Our Town

Released Jun 13, 1940

1h 30m

Drama

List

86%

7 Reviews

Tomatometer

46%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

For the residents of Grover's Corners, daily life proceeds at a predictable pace. The milkman (Stuart Erwin) arrives like clockwork, the neighbors perpetually gossip about nothing and children contemplate their future. Two of these children, George (William Holden) and Emily (Martha Scott), fall in love as adults and, despite last-minute nerves, get married. Their happiness does not last, however, as Emily dies during the birth of a child. Returning as a ghost, she ponders her existence.

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John Kinloch

California Eagle

Our Town is the dramatic mother lode. Indisputably, this is a great motion picture.

Oct 29, 2019

Full Review

Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

Dated, yes. But it still catches in the throat. Nostalgic, loving, happy, sad.

Rated: 5/5

Feb 17, 2008

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Sam Wood's film version is as experimental and stylized as Thornton Wilder's play, one of the most enduring but also misunderstood plays in American history.

Rated: B+

Dec 24, 2006

Full Review

Daniel M. Kimmel

Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Rated: 3/5

Jul 10, 2004

Full Review

Michelle Alexandria

Eclipse Magazine

Rated: 3/5

Dec 29, 2003

Full Review

Eric Lurio

Greenwich Village Gazette

Pretty good, but did Wilder know Wood screwed up the ending?

Rated: 3/5

Dec 12, 2003

Full Review

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Jeff S

Homey retrospective about the so-called little things in life and some that aren't so little.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/09/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Absolutely beautiful & meaningful that most people now days can &/or would never understand! Too bad u can't turn back the hands of time?!? DEF a movie worth watching & offering ur opinion so others who haven't seen it would hopefully enjoy it also!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Like a crappier what a wonderful life except instead of being about one person who u genuinely get to know and like, its about this boring ass town in the early 1900s. At times the film is sexist and just generally silly. The teens are obvi old and they get so dramatic its annoying. There is little wisdom in this film, except to take the time to enjoy your family.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

david l

Our Town is a very mediocre Oscar nominee that features some fine performances and a couple of charming scenes here and there, but most of the movie plays out like a boring, stagey slice of life tale with a simplistic message and annoyingly dated narration. It is way too simple and thin to be appreciated more.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Blobbo X

Our Town make Blobbo blubber. Great score, too. (Not sure why common copy's sound so muddled, though.)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/30/23

Full Review

steve d

This may be the best version of Our Town, but it is still Our Town.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Sam Wood

Director

William Holden

George Gibbs

Martha Scott

Emily Webb

Frank Craven

Stage Manager

Fay Bainter

Mrs. Gibbs

Beulah Bondi

Mrs. Webb

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Synopsis

For the residents of Grover's Corners, daily life proceeds at a predictable pace. The milkman (Stuart Erwin) arrives like clockwork, the neighbors perpetually gossip about nothing and children contemplate their future. Two of these children, George (William Holden) and Emily (Martha Scott), fall in love as adults and, despite last-minute nerves, get married. Their happiness does not last, however, as Emily dies during the birth of a child. Returning as a ghost, she ponders her existence.

Director: Sam Wood
Screenwriter: Thornton Wilder, Frank Craven
Production Co: Sol Lesser Productions
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 13, 1940, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 11, 2016
Runtime: 1h 30m

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