MRS. MINIVER

US
1942
2hrs 14mins
Dir: William Wyler
Starring: Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon

An English housewife’s experiences during the Second World War

This romantic war drama was based on the 1940 novel of the same name by Jan Struther. Although it was a Hollywood depiction of the ‘home front’ in wartime Britain it was genuinely well received. Amid all the studio sets there is one real shot of a British train in the form of footage of a GWR 6100 Class 2-6-2T arriving at Taplow station with a passenger train. The film was followed eight years later by The Miniver Story (qv) which was not as well received despite both Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon reprising their roles.

A 6100 Class ‘Large Prairie’ brings a train into Taplow station. This is almost certainly a stock shot from another film as I can’t imagine the Americans sending over a unit for a 10 second shot in the middle of wartime. If that is the case, then where did this originate?