History Film / TheYearsBetween

Early during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, Diana Wentworth (Hobson) is informed that her husband, Col. Michael Wentworth (Redgrave), has been killed in action. Diana struggles to get over her husband's death and falls into deep depression until, at the suggestion of some friends, she takes up her husband's vacant seat in Parliament and finds that she likes her new job. She quickly makes a name for herself in politics, looks forward to the upcoming general election and is about to be remarried when news arrives that her husband is still alive and has been a prisoner of war. Michael returns home in a state of post-war trauma, expecting to find his wife and home unchanged and eager to resume his parliamentary career. He soon finds out that [[TitleDrop the years between]] have changed irrevocably a lot of the things he loved. Diana, on her part, can't find anything more than pity in her heart for her returned husband and is increasingly irritated by his demands that things be the same as they were before the War. Things come to a head when Diana finds out the truth about Michael's missing years at the War...

[[quoteright:182:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mv5bmti4ntkyntu1ml5bml5banbnxkftztcwody4njm0mq_v1_uy268_cr60182268_al.jpg]]

''The Years Between'' is a 1946 British film directed by Compton Bennett, starring Creator/MichaelRedgrave and Valerie Hobson.

Early during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, Diana Wentworth (Hobson) receives news that her husband, Col. Michael Wentworth (Redgrave), has been killed in action. Diana struggles to get over her husband's death and falls into deep depression until, at the suggestion of some friends, she takes up her husband's vacant seat in Parliament and finds that she likes her new job. She quickly makes a name for herself in politics, looks forward to the upcoming general election and is about to be remarried when news arrives that her husband is still alive and has been a prisoner of war. Michael returns home in a state of post-war trauma, expecting to find his wife and home unchanged and eager to resume his parliamentary career. He soon finds out that the [[TitleDrop years between]] have changed irrevocably a lot of the things he loved. Diana, on her part, can't find anything more than pity in her heart for her returned husband and is increasingly irritated by his demands that things be the same as they were before the War. Things come to a head when Diana finds out the truth about Michael's missing years at the War...

!!Tropes

* WhatTheHellHero: Nanny delivers one of these addresses to both Diana and Michael, chiding Diana for not wanting her husband back despite being one of the fortunate few whose husbands did return from the War, while taking Michael to task for expecting his wife to remain unchanged despite having changed so much himself.

* AdaptationalAlternateEnding: In the original play by Daphne Du Maurier, [[spoiler:Michael and Diana are reconciled, but don't start living together just yet because Michael accepts a job offer that involves rebuilding Europe politically, while Diana retains Michael's seat in Parliament]]. In the film, [[spoiler: Diana gives up Michael's seat to Michael and successfully contests another seat, so that both end up in Parliament and this time, no one can question that Diana got there on her own merits]].

* TheReveal: [[spoiler: Michael faked his death as part of his MI6 mission and spied against the Germans before being captured as a prisoner of war. What Diana can't forgive so easily is that he knew when saying goodbye to her that she would be receiving news of his death in a few weeks' time, but never told her]].

Early during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, Diana Wentworth (Hobson) receives news that her husband, Col. Michael Wentworth (Redgrave), has been killed in action. Diana struggles to get over her husband's death and falls into deep depression until, at the suggestion of some friends, she takes up her husband's vacant seat in Parliament and finds that she likes her new job. She quickly makes a name for herself in politics, looks forward to the upcoming general election and is about to be remarried when news arrives that her husband is still alive and has been a prisoner of war. Michael returns home in a state of post-war trauma, expecting to find his wife and home unchanged and eager to resume his parliamentary career. He soon finds out that the [[TitleDrop years between]] have changed a lot of the things he loved irrevocably. Diana, on her part, can't find anything more than pity in her heart for her returned husband and is increasingly irritated by his demands that things be the same as they were before the War. Things come to a head when Diana finds out the truth about Michael's missing years at the War...

* AdaptationalAlternateEnding: In the original play by Daphne Du Maurier, [[spoiler:Michael and Diana are reconciled, but don't start living together just yet because Michael accepts a job offer that involves rebuilding Europe politically, while Diana retains Michael's seat in Parliament]].

* RevisedEnding: In the original play by Daphne Du Maurier, [[spoiler: Michael and Diana are reconciled, but don't start living together just yet because Michael accepts a job offer that involves rebuilding Europe politically, while Diana retains Michael's seat in Parliament]].

Early during WorldWarII, Diana Wentworth (Hobson) receives news that her husband, Col. Michael Wentworth (Redgrave), has been killed in action. Diana struggles to get over her husband's death and falls into deep depression until, at the suggestion of some friends, she takes up her husband's vacant seat in Parliament and finds that she likes her new job. She quickly makes a name for herself in politics, looks forward to the upcoming general election and is about to be remarried when news arrives that her husband is still alive and has been a prisoner of war. Michael returns home in a state of post-war trauma, expecting to find his wife and home unchanged and eager to resume his parliamentary career. He soon finds out that the [[TitleDrop years between]] have changed a lot of the things he loved irrevocably. Diana, on her part, can't find anything more than pity in her heart for her returned husband and is increasingly irritated by his demands that things be the same as they were before the War. Things come to a head when Diana finds out the truth about Michael's missing years at the War...

''The Years Between'' is a 1946 British film directed by Compton Bennett, starring Creator/MichaelRedgrave and Valerie Hobson. Early during the Second World War, Diana Wentworth (Hobson) receives news that her husband, Col. Michael Wentworth (Redgrave), has been killed in action. Diana struggles to get over her husband's death and falls into deep depression until, at the suggestion of some friends, she takes up her husband's vacant seat in Parliament and finds that she likes her new job. She quickly makes a name for herself in politics, looks forward to the upcoming general election and is about to be remarried when news arrives that her husband is still alive and has been a prisoner of war. Michael returns home in a state of post-war trauma, expecting to find his wife and home unchanged and eager to resume his parliamentary career. He soon finds out that the [[TitleDrop years between]] have changed a lot of the things he loved irrevocably. Diana, on her part, can't find anything more than pity in her heart for her returned husband and is increasingly irritated by his demands that things be the same as they were before the War. Things come to a head when Diana finds out the truth about Michael's missing years at the War...

* ArcWords: The postman keeps saying "Nothing will ever be the same again", and most characters feel this to be true at some point in the film.

* TitleDrop: At one point, Michael tells Diana that "the years between" are really to blame for the breakdown of their marriage.

* SilkHidingSteel: Diana turns out to be a much stronger person than she herself could have imagined, once she has a real job to keep her constructively occupied.

* TitleDrop: At one point, Michael tells Diana that "the years between" are really to blame for the breakdown of their marriage.
* ValuesDissonance: Was Michael's character meant to be more sympathetic for 1940s audiences? To modern audiences, there is very little to like about him, from the fact that he is irritated by his wife's having a career at all, to that he "gambled" that he could [[spoiler: fake his death]], return to his home after several years, and still find his wife devoted to him.

''The Years Between'' is a 1946 British film directed by Compton Bennett, starring Creator/MichaelRedgrave and Valerie Hobson. Early during the Second World War, Diana Wentworth (Hobson) receives news that her husband, Col. Michael Wentworth (Redgrave), has been killed in action. Diana struggles to get over her husband's death and falls into deep depression until, at the suggestion of some friends, she takes up her husband's vacant seat in Parliament and finds that she likes her new job. She quickly makes a name for herself in politics, looks forward to the upcoming general election and is about to be remarried when news arrives that her husband is still alive and has been a prisoner of war. Michael returns home in a state of post-war trauma, expecting to find his wife and home unchanged and looking forward to resuming his parliamentary career. He soon finds out that the [[TitleDrop years between]] have changed a lot of the things he loved irrevocably. Diana, on her part, can't find anything more than pity in her heart for her returned husband and is increasingly irritated by his demands that things be the same as they were before the War. Things come to a head when Diana finds out the truth about Michael's missing years at the War...

* TitleDrop: At one point, Michael tells Diana that "the years between" are really to blame for the breakdown of their marriage.