The play Our Town works its magic over and over again. It is folksy, funny and universally understood even by cultures far afield from a little New Hampshire town with its one milkman and one sheriff. For the majority of Americans raised in something resembing conventional families, the image of the Webb and Gibbs households is almost painfully nostalgic - who doesn't yearn to see their parents at an early age again, or wish they could go back and appreciate what was good about their lives and loved ones?

Our Town has several unexpected narrative shocks that hit us like catastrophic events in our own lives. Thornton Wilder's fantasy excursion outside of reality is more than an opportunity to editorialize on the foibles of the characters. It reveals the truth of our solitary existences, while making our complacent acceptance of life seem like a curious flaw of the species. The Stage Manager talks of religion as if it is relatively unimportant, but we see a gallery of Grover's Corners dead in their graves patiently waiting for what might be the rapture. Among them is a suicide, a man who doesn't seem to be suffering for the sin of throwing away his life. It's a very curious story.

The biggest television version before this was a 1997 show with Hal Holbrook, Barbara Bel Geddes, Ronny Cox, Ned Beatty and a young discovery of the time, Robby Benson. I remember it having an elaborate set.

This production takes place on a practically empty stage, which only serves to concentrate our attention on the excellent performances. Newman's Stage Manager is less folksy than Hal Holbrook and more intent on driving his lesson home to the audience. Jane Curtin is sweet as Emily Webb's mother Myrtle and Jeffrey DeMunn amusingly scattered as her father, the newspaper editor. Jayne Atkinson makes a tender Julia Gibbs, and Frank Converse is less colorful but solid as her husband, the town doctor.

The production notes tell us that the show's ingenue roles were found through open auditions. Ben Fox is a fine choice for George Gibbs, and convincing as a high school athlete. He's a kid with a set ambition - to work his Uncle's farm - and an honest humility. When his father gently lets George know his mother is chopping wood because he's neglecting his chores, he's shamed to tears.

Maggie Lacey has the crucial role of Emily Webb, who must appear to be in her early 20s, twelve years old and also a disembodied spirit. She has the notion that her father is perfect and is well aware of her own conceit and vanity. For me Emily Webb is the center of the show and Maggie Lacey is a delight. I think she's the best Emily so far, for getting an interesting spin off lines like, "Isn't the moonlight terrible?"

Our Town is one of those productions that begs to be constantly restaged or refilmed. It's easy to see films as far apart as It's A Wonderful Life and Peggy Sue Got Married as being spiritual extensions of Thornton Wilder's play. I still wish that an intact element could be located for the 1940 Our Town, as its design and special effects would be great to see as they were when new. Even if the film's public domain status could be straightened out, it was severely compromised by an imposed happy ending.

This PBS television version of Our Town doesn't need the fancy special effects or even scenery, you won't miss them, honest. The enhanced picture may have been originally recorded in HD and the audio is flawless. There are no extras save for text excerpts of a production interview with director James Naughton, producer Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman. Woodward says that the production was prompted by 9/11, to acknowlege the need for reflection in tense times. The three interviewees also note that Our Town's long life may be due to how easily it can be performed by school kids. That's certainly true - how many of us remember some of our high school classmates from their roles in the play?

On a scale of Excellent, Good, Fair, and Poor, Our Town rates:
Movie: Excellent
Video: Excellent
Sound: Excellent
Supplements: production notes
Packaging: Keep case
Reviewed: March 6, 2005