At the height of World War II, American-born Susan, Lady Ashwood, (Irene Dunne) is a nurse in a British hospital, awaiting the arrival of 300 wounded men. Via flashback, she thinks back to how she came to Britain many years before.
In 1914, Susan and her father, small-town Rhode Island newspaper publisher Hiram P. Dunn (Frank Morgan), come to Britain, intending to stay for two weeks. Old Colonel Forsythe (C. Aubrey Smith) introduces Susan to Sir John Ashwood (Alan Marshal), a baronet and one of the landed gentry, with an estate and manor house. They fall in love, and despite some friction over her being American, they marry.
Their honeymoon is cut short when World War I breaks out. John is also an army officer; he rejoins his regiment and goes to war in France. Susan and John's mother, Lady Jean (Gladys Cooper), wait for news, good or bad. John's brother Reggie (John Warburton) is killed in action. John finally gets a chance to be with Susan for a few days in France, which they spend in Dieppe. During their stay, the United States declares war on Germany.
Susan returns to Britain and has a son, also named John. She, baby John, and Colonel Forsythe watch as newly arrived American troops parade through London. John is killed near the end of the fighting, never having seen his wife again or his son.
Susan and young John (Roddy McDowall) live in the Ashwood manor house with Lady Jean. Having inherited the baronetcy, he is addressed as "Sir John", even as a boy, and takes seriously his duties as proprietor of the manor. He develops a childhood infatuation with Betsy Kenney (Elizabeth Taylor), daughter of a tenant farmer. Young John invites two visiting German boys to the manor for tea. The German boys shock the Ashwoods by spouting bellicose militaristic sentiments.
Susan becomes afraid that there will be another war and that she will lose young John as she lost his father. After Lady Jean dies, she decides to sell the manor and take John to America. But when she tells him why, John refuses, insisting that he will go into the army as his father did, and fight for Britain if war comes. Susan changes her mind, and they stay in Britain.
The flashback ends, as wounded men arrive at Susan's hospital. To Susan's horror, John is among them, severely wounded. Later, in the wards, a doctor tells Susan John is dying. John tells her he was wounded in fighting at Dieppe and of an American soldier who died near him. He speaks of the importance of winning a complete victory and a lasting peace. At that moment, American soldiers again parade through London, passing by the hospital. Susan proudly describes them to John as he dies.
Differences from source
The source poem has no mention of a romantic partner for Susan's son, John. The poem clearly states that John is following his father into the army, but ends with only Susan's fear that John might die in the war, not that he has even been sent to fight yet.
Bunny Gordon as John Ashwood II at age six months (uncredited)
Production
The picture was released in May 1944, before the June 6 D-Day Allied landings in Normandy.
Among the many foreshadowings that would resonate with audiences is a scene set in the early 1930s, where two German brothers, sons of a prominent German manufacturer, visit the Ashwood estate. The younger boy remarks that the estate's large lawns would be ideal for military gliders to land - a premonition of the airborne attacks launched by Nazi Germany. His older brother instantly tries to defuse the situation—their father prepared them with stock answers for the trip. But when Hiram Dunn mentions Germany's loss of the last war, the boy explodes, revealing the indoctrination the boys have received from their Hitler Youth groups. The boys go off to play tennis, and Dunn tells his daughter that war is coming.
John dies and the film ends as American troops march triumphantly past the hospital, the bands playing "When Johnny Comes Marching Home". The last shot of the film is of the men marching toward the audience.
Box office
According to MGM records, the film was a big hit and earned $6,294,000 (equivalent to $109 million in 2023) at the box office, resulting in a profit of $1,784,000 (equivalent to $32 million in 2023).[2]
White Cliffs of Dover was adapted as a radio play on the September 18, 1946, episode of Academy Award Theater, starring Irene Dunne in her original film role.
Trivia
In a 1966 episode of the game show, Password, Bunny Gordon, who portrayed John Ashwood II as an infant in an uncredited role, appeared as a contestant when Peter Lawford, who portrayed John Ashwood II as a young man, happened to also appear on the show as a celebrity guest player.
