Everything About Greer Garson -- Random Harvest (1942)

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I know you hate poetry, but read this poem anyway! And it actually rhymes!

"Random Harvest" told in verse, part 1 (Yes, it rhymes and rocks!)

"Random Harvest" accompanied by James Blunt

If you like Greer Garson or Ronald Colman or romances or old movies in general and you haven't seen this movie, then I envy you. You are in for a real treat.
Are you married to a slug who refuses to watch "chick flicks"? Does he avoid movies in which no blood is shed and no limbs are lost?
Then force him to watch "Random Harvest" with you by whatever means are most appropriate, and remind him that there are two sides to every romance and that it's not at all unbecoming for a man to be swept away by a great love story.
But don't watch this movie without having first seen "Mrs. Miniver." To this day I am amazed when I see Paula Ridgeway dancing in a mini-kilt and I think to myself that this is Mrs. Miniver up on stage.
In "Mrs. Miniver," Greer is incredibly beautiful, but with only one basic "look". In "Random Harvest", however, she looks beautiful in a dozen different ways. In every scene she seems to have a completely different appearance.
On the street in Melbridge, before the brandy: "You look tired out." "Been walking about for hours?" "I'm gonna have one."
Greer says "sure" three times in this movie. On the street in Melbridge, after the brandy: " I'm not so sure." Later, just before she performs on stage, she returns to Colman in his chair and says "Sure?" At the fish pond, when Smithy says "Nonsense," Greer says " How can you be so sure?"

I like to pause the movie and look at her mouth as she is saying "sure".
In the bar: Ronald Colman stands there while Greer talks to the Biffer. Colman and the Biffer (Reginald Owen) actually knew each other already, having had several scenes together seven years earlier in "A Tale of Two Cities".
I love how she wisecracks with the Biffer. She also wisecracks with Walter Pidgeon in "Mrs. Miniver". Too bad she didn't have more opportunities to casually joke around like this.
In her dressing room, she pops her head over the screen and says " I'll be with you." Notice how she doesn't say "I'll be right with you." I love this.
"Well I know who you are. You're somebody awfully nice."
There she goes again putting her hand to her neck as she tells him that Paula Ridgeway is not her real name.
(Maybe her real name is Margaret Hanson.)
Her stage performance in the mini-kilt. Notice how she kicks someone's hat near the end after making a circuit around the band. I still have a hard time believing that this is Mrs. Miniver doing this.
When Colman says "I can't tell you what it means, Paula, to be someone again," we see Greer from behind, and she turns her head away for a moment. What was that all about? Pay attention, Greer! Ronnie is talking!
At the inn, she doesn't say "We're coming," to Mrs. Deventer, but rather "We're just coming." I love this.
At the fish pond under the tree: I've watched this scene more than any other in this movie. "Oh Smithy. You are a fraud." "Aren't you terribly happy?" "Another and another and another." "Smithy, you do mean it? You do want it? Really?" "Smithy, do I always have to take the initiative? You're supposed to kiss me, darling." Notice how she slaps Colman's leg as she spreads out the picnic blanket. Don't take your eyes off Greer's face as you watch this scene.
Still at the fishpond: "It's a lot of nerve, but... I'm... I've fallen in love with you." Was Colman about to say "I'm falling in love with you"? What did the script call for? Was his "I'm" a mistake on his part? I don't really care any more than you do, but I wonder about this very time I watch this scene.
I wonder how far two guineas could go in 1920.
When Smithy is standing at the altar waiting to get married, he looks down the aisle and does a little double-take as he sees Greer coming.
Well, who did you think you were getting married to, Smithy?

There's also a brief moment at the wedding when the vicar reacts to the organist's dreadful singing.

And who is playing the organ? None other Marie de Becker, who played "Ada" (the cook) in "Mrs. Miniver."
In the Registry office, registering Smithy Junior's birth: Can you believe that the actor playing the registrar (Ian Wolfe, Mr. Atoz in "Star Trek") is actually younger than Colman?
To be fair, he does look quite a bit younger six months earlier in "Mrs. Miniver."
Notice how Colman actually rips the telegram as he opens it.
Trivia question: What happens to the cat that Colman buys for his son? (Answer)
In Rainier's office: I don't think the director should've telegraphed Greer's unexpected appearance by panning over from Rainier to his secretary's door. Something is clearly afoot when he does this.
I think a simple pause on Rainier and a cut to the door would've been stronger.

But then how many movies have I directed?
In Rainier's office: "The Melbridge Cable Company." No one could enunciate plosives like Greer. Don't take your eyes off her for a moment in this scene.
In the manager's office at the Great Northern Hotel in Liverpool: Look at the map of the world on the wall. It is Asia-centric, with North America cut in half.
Did Miss Hanson just leave that old suitcase in the hotel manager's office? Since it has such sentimental value for her, I'll bet she asked the manager to ship it to her home in London.
His second proposal: Look at the excellent continuity as the POV switches back and forth while Colman brushes something from the table top. " You're staring at me, you know." Well, of course we are!
After the ball: She gives Colman an "Oh" after he presents her with the royal jewelry. "It's too beautiful, really. You spoil me."
"You're trying to get rid of me Charles?" ... "I'm glad to hear that, because I like my job." Later, "Perhaps not." This whole post-ball scene is incredible.
"Do you?"
She licks her lips after she says "You might've brushed by her in the street." And a few moments later, "Charles, it might even be me."
At the very end, he unlocks the cottage door and it swings open slowly, just as it did when he and Greer had originally entered the house after their (first) marriage.
The first time I saw this movie, I thought that Greer would be standing there inside the house waiting for him.
Here's a very bad rendition of what I had in mind.
And here's how Greer might have tried to persuade the director to film it this way.
"The mist is lifting." She also says this line in "Goodbye, Mr. Chips."
Oh, I could go on and on.
There are several words or expressions which are used twice in this movie: "It's a lot of nerve", then "I'm rather losing my nerve." "And your hair is like a bright new penny", then "like a bad penny." "A bright new penny", then "bright red in the sunshine."
Often in this movie, Greer's lipstick extends beyond the edge of her lips, which seems to have been a popular fashion and is still seen nowadays. I generally hate this practice, except on Greer.
What if this movie had been released two weeks later than it actually was? Then it would've been a 1943 release and Greer could've won an Oscar® for this movie as well as for "Mrs. Miniver". And Colman would've been up against Paul Lukas and Bogart.
Of course Greer was nominated in 1943 anyway for "Madame Curie", but it seems such a shame that "Random Harvest" had to be in the Oscar-shadow of "Mrs. Miniver".
Henry Daniell is supposed to be in this movie, playing a "heavy man". He's the bad guy in "Camille".
But where is he in "Random Harvest"? Someone let me know.
Greer liked to help out from time to time by offering suggestions to the director:

GREER
You know, Mervyn dear, I had some thoughts on how we might improve the ending.

MERVYN LeROY
No, Greer, we already have too much as it is. It'll be hard enough just getting it down to two hours.

GREER
I always thought it was odd that Ronnie should just walk up to that little cottage and open the front door. Isn't that breaking and entering?

LeROY
No one will care.

GREER
And would the key still work after all those years?

LeROY
The audience will love this ending, Greer.

GREER
Oh wait, I know. What if Ronnie knocks on the door and finds that the old vicar is living there?

LeROY
And then what?

GREER
Oh, I don't know. The vicar could recognize him and ask "How's the wife?"

LeROY
No, we can't get Ivan back at this late date.

GREER
I'm just trying to stretch the ending out a bit longer.

LeROY
Believe me, Greer, after you leave Miss Barnes at the inn and Ron has started to remember, the audience will be dying for a resolution.

GREER
Well then, what about this. When Ronnie opens the cottage door at the end, I could be standing there inside the house waiting for him.

LeROY
Enough already. Go have Sydney fix your hair.

Once this movie had been released, Greer and Walter Pidgeon had a little conversation:

WALTER
Why couldn't you make that amnesia movie with me?

GREER
Well, you were off making that silly thing with Hedy Lamarr.

WALTER
Silly? Do you have any idea how beautiful that woman is?

GREER
Well, Ronnie is gorgeous too.

WALTER
But he's so short.

GREER
He's been one of my idols since I was a girl. Still is.

WALTER
And that funny accent of his.

GREER
Oh Walter. I melt every time he opens his mouth.

WALTER
Well, Reggie and Bram Fletcher managed to be in both of our movies. I think Merv should've waited for me.

GREER
I wonder how Ronnie would've been as Clem Miniver.

WALTER
You know, Duchess, I believe I'm good for your career.

GREER
Well, don't worry, Walter. I think there's a little spot for you in my next picture.

WALTER
I'm not playing your husband again, am I?

GREER
Well, I wouldn't want to get typecast as your wife.

WALTER
What's this one about? I'm in the mood to be a private detective this time, or maybe a pirate.

GREER
We'll be playing scientists.