The kid did good work.
Identity Unknown (1945) follows a man’s search for his name and identity in World War II. Caught in a blast in France that killed three other servicemen, he alone survives – but not all of him. He’s forgotten who he is, and all of their dog tags were blown off and recovered, but with no clue as to who is who – and fingerprint checks take a long time when computers don’t exist and there’s a war going on.
Sent back to the United States, with a list of potential names and homes in his pocket, he takes the name Johnny March[1], and impulsively decides to search for his identity. He jumps a train and begins his exploration of America’s id.
He encounters a woman who assumes she’s a widow, a little boy who thinks March is his Daddy, a gang war in progress, and a farm auction, and in each manages to make a positive contribution. He’s the quintessential Everyman, proving that it isn’t position, but what’s in the heart that matters.
It is not as compelling as it might have been, but it kept us interested and watching. Its mystery keeps it in the ballpark, and its humanity keeps it watchable.
And here it is now. It’s a feel-good movie, no doubt about it, and if that’s what you’re about, this may be for you.
1 Yes, yes, I know that “Johnny March” is the same name I mentioned in the recent review of The Power Of The Whistler (1945). So I screwed up, eh? I think the name in that movie was simply “George.” Mea culpa!
