Medal for the General (1944)

Godfrey Tearle is really quite good in this rather poignant story of "Gen. Church". An highly decorated WWI veteran, he tries to enlist for duty as WWII looms, but finds himself unwanted. He struggles to deal with this rejection; lets himself go - even contemplates suicide, before his friendly butler "Bates" (Morland Graham) and "Lady Frome" (Jeanne De Casilis) concoct a plan to saddle him with six displaced children to look after. Initially hostile, he gradually finds that they challenge and engage him, and he them - and the story develops gently and amiably as they all try to find an accommodation. I kept expecting Sir C. Aubrey Smith to pop up somewhere, but Searle holds this together well and the story does illustrate a little of how older people can feel when marginalised and left out, purely on the basis of their age. A competent supporting cast of British stalwarts and some spirited efforts from the children, as well as an pleasingly amusing script, make for an entertaining little feature that I quite enjoyed.