Contemporary Films set in the 1940's

[james]

TCM certainly shows alot of films made in the 40's, but does anyone have an opinion on historical dramas set in the 40's, British or American? What are your favorites? Here are some of mine.

 

1) The End of the Affair

2) Hope and Glory

3) The Two Jakes

4) White Mischief

5) Yanks

 

What makes a good 40's hommage -- The decor and costumes? The mood? Is it as satisfying as the real thing?

[ayresorchids]

I saw an extraordinarily silly (but quite likable) film of this description the other day. It was made in the 1980s or early '90s and based on the true story of a teenage boy who romanced (and even in one case married) a couple of "older" women in the 1940s. I was quite impressed by the authenticity of its sets and costumes. Now if I could only remember what it was called, or who was in it...

[vallo13]

Mine would be Woody Allens' 1987 "Radio Days"

vallo

[ericsvdwsi8]

Racing With the Moon-early 1980s. Sean Penn, Nicholas Cage & Elizabeth McGovern. Very nice period feel to it and a decent movie all around.

[tracey65k]

This one isn't terribly nostalgic, but I enjoyed it:

"The Others" with Nicole Kidman

Set either during or right after WWII in th Jersey Channel Isles

[tracey65k]

Not a movie, but I reccommend the book The Last Convertible by Anton Myerer (sp). It's a chronicle of a group of friends from 1938 or 1939 to about 1976 or so. They start out as roommaates at Harvard and go through WWII and so on. Really good book--lots of movie and music references from that time. Made me want to own a 1938 Packard convertible! LOL

[lux0786]

I liked The End of the Affair a lot and I think that the local color was projected nicely, the idea of the 40s, etc., especially with the WWII background and even down to the closing credits during which they ran a recording of Jo Stafford's rendition of a great song evocative of the period, "Haunted Heart."

[bollywood101]

In the Mood (1987), with Patrick Dempsey as "The Woo-Woo Kid."

[james]

Thank you for the responses. Nice to know Hollywood realized Nicole Kidman has a forties mood to her. Other actresses who should be in 40's remakes (if they haven't already): Virginia Madsen, and Gillian Anderson. But almost any actress looks good in a 40's costume drama. Other good films: "The Eye of the Needle," "Plenty," "Bugsy," "Poodle Springs," and '"The Talented Mr. Ripley (sort of -- late 40's)."

[sweetbabykmd]

One of my favorite modern movies set in the 40's is "Brighton Beach Memoirs", but I also think they did a great job with "The Notebook".

[ayresorchids]

Tracey,

 

Thanks so much for recommending The Last Convertible. I read it in the 1980s and really enjoyed it, but recently could not for the life of me remember what the book was called. Then you described it, and it all came flooding back.