Since You Went Away – 1944
This was yet another film in which there were very few special effects on which to comment. There were some, but either the illusions were created so perfectly that I couldn’t ever tell that they were there, or there just weren’t that many in the movie. Either way, I am once again questioning why this movie was nominated for the category.
And believe me, I did my research. I spent hours combing the internet, reading reviews, searching for any article that mentioned the movie’s special effects or sound effects. In doing so, I learned all sorts of behind the scenes things about the making of the film, the deals that were made in Hollywood, the directing of the film, the score, the actors, both on the screen and off. But I couldn’t find a single article that pointed out or commented on any of the special effects.
So, all I have to go on is my limited knowledge of the effects that I could identify when I watched the movie. First, I know that it was another propaganda film that showcased the fight on the home-front instead of on the front lines. As such, there were no battle sequences, no stunts, no scenes of destruction and carnage. However, there were a few effects that stood out to me as noteworthy.
Of course, there were a number of rear-projection shots that were done competently enough. A little scene in which Claudette Colbert and Joseph Cotton were driving along a stretch of road overlooking the ocean at night. The water sparkling behind the actors in the car was beautiful enough. But there was another shot in particular that caught my attention. We see Cotton putting a log into a fireplace, but what made the shot unique was that it was shown from the back of the fireplace. The out-of-focus image of Colbert approaching from the back of the room was a projected image. Then the camera moved into the room, where the live actress was ready to perform the scene. It was a cleverly choreographed shot.
There was also a scene which took place inside an aircraft hangar being used as a dance hall. The matte painting that created the illusion of the enormity of the hall was pretty well done. And lastly I’ll mention a brief shot of a scale model of a train hauling military weapons. I wouldn’t have known a model was being used if the shot hadn’t ended with a closeup of an obviously miniature boxcar. It was so bad, it suddenly made everything on the screen look incredibly fake.
Don’t get me wrong. The movie was a good movie, but it just didn’t seem inventive or innovative, or plentiful for that matter, with its special effects. Again, I’ll make the request. If anybody knows why this movie was nominated for the Best Special Effects category, please tell me. I’m sure I must be missing something, but more than three hours of research on the internet failed to explain the honor.