jehedgehog

By today's standards, this is sappy and sentimental. It was filmed for a different audience in a different time. But to view it now, one can become empathetic to the situation in smalltown America, 1943. Families were torn apart by military action. Young men went to war; many were maimed or died. Younger siblings had to work to support their families. There was no welfare nor unemployment, no food stamps, free clinics, government subsidies. Families had to plan their lives around rationing stamps for food and fuel. The movie house was still the place where they went to see the news reels and to be entertained. Money was tight and an evening at the movies was a special treat. "The Human Comedy" depicts what was fairly typical in many towns across the country. Times have changed, or have they? When this country is involved in a war, we may view this film through different eyes. As it is, this film can serve as a glimpse into typical people's lives during World War II. (On a side note, look for some well-known actors, such as an older Alfalfa, Robert Mitchum and Don DeFore.)