Till the End of Time (1946)

It's Difficult NOT To Enjoy This Movie

Better Late Then Never

I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Well made post-WWII story about GI's coming home is thematiclaly very similar to "The Best Years of Our Lives" and suffers by comparison. Both films were released the same year and "Till the End of Time" is the inferior of the two, but it's a good film that deserves it's own recognition. The film is smartly directed by Edward Dmytryk ("The Caine Mutiny" "Crossfire") and based on a novel by Niven Busch (the screenwriter on "Persued" and "The Postman Always Rings Twice"), featuring a strong cast that includes Guy Madison and Robert Mitchum as soldiers returning from the war to find civilian life not as easy to adjust to as they'd expected. The main story involves Madison falling in love with war widow Dorothy McGuire. Comparing "Till the End of Time" to "The Best Years of Our Lives" is somewhat unfair since that film is an American film classic, but it's hard not to when they are so similar. Still, on it's own, "Till the End of Time" is a compelling melodrama set at a very specific time in history, with a story that remains relevant today.

Based on the reviews here on IMDb, I was sure "Til the End of Time" would become a new favorite of mine.I mean absolutely no disrespect to the servicemen who have commented on this film, but I can only assume they have never seen "Best Years of Our Lives", a film so superior to "Til the End.." that the suggestion that these two films are even close in quality is just plain silly.It seems that David Selznick loaned out two of his star properties--- Guy Madison (amazingly good-looking) and Dorothy McGuire-- to RKO for "Til the End"; I wonder if the deal required that they be paired as a romantic couple? They are possibly the WORST, mis-matched pair of lovers in film history; she looks old enough to be his mother, and that goofy hair-do makes her look even worse. McGuire was a classy, distinguished actress who would go on to roles much more suitable for her. But their relationship in this film was a real turn-off to me.So was the slow-moving, meandering plot. I loved looking at all of the outdoor location shots, and the inside of Guy Madison's family home....but there was absolutely NOTHING compelling here. Dana Andrews and Harold Russell had REAL emotional/adjustment problems in "Best Years"; Guy Madison's most intense scene was his mother's unpleasant reaction when he mentioned the smelly foxholes he experienced during the war (as he chowed down on her super-duper, giant waffles). Big deal. (But I liked Ruth Nelson's dignified performance as Guy's mother).True, the scene with the shell-shocked soldier was moving and even harrowing----but that's the ONLY thing in this film that matches the heartache and intensity of "Best Years". But the shell-shock episode occurs in the middle of the big ice-skating scene; what the heck was THAT supposed to be about?? A chance for the young tart-next-door to show off her skating skills? And what about the dance scene in "Scruffy's" tavern--- what the heck was THAT supposed to be about?? Just an excuse to display the tart-next-door's dancing talent? In fact, why was she in the film anyway? Just another element of the plot that goes absolutely nowhere.And speaking of going nowhere, I waited for the longest time to see Bill Williams, one of the era's most underrated, attractive and capable young actors. Boy, was I disappointed! Here's the guy who's been crippled in the war (like the Harold Russell character in "Best Years"), and he's barely on screen for more than 5 minutes. His role had great dramatic and emotional potential-- a former boxer who lost his legs in the war.But NO---Selznick probably demanded that the bulk of the film be spent following Guy Madison around, displaying his phenomenal good looks (but modest acting talents) while the really compelling story of Bill Williams was pushed into the distant background. A real shame.The barroom brawl at the end seemed like an afterthought; great to see Bill Williams "catch the spirit" and start kicking some a_____, but it's too little, too late.That leaves Mitchum, another fabulous screen-presence who also gets shortchanged in favor of Guy Madison and his old-maid love interest, along with the tart-next-door (who I understand ended up marrying director Dmytryk-- which explains her prominence in the film, I suppose). Mitchum's role and its importance in the plot should have been greatly expanded; it sure would have made this loser-of-a-film a whole lot more interesting.Hope I haven't offended anyone's feelings. I had very high hopes for this film.LR

Usual western cowboy, Guy Madison, tried something different when he made this 1946 film. Ironically, the best picture of that year, "The Best Years of Our Lives," also dealt with the problems faced by returning soldiers. Obviously, both films were timely.Madison, unfortunately, was miscast in the title lead. The way he called Dorothy McGuire a tramp sounded as if he were 14. Speaking of youth, the story line with the young girl next door infatuated with Madison was ludicrous at best. What were they trying to show, the years he had lost during the war serving his country, or that he was just a teenager at heart?Tom Tully went away from his usual tough guy image and played his understanding father. The always reliable Ruth Nelson, who was so good as Ellen Wilson, Woodrow's first wife, in the great 1944 film "Wilson," plays the endearing mother who showed how upset she was as time passes after Madison comes home from the war.The surprise here is the relative supporting role of Hollywood hunk Bob Mitchum in the film. Mitchum should have played the Madison role.The film has a resounding ending when bigotry is suddenly brought in by an American group referring to themselves as patriots.

This was a pretty good drama about men returning from World War II and trying to readjust to civilian life. In my one viewing of this film, I didn't quite know what to make of lead actor Guy Madison, whether he was a good actor or not. He wasn't bad, but sounded wooden in several scenes. Dorothy McGuire didn't look up to snuff for the leading lady role, but her acting and her voice is always top-notch, at least with me.The story had some humor, thanks to Jean Porter's character "Helen Ingersoll," an 18-year-old bobby-sox neighbor. She was a lot of fun to watch and listen to, with her mid ''40s teen expressions of the day.For pure drama, perhaps the most memorable scene was the veteran suffering from the shakes. It was mainly a human interest film about people who all had problems relating to their war experiences and were not handling things in a mature way. In that regard, the story got a little soapy, especially with the addition of the romance angle between Madison and McGuire.I didn't like the typical Hollywood slam on WASPs near the end when several guys from some patriotic organization were made to look like thugs. They smugly said their group excluded "Catholics, Jews and Negroes," which, of course, started a fight with the "good guys." In the 1930s through the 1950s, Catholics were treated with tremendous reverence in films and since then they've targeted with vicious attacks by filmmakers. Protestants, meanwhile, have almost always received precious-few good mentions on film, including this one. Oh, well......it was still a good drama worth watching.