The Miniver family represents a comfortable, upper-middle-class existence in the English countryside. Clem (Walter Pidgeon) and his wife, Miniver (Greer Garson), find themselves adjusting to wartime realities when their son, Vin (Richard Ney), enlists and they are instructed to turn off their landing light, which had previously assisted planes at a nearby RAF base. The story that follows portrays, in a mild but noticeable way, the effect of the Luftwaffe’s persistent bombings and the anxieties it created for everyday people. Because this is early in the war, optimism remains relatively high—a point underscored by the unwavering composure of Lady Beldon (Dame May Whitty), who insists on holding the usual flower show despite everything. With a couple of unwanted visitors and a desire to contribute to the Dunkirk rescues, the film offers an appealing, though somewhat idealized, depiction of how this group copes with a significant shift in their lives. Ballard (Henry Travers), the rose enthusiast, also unexpectedly conveys the political undercurrents as his interactions with the manor’s mistress gently signal the end for the privileged elite. Garson delivers a believable performance, as does Dame May, and Pidgeon provides a dependable foundation for what becomes a moving narrative that may lean a bit too much on emotionalism, but remains worthwhile viewing.

Source on TMDB