Since You Went Away (1944)

Corporal William G. 'Bill' Smollett II: You see, my father was a soldier. He was a colonel when he died. I guess all the Smolletts all the way back were soldiers. One of them was with Washington at Yorktown. Although sometimes I think Grandpa just made that one up.
Jane Deborah Hilton: I'm sure he didn't. You ought to be awfully proud.
Corporal William G. 'Bill' Smollett II: Oh, I'm proud, all right. But something went wrong with me. Mother died when I was born, so I never knew her. Well, of course I never knew her.
Jane Deborah Hilton: That's a shame.
Corporal William G. 'Bill' Smollett II: She could paint pretty well, china and things. I hope I can show you her work sometime. That is, if Grandpa ...
Jane Deborah Hilton: If Grandpa what?
Corporal William G. 'Bill' Smollett II: Well, if I go home. You see, I haven't lived home since West Point.
Jane Deborah Hilton: West Point?
Corporal William G. 'Bill' Smollett II: Oh, Jane, you don't want to hear all about this, do you?
Jane Deborah Hilton: Not if you don't want me to, Bill.
Corporal William G. 'Bill' Smollett II: Oh, but I do of course. There's no one in the whole world that I'd rather explain - that I'd rather tell.

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Colonel William G. Smollett: [studying a map] Wettookit. Wettookit. You must have the name wrong.
Bridget 'Brig' Hilton: No. Here it is in Pop's letter. "Now, we're here in Texas on maneuvers... in a little town called Wettookit. We came, we saw, we took it!"
Colonel William G. Smollett: "We took it." Very funny. I would appreciate it, my dear Bridget, if in the future you could spare me from your father's elaborate puns.

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Major Sam Atkins: Hello, Tony. I didn't know you were in town.
Lieutenant Tony Willett: Hello, Sam. It's quite a dance you fellows are putting on here. What's the matter? You look upset.
Major Sam Atkins: Just got some bad news. Good evening, Mrs. Hilton.
Mrs. Anne Hilton: Good evening, Major.
Major Sam Atkins: Plane crash. Don't say anything about it now, it might spoil the fun.
Lieutenant Tony Willett: That's too bad. Where'd it happen?
Major Sam Atkins: Right outside town. Lost one of my best boys.
Mrs. Anne Hilton: What was his name?
Major Sam Atkins: Mahoney. He hit some wires.
Mrs. Anne Hilton: Oh, not Johnny!
Major Sam Atkins: Did you know him? Well, I hope he wasn't, uh...
Mrs. Anne Hilton: But it can't be! We were talking to him here just a little while ago.
Major Sam Atkins: I'm extremely sorry, Mrs. Hilton. I had no idea that you knew him. I shouldn't have said anything.
Mrs. Anne Hilton: It was just that I liked Johnny very much. I know his father.
Major Sam Atkins: A terrible thing.
Soldier at Dance: Beg pardon, sir. The car's ready for you now, sir.
Major Sam Atkins: Be right there.
Soldier at Dance: Yes, sir.
Major Sam Atkins: I've got to go and examine the wreck. Not a very pleasant job, I can tell you. Good night.
Lieutenant Tony Willett: Good night.
Mrs. Anne Hilton: Oh Tony, how awful. His poor parents.
Lieutenant Tony Willett: Lucky Johnny. Come on, Anne. Let's dance.
Mrs. Anne Hilton: Dance?
Lieutenant Tony Willett: Look Anne, you'll be hearing plenty of things like this. Might as well get used to them now.

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This came about because David O. Selznick wanted to make a film that showed his support for the war effort. He deliberately did not want to make a traditional war movie.
Debuting actor Guy Madison, who plays a sailor in the film, was really in the navy at the time of filming.
The original novel by Margaret Buell Wilder is in epistolary form - i.e., it consists of a series of letters that she wrote to her husband while he was away at war.
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