Brendon Jones It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Casey Duggan It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Jonah Abbott There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

vincentlynch-moonoi I do give this film some points for being a bit different. It's an interesting premise: a man and a wife -- mousy characters both before WWII -- end up serving their country during the way and come out very different people. They both look back on their own lives and see how drab they were, and both decide they want to move forward with their more sophisticated post-war lives. And so they plan to divorce, only to finally realize that they have both changed so drastically that they are still made for each other...just in different ways than before the war.Unfortunately, this film dates to the 1940s when British films were a poor second to American films in terms of technical quality, and so this whole film just seems plain drab. The best example, although some may say a minor point, the dirigibles floating over London during the war are so faked-painted looking that it's laughable.Robert Donat was quite a good actor, and Deborah Kerr became one of the greats of Hollywood. They both evolve nicely as this film progresses. But, then there's best friend Glynis Johns, whose popularity I never understood.I also think that too much time is spent on the war portion of the film. It was needed to show why each of them evolved so much, but they spent so much time on this that they short-changed the portion of the film where they meet and discover they want change, not realizing at first that they have changed. And that latter part is what's really important in the film.Ah well. It coulda been very good, but turns out being only passably interesting. You may wanna exercise the fast-forward button on your remote.

ackstasis In all good love stories, two people meet for the first time, and there's something there. Exactly what that "something" is, nobody can say. A spark, a special chemistry… most likely (and perhaps least romantically) it is our subconscious recollection of the author's dramatic obligation – this man and this woman must fall in love. 'Perfect Strangers (1945)' {released in the US as "Vacation from Marriage"} is unusual in that its star-crossed lovers have not only met before, but have been married for years. Robert (Robert Donat) and Catherine (Deborah Kerr) are a meek British couple who are separated for three years by WWII, each partner taking a role in active combat. When the pair finally reunite, both have changed so tremendously that they find themselves unwilling to return to their mundane former lives.Robert is a shy and submissive accountant. Just as his job requires perfect balance and order, so too does his life depend on the routine exactness of habit and ritual. In the early part of the film, his behaviour is directed by a stream-of-consciousness voice-over, which maps out conversations in advance, with little avail. Catherine, beset by a perpetual sniffle, is a tired and delicate young thing, the sort of wife that Robert aptly describes as "dependable." At the onset of the War, both join the Navy, and become completely different people as a result. This positive depiction of War – as a great big adventure, more than anything else – was typical during the early 1940s, and 'Perfect Strangers' doesn't, in this regard, add much to Carol Reed's 'The Way Ahead (1944).' Instead, that both Robert and Catherine become changed people is accepted as a given.Robert Donat's casting in the film was quite deliberate. At the film's beginning, he sports a moustache that obviously references his shy, reliable teacher in 'Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939).' During the War, he loses the moustache, and the transformation in his screen persona is dramatic: he's suddenly the handsome war hero of so many Hollywood action pictures. Deborah Kerr, too, attains a youthful sexual vitality that sees her transformed from a meek, "dependable" housewife to a veritable "pin-up girl." Even though their transformations have run parallel to each other, there is an undeniable rift present; one skillful match-cut sees Robert and Catherine dancing, but in the arms of other partners. There's a moment in the film, when the troubled couple glimpse each other in the light for the first time in three years, and… there's a spark. Just like they've never met.

smithy-8 "Perfect Strangers" probably told a very true tale for many married people who got together after WWII. Robert Donat and Deborah Kerr are married before WWII and get back together again to find out they are strangers. It is a well-told story and well cast. Mr. Donat had three legendary leading ladies in this movie: Deborah Kerr, Glynis Johns, and Ann Todd. All three ladies were starting their careers. Mr. Donat seem to be cast well with all his leading ladies in all his few movies.

silenceisgolden What a screenplay this movie has! It's wonderful! It's a simple story but it's executed wonderfully! You truly feel for the main characters. Deborah Kerr has never been a favorite of mine but she is wonderful in this film. Robert Donat, as usual, is brilliant! I highly recommend this to fans of classic romances. It is sweet, humorous in parts, and REAL! I wish Donat had done more films when he was around, but I shouldn't complain. I'm just glad he was smart enough to always take good roles in quality films. Kerr and Donat sparkle in this and Glynis Johns is so perky! Like a little cheerleader! This is great fun! I'll stop rambling now, if this is ever shown on TCM, you must watch it!