If Winter Comes

If Winter Comes

Year: 1947

Runtime: 97 mins

Language: English

Director: Victor Saville

Drama

In the sleepy English village of Penny Green, textbook author Mark, trapped in a miserable marriage to the domineering Mabel, befriends Effie, a young pregnant woman. Gossip swirls that he is the father; devastated, Effie kills herself, and the police suspect Mark of murder. Determined to prove his innocence, he battles the town’s rumors to clear his name.

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Timeline & Setting – If Winter Comes (1947)

Explore the full timeline and setting of If Winter Comes (1947). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1939-1940

1939-1940 marks the film's frame, beginning with the outbreak of war and the call to service. The impending conflict reshapes daily life, forcing characters to choose between loyalty, duty, and personal happiness. Wartime changes amplify social pressure and moral judgments in the village.

Location

Penny Green, England

Penny Green is a quintessential English village whose close-knit streets and gossip-driven social life reflect the era's proprieties. The setting underlines how reputation governs personal choices and public perception. Its rural calm becomes a battleground for private desire and wartime disruption.

🏡 Village setting 🌳 English countryside

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:45

Main Characters – If Winter Comes (1947)

Meet the key characters of If Winter Comes (1947), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Nona Tybar (Deborah Kerr)

Nona is Mark's former sweetheart who returns to Penny Green with warmth and empathy. She embodies resilience and loyalty, supporting Mark even as their future remains uncertain. Her decision to join the Women's Auxiliary Air Force signals independence and service.

💖 Romantic dilemma ⚖️ Moral strength 🕊️ Compassionate

Mark Sabre (Walter Pidgeon)

An author and publisher, Mark is unhappy in an arranged marriage and drawn to Nona. His romantic pursuit collides with social propriety, triggering rumors and professional consequences. His vulnerability comes to light as the scandal unfolds.

💔 Torn loyalties ⚖️ Moral conflict 🧭 Creative mind

Mabel Sabre (Angela Lansbury)

Mark's wife, Mabel is cold, gossipy, and controlling. She uses social propriety to justify distancing herself from Mark after the perceived affair. Her coldness and judgment heighten the town's moralizing atmosphere.

❄️ Coldness 🎭 Manipulative 🕰️ Social climber

Effie Bright (Janet Leigh)

Effie is disowned for becoming pregnant and seeks Mark's help, facing social marginalization and mental strain. Her desperation culminates in tragedy, triggering the inquest and exposing local hypocrisy. Her death becomes a catalyst for the town's moral reckonings.

💔 Victimized 🕊️ Desperation ⚖️ Marginalized

Tony Tybar (Hugh French)

Nona's husband, Tony is drawn into military service as war begins. His absence strains his marriage and alters the dynamics between Mark, Nona, and Mabel. He embodies duty and the pressures of wartime separation.

🪖 War-bound 🛡️ Duty 💔 Strained marriage

Harold Twyning (James Wethered)

Harold is the son of Mark's former coworker; the letter naming him as Effie's lover ties him to the scandal. His later death in the war reframes the tragedy as collateral damage of conflict, underscoring the war's reach into ordinary lives.

⚖️ Tragic 🌀 Gossip fodder 💔 Bystander

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:45

Major Themes – If Winter Comes (1947)

Explore the central themes of If Winter Comes (1947), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💔 Romance Dilemma

Romance is the motor of the plot, driving Mark toward his former lover and testing his obligations. Nona's warmth contrasts with Mabel's cold cynicism, highlighting competing desires. The film shows how love collides with social expectations, turning private longing into public fault. The scandal exposes the fragility of reputations in a small town.

⚖️ Morality and Judgment

Community norms enforce behavior through rumor, inquest, and divorce. Mark becomes a target of moral judgment, while Effie's tragedy is framed as personal failure rather than systemic harm. The inquest reveals biases and hypocrisy in the town's courtroom of public opinion. The film critiques how society polices morality while hiding its own flaws.

🪖 War and Change

War interrupts the village's quiet routine as Tony goes to the front and Nona joins the WAAF, shifting power dynamics and expectations. The men and women of Penny Green are forced to redefine loyalty, duty, and future plans. The looming conflict amplifies the stakes of every relationship and decision. Wartime presence whispers through conversations, altering social distances.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:45

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If Winter Comes Summary

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If Winter Comes Summary

If Winter Comes Timeline

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If Winter Comes Timeline

More About If Winter Comes

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If Winter Comes (1947) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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If Winter Comes (1947) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow