Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Josephina Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

vincentlynch-moonoi I agree with Rooster Davis (one of our contributors) -- this film was a good idea that missed the target.It begins with a great premise -- a young man who has been fighting in World War II is KIA, and his father (Don Ameche) receives the dreaded telegram and becomes very depressed and doesn't seem to be able to even begin to put it behind him. The ghost of Ameche's grandfather arrives to take Ameche for a walk where they review the son's short life. For a while you have the hope that maybe the telegram was a mistake, and the young man will actually come back alive; but that ending would have been unfaithful to what so many families were experiencing in 1943. So, all good premises.So what's the problem? The main problem for me was the length of the B film -- 75 minutes. And that shortness doesn't give us the opportunity to get to know the son very well. As an older teen and then young man we get to know him a bit, but as a boy we see only a couple of brief episodes. A nice kid. But why was he so special to his dad. That just never across. Perhaps another 15 or 20 minutes to expand on that would have made the difference.That's not to say there aren't some good things here. Don Ameche is never a disappointment, and is great here as the father. It's nice to see Harry Carey (as Gramp) in a more substantial supporting role; he's one of the great character actors. It's also nice seeing MGM's Ann Rutherford as a potential girl friend.Look, this isn't a bad film. It just coulda been more. I'll let it hold on to a "7", but that's stretching it.

justin_poet I loved this movie and I highly suggest you catch this movie if you can. If for the very least, to see Harry Morgan (aka the crusty Col. Potter from TV's M*A*S*H) back when he was just a kid at 28 years old.The other reason is it's a sweet and warm story of a small town family and how it deals with post WWII. The film's cinematography is a vivid Hallmark card of 1940s Americana.There's a really tender scene where Morgan, a recent vet from the war, helps Don Ameche, the father of a fellow soldier stock the shelves of Ameche's Pharmacy. The art direction of this film is amazing as well.Also look for Morgan as the mysterious bad guy in "The Big Clock" circa 1948 with Ray Milland which has an analagous plot line to "No Way Out" with Kevin Costner.

schaz Years ago (1980's) I happened on this film just as it was beginning on AMC. At that time I was a newly licensed pharmacist (less than 5 years experience.) I couldn't stop watching it. There on the screen was the story of a druggist like I'd always thought it should be--respected in his community, devoted to his fellow citizens' health, and always available night and day. This was the life I'd thought I was supposed to have before the reality of modern health insurance had fully settled on me. Don Ameche played the role perfectly. Harry Carry as the ghost of 'Gramps', Ameche's grandpa and druggist mentor, could not have been better cast. The central role of the Marsh drugstore was also perfectly set. This was like being in the era. Even a non-pharmacist would find this to be a charming look at an older generations' simpler life. Even with a world-war raging, the drugstore with its soda fountain and variety of dry goods was always there. People met their future spouses at the soda fountain, were able to find just the right remedy for what ailed and could get there favorite bath oils,etc. This is a must-see film for any pharmacist or anyone else who longs for the good-old-days. Anyone would find the story moving and even though most scenes take place in the drugstore, there is plenty of story to keep your attention. This film should be released on DVD. I know every pharmacist would want a copy.

xerses13 We saw this film sometime in the late 1980's on the old AMC. You remember AMC, the station that didn't like colorized or edited movies. That showed films how they were meant to. Well enough of that.The HAPPY LAND was one (1) of those fine WWII films that gave you a peek of what the home front was like and the effects the war had upon it. This was effectively and economically done. Not as long as SINCE YOU WENT AWAY or the HUMAN COMEDY more in line with the FIGHTING SULLIVANS another seldom seen home front film. Or at least seldom seen since AMC went to seed.The importance of these films is to give a glimpse into the lives of our parents or grandparents and not just the war, but the effects of rationing, personal loss and the fear that we could lose. Many young people have no concept what a close run thing WWII was. Not that we would have been conquered. But that Asia and Europe would have been dominated by two (2) powers both with a race superiority agendas. The NAZI Germans who wanted to create a master race and Imperial Japan who thought they WERE the master race.The film as far as we know is unavailable on any video format. Seems like a shame when so much bad material is rushed to DVD. 20th Century Fox should do something about this. After all they have released A YANK IN THE R.A.F which main claim to fame is Betty Grable and Tyrone Power.