mnpollio Review of White Banners

White Banners (1938)

Glossy, inane piffle that only old Hollywood could get away with

[6/10 · 6 February 2007]

An old-time film in the sense that if it were presented to an audience today, it would be drummed out of the theater. That, by no means, makes it a bad film, just badly dated. This is the perfect example of old-time Hollywood schmaltz. Fay Bainter stars as an enigmatic woman who stumbles into the lives of a kindly Middle American family, led by Claude Rains, and becomes both an inspiration and help-mate. The acting is simply wonderful, with a terrific performance by Jackie Cooper also thrown into the mix, as a rambunctious teen who assists inventor/teacher Rains. The direction is glossy in the extreme and I cannot remember ever being bored with the film. Where my problem comes into the mix is courtesy of the storyline and its bizarre view on how to meet adversities that life may throw into your path. Bainter (who is amazing here and very nearly does the impossible in making this role work) is set up as a figure of female martyrdom. Her big secrets are utterly predictable and the fact that she does nothing to bring closure to them and continues onward on a path to make herself long-suffering is pointless. Even worse, she advises Rains and family that when adversity strikes...give up. Yes, the title of the film is white banners, and that is what it means. Bainter's motto is to raise the white banners the moment a conflict arises and by giving up a new door will magically open to offer another avenue. I am hard-pressed to imagine this philosophy being embraced in the 1930s (no doubt this was the studio system doing its part to enforce the misogyny of the day and ensure another generation of long-suffering female martyrs). Today, it would most definitely be greeted as the absurdity it is. And after Bainter has taught everyone this dubious philosophy, she marches off into the sunset, leaving behind her teenage child who does not have any idea who she is.