The Weaker Sex

1948

1h 24m

IMDb RATING

6.0/10

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Drama

A British housewife does her own battles against the enemy during World War II.

Directors

Roy Ward Baker

Writers

Esther McCracken(writer by)

Paul Soskin(writer by)

Stars

Ursula Jeans

Cecil Parker

Joan Hopkins

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Top cast

Martha Dacre

Geoffrey Radcliffe

Helen Dacre Winan

Lt. Comdr. Nigel Winan

Mrs. Gaye

Soldier with Chicken

Lolly Dacre McIntyre

Roddy McIntyre

Benjie Dacre

Harriet Lessing

Captain Dishart

Mrs. Monica Maling

Shop Supervisor

Woman in Fish Queue

Directors

Roy Ward Baker

Writers

Esther McCracken(writer by)

Paul Soskin(writer by)

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Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

I found the title of this rather classy wartime drama a bit misleading. Though it is told from the perspective of the widowed "Martha" (Ursula Jeans) and focusses on the stay at home elements of fighting during WWII - there isn't really anything weak about her dedication to her duties; nor of those of her counterparts. She plays her character with poignancy, dealing with the day-to-day trials and tribulations reconciling her work and her home - in which she billets RN commander "Geoffrey" (Cecil Parker) and sailor "Roddy" whilst her own two children are away serving. From a narrative perspective it climaxes with the D-Day landings and, intercut with War Office actuality, conveys a genuine sense of the fraught anticipation of those at home. Once the war has been won, the story rather peters out - a few fun jibes at the pains of rationing, and that most British of all things - the queue; and there is a degree of stoic, stiff upper lip-ness about the attitudes that makes the characterisations plausible and engaging, but it does slip a little into melodrama. There are a few welcome cameos from Thora Hird as their housekeeper (and, briefly, from Bill Owen with whom she starred in "Last of the Summer Wine" some 60-odd years later) and Kynaston Reeves. The story isn't all plain sailing: grim reality raises it's ugly head now and again, but that is handled subtly and isn't dwindled upon - helping the proceedings march along at a decent pace. I expect this went down well with audiences in 1948 - it's good.

Geronimo196709 Jul, 2022