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Three Came Home

Play trailer Poster for Three Came Home Released Feb 20, 1950 1h 46m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 8 Reviews 68% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Agnes Keith (Claudette Colbert) and husband Harry (Patric Knowles) have lived in Borneo for years. Harry is a British officer, while Agnes has written a well-known book on the country. Their lives are disrupted when the Japanese invade in December 1941. With men sent to one prison camp, and women and children to another, the couple must survive apart despite cruel treatment by their captors. For three years, their physical stamina will be tested by malaria and sadistic prison wardens.
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Three Came Home

Critics Reviews

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Variety Staff Variety Many of the scenes are tearjerkers in the better sense of the word. Oct 18, 2008 Full Review Trevor Johnston Time Out Claudette Colbert suffers courageously in a Japanese internment camp, in Nunnally Johnson's adaptation of the true-life testimony of writer Agnes Newton Keith. Hayakawa's impressive, too. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Bosley Crowther New York Times Agnes Newton Keith's tremendous story of some marginal barbarities of the recent war she saw and bravely endured... has received surpassing illustration from Twentieth Century-Fox in a bold and heroic screen drama of the same title. Mar 25, 2006 Full Review Josephine O'Neill Daily Telegraph (Australia) Jean Negulesco's direction, though full of repetitive shots, catches such moments of dramatic and poignant contrast. Oct 4, 2019 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Claudette Colbert gives an extremely powerful performance in this well-directed WWII prison drama, based on the memoirs of American writer Agnes Newton Keith. Rated: B+ Dec 7, 2010 Full Review Christopher Lloyd Sarasota Herald-Tribune The depiction of Japanese soldiers is often harsh, but somewhat nuanced considering the era. At least there are none wearing Coke-bottle glasses and speaking English in a racist patter. Rated: 4/5 Nov 2, 2010 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Steve D Heavy handed but powerful. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/03/24 Full Review S R It must've been something for its day to show women being abused as prisoners, but it hasn't stood up well over time. Regardless, it's a decent film. Saw on TCM. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/18/23 Full Review Audience Member I think Claudette Colbert's acting is usually emotionless and disappointing, but her performance in this movie was finally something significantly spectacular. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member Claudette Colbert is sensational in the central role of real life author Agnes Keith, who along with her husband and young son was interred by Japanese soldiers during World War 2 This is a moving and sensitively handled drama which occasionally descends into melodrama. Sessue Hayakawa is also impressive as Col. Saga. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member Quite a pacy telling of a fairly well-worn story about the Japanese invasion of Borneo during WW2. Claudette Colbert seemed so watery and dreary for a lead that my sympathies quickly shifted over to Colonel Suga - a much more entertaining Japanese officer 'with a heart', especially towards the end. The very ending is corny but all in all, not bad. 7.25/10 Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Boring and pedantic in the opening minutes - the film, and Colbert's performance, comes alive in the middle with a satisfying ending which leaves you guessing up to that last minute. While the Japanese are definitely the baddies they aren't caricatures; and the shocking moments were truly shocking to 1950 audiences - they are still alarming today. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Three Came Home

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Cast & Crew

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Jean Negulesco

Director

Claudette Colbert

Agnes Newton Keith

Patric Knowles

Harry Keith

Sessue Hayakawa

Colonel Suga

Florence Desmond

Betty Sommers

Sylvia Andrew

Henrietta

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Three Came Home

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Movie Info

Synopsis Agnes Keith (Claudette Colbert) and husband Harry (Patric Knowles) have lived in Borneo for years. Harry is a British officer, while Agnes has written a well-known book on the country. Their lives are disrupted when the Japanese invade in December 1941. With men sent to one prison camp, and women and children to another, the couple must survive apart despite cruel treatment by their captors. For three years, their physical stamina will be tested by malaria and sadistic prison wardens.
Director
Jean Negulesco
Producer
Nunnally Johnson
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
Twentieth Century Fox
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 20, 1950, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 11, 2016
Runtime
1h 46m
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