MovieChat Forums > Mrs. Miniver (1942) Discussion > Unconvincing Art Direction

Unconvincing Art Direction

posted 10 years ago by beresfordjd
5 replies | jump to latest

The sets are dreadfully designed. They look nothing like England in the late 30's. The opening scene in the city street look like no place I ever saw in the UK. The Miniver's street and their home are not at all like English architecture of the time and are simply the product of a designer with no knowledge of the styles of England and obviously could not be bothered to research.
Is Walter Pidgeon supposed to be English? Why did American actors never attempt the English accent?

[–] Prismark10 10 years ago

Nothing in the opening shot screamed England at all.

Its that man again!!

[–] spookyrat1 10 years ago

Not even the double-decker buses?🐭

[–] Chiscully 9 years ago

Apparently the doors on the wrong side.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] AtomicReturns (1252) 8 years ago

"The Miniver's street and their home are not at all like English architecture of the time and are simply the product of a designer with no knowledge of the styles of England and obviously could not be bothered to research."

I couldn't tell the difference since I'm not from the UK, but you might be right about the art designers here.

============================================================================
Filming location for Mrs. Miniver (taken from IMDB): Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
(studio)
============================================================================

The Miniver house did have a 'Leave it to Beaver' feel.