Tender Comrade (1943)
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53% of users liked it
(132 ratings)
A bit treacly at times, Tender Comrade is nonetheless a fascinating distillation of the American mindset during WW2. Ginger Rogers is at her noblest and most self-sacrificial as Jo, whose husband Chris (Robert Ryan) is off fighting the war. Though pregnant, Jo finds a job at Douglas Aircraft, saving… More A bit treacly at times, Tender Comrade is nonetheless a fascinating distillation of the American mindset during WW2. Ginger Rogers is at her noblest and most self-sacrificial as Jo, whose husband Chris (Robert Ryan) is off fighting the war. Though pregnant, Jo finds a job at Douglas Aircraft, saving her money by living in a group home with several of her female co-workers. Delivering lines like "Share and share alike, that's democracy", Jo and her friends pool their salaries and divvy up responsibilities, as wait for news from the Front about their husbands and sweethearts. When news arrives that Chris has been killed, Jo delivers an impassioned cheer-up speech to her infant son, which will either leave the viewer in tears or in giggles, depending upon one's frame of mind. The "collectivism" implicit in Tender Comrade (not to mention its politically chancy title!) would later cause a lot of trouble for screenwriter Dalton Trumbo and director Edward Dmytrk during the HUAC "Communist witchhunt" era. In 1943, however, audiences didn't worry about such things, and the film posted a huge profit for RKO Radio. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Edward Dmytryk
- Genres
- Drama, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Dec 29, 1943 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
... a curio.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Ginger Rogers
as Jo
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Robert Ryan
as Chris
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Ruth Hussey
as Barbara
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Patricia Collinge
as Helen Stacey
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Mady Christians
as Manya
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Kim Hunter
as Doris
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Jane Darwell
as Mrs. Henderson
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Mary Forbes
as Jo's Mother
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Richard Martin
as Mike
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Patti Brill
as Western Union Girl
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Edward Fielding
as Doctor
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Richard Gaines
as Waldo
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Claire Whitney
as Nurse
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Don Davis
as A Boy
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Bob Anderson
as Boy
