TENDER COMRADE

US, 1943, 101 minutes, Black and white.
Ginger Rogers, Robert Ryan, Ruth Hussey, Patricia Collinge, Mady Christians, Kim Hunter, Jane Darwell.
Directed by Edward Dmytryk.

Tender Comrade is emotional World War Two American propaganda. It was written by Dalton Trumbo and directed by Edward Dmytryk. Later, the film was interpreted as pro-socialist, pro-communist propaganda as the writer and the director were named amongst the Hollywood Ten.

However, it is a flag-waving sentimental movie, focusing on the wives left behind, their coping with the absence of their husbands, their work and their sharing a house together. Ginger Rogers is attractive as the star. A young Robert Ryan is the hero.

1. Interesting and enjoyable war propaganda? Sentiment? A picture of the times, now?

2. Black and white photography, the American cities during the war, the small American towns? Housing? Work? The musical score and its feeling?

3. The title coming from Robert Louis Stevenson? The relationship between husbands and wives? the men going to war? Women at home working and waiting?

4. The focus on Jo and Chris? The background of their being at school together, the note in class, Jo- eating it? Their growing up, flashbacks to the proposal, Jo's contrary attitude, Chris's insistence? The wedding? The early years of marriage? Ups and downs? Chris's enlisting? His night at home? The bond between the two? Jo and her work, friendships, the decision to live in the house together, setting it up, rules, approval and disapproval of each other's behaviour, the employing of Manya? The news of Barbara's husband's injuries? The telegram with Christ'S death? Her having the baby, the memory of Chris? The sentiment of the finale?

5. The sketches of the other women: Barbara and her toughness, flirting with the men at the factory, going out, the disapproval of Doris And the others? The'news about her husband's boat being attacked - and her standing on the staircase? Doris and her youthfulness, her engagement to Mike, her descriptions of the courtship and her acceptance, the 45minute marriage? His return and the women all feeding him with the food that their husbands liked? Helen and her age, experience, family and news? The employing of Manya - her experience, anti-Nazism, the German experience, democracy, her husband and his medal?

6. The interaction of the women: the indication of life at the time, the pressures, work in the factories, money, collaboration?

7. The sentiments of the pro-American speeches? Patriotism? Propaganda?