big fan of the movie, or the play. As for Holden, you are right, except for Golden Boy, his pre-Sunset Boulevard work isn’t all that interesting.
Silver Screenings 
Nice post
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Thanks very much! I’m a little behind in my blog reading, but I hope to visit your site soon.
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An interesting post as I don’t know the movie nor have I ever seen such a young William Holden. 🔥🔥🔥On the hunt to chase it down……
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Haha! Yes, William Holden is SO YOUNG here, and so very handsome.
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I’ve had this movie on VHS in my collection for some years now, but I’m sure I’ve never watched it. I must remedy that soon! Good stuff, Ruth!
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Thanks, Karen. This film is more unconventional than it first appears, and I think you might like that aspect.
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Fascinating, I completely agree with you as well. Its certainly a film well worth checking out.
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It is worth seeing, isn’t it, even if a person doesn’t fall in love with it.
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No explosions? No space aliens or zombies? Wow, Hollywood used to be so bland! (Just kidding!!)
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Haha! I wonder how this film would look with zombie neighbors in a 2022 reboot…?
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🤣🤣🤣
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This does look good, and having just reviewed him in Fedora had to do a double take, really cute in his day. Ho hum and great review too.
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He was quite a dish when he was young, wasn’t he? I’m looking forward to your review of Fedora, a film I’d never even heard of before now.
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Definitely, he certainly was. Will have to check him out in his pre 1970s films. Very rugged.. sigh.
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First off-I agree the script of Our Town is bloody frustrating! I didn’t personally enjoy the movie- and to be honest- only watched it for Bill! Young, Handsome, still somewhat learning the ropes Bill Holden fresh and non-cynical! I think he was pretty adorable despite the plot being blah! Thank you for acknowledging a truth that many people would try to dance around- sometimes a script just isn’t good! And also thanks for participating in this blogathon honoring Bill- always love reading the entries! I hope to do one of your blogathons soon! -Emily
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I hear you. I had to watch this film a couple of times to see what the deal was. The script is a bit of a disappointment, but maybe the stage play is a better. Have you seen the play, by any chance?
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No I have not! But I believe my mom has. She was interested to watch with me and we both ended up not enjoying the movie!
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That frustrating part about the film didn’t really struck me when I saw the film but when I think about it… It’s indeed a bit of a weird twist! But of course, what I remember and liked the best about the film is William Holden sensitive and touching performance. You explain why perfectly in your article why the film is worth watching for his acting alone. I love how you analyse the way he simply moves in the film and how it expresses many ideas, feelings and thoughts. Thanks so much for this great participation to our blogathon!
LikeLiked by 1 person
William Holden alone is worth the price of admission, isn’t he? His whole body is so expressive, especially when he’s in Martha Scott’s presence. He’s remarkable in this film.
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I would have to disagree with most of you. I DID like this movie. It’s a bit weird, yes, especially Emily’s celestial trip. But Thornton Wilder wanted more than a simple love story; he delved into deeper issues not normally found in run-of-the-mill comedies: the nature of living, of dying, of eternity, and of why things happen. Maybe it’s pretentious or precious, but IF the outcome made you stop and think, then Wilder would have been happy.
Holden is so handsome and already very talented, showing his ability to transition from a brash and boisterous Golden Boy boxer to an unsure but sweet-natured teenager on the cusp of falling in love. In fact, Holden popping in and out to deal with his mother, Martha Scott’s father, and of course with girlfriend Scott are the best and most delectable, scenes in the movie.
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I like that the film delves into the deeper things of life, and if the script stuck to a consistent message, it could have been one of the great films. And isn’t William Holden fabulous here? He’s so convincing, I forget he’s an actor!
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At first, I didn’t recognize William Holden here. He didn’t look like himself in this movie.
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I know, right? He’s so young, he’s almost unrecognizable.
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I do feel like you’ve missed the point of the play, here, but I’ve never seen the film version, so it’s possible it was missed in this version as well. In fine, I would say that if the movie makes you realize that there is never enough time to celebrate life, it has succeeded.
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That’s an excellent point, and that indeed is success. As you say, if it makes you want to cherish your loved ones more, then it is a success.
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William Holden showed the world what a promising awarding winning actor he was and it was no surprise his career took off the way it did. I found the movie had an air of melancholy throughout that lurked like a shadow even in scenes that were about happy events. I wonder if Emily’s comments at the end were directed and ‘everyone’ or were they directed at her mother who was always busy working around the house.
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Maybe her comments were directed towards her mother, as you pointed out. That character wasn’t very touchy-feely, was she?
As for William Holden, there was no way he wasn’t going to be a star, hey? His performance is almost a masterclass in acting.
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I’ve never seen this version of Our Town, but this covers all of them. This “value of family” has a big-time downside which nobody ever mentions. Our Town shares this flaw with It’s A Wonderful Life so I’m quoting myself from what I said about that movie as it covers both:
“That brings us to the over-arching lie that wrecks this whole film. What people want to believe is the aforementioned “uplifting tale of the true wealth in life coming from being surrounded with loving friends and family” gets exposed for telling us that we are all surrounded by a cavalcade of jerks who will crush our dreams for no other reason so they can suck the life out of us.”
Of course, this might also might be a function of just having had to spend an afternoon around my pain-in-the-ass in-laws…
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Bahaha! Yes, some relatives have that effect on a person.
I want to believe in the family and friends angle, and I do, but I also agree when you say filmmakers who yank the rug out make that notion seem hollow. And, I guess, that’s ultimately what bothers me about Our Town. That last act certainly sucks the life out of the film – and out of us, too. It’s the ol’ bait-and-switch, posing as insightful social commentary.
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I have yet to see Our Town, so I will have to rectify that and form my opinion! 🙂 Which since it involves Holden won’t be a chore now, will it?
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Haha! No, not a chore at all. I’d be very interested in what you think about this film.
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As somebody who is most familiar with Willian Holden as a grizzled Pike Bishop in the Wild Bunch it’s quite startling how young he looks here. I could do with catching up with some of his earlier work, although reading your reservations I would probably try other films before Our Town.
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William Holden looks so different as a young man, doesn’t he? He plays such a sweet and naive character in Our Town that it’s hard to believe it’s the same person.
I would try to seek out his earlier work, but his post-WWII filmography is better, in my opinion.
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The thing that bugged me about this movie is that it changes the play’s original ending and it feels weird. Argh. I agree that Mr. Holden is great, though. 🙂
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Have never seen the play, but I did look up the ending, and I bet it makes the whole thing much more powerful.
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It really does, because it gives everything a lot more gravity, whereas the dream thing feels like the characters have the option to forget the lesson they just learned once life picks back up again. Don’t know why the filmmakers decided to change the ending, but oh well.
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Funny, I never noticed the conflicting messages! BTW, I’m not a big fan of the movie, or the play. As for Holden, you are right, except for Golden Boy, his pre-Sunset Boulevard work isn’t all that interesting.
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I want to love this film, but the third act always annoys me. However, I do like how that last act is done.
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