The Human Comedy
“Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Great Production”
Synopsis
Teenager Homer Macauley stays at home in the small town of Ithaca, California to support his family while his older brother Marcus prepares to go to war.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
The Human Comedy Original Theatrical TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2014-11-05
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Mickey Rooney
Homer Macauley
Frank Morgan
Willie Grogan
James Craig
Tom Spangler
Marsha Hunt
Diana Steed
Fay Bainter
Mrs. Macauley
Ray Collins
Mr. Macauley
Van Johnson
Marcus Macauley
Donna Reed
Bess Macauley
Jackie 'Butch' Jenkins
Ulysses Macauley
Dorothy Morris
Mary Arena
John Craven
Tobey George
Ann Ayars
Mrs. Sandoval
Mary Nash
Miss Hicks
Henry O'Neill
Charles Steed
Katharine Alexander
Mrs. Steed
Alan Baxter
Brad Stickman
Darryl Hickman
Lionel
Barry Nelson
Fat
Release History & Theatrical Window
March 2, 1943
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$1M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$3.9M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
3.9x
+$2.9M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Clarence Brown
- Screenplay & Story
- Howard Estabrook
- Original Score
- Herbert Stothart
- Original Title
- The Human Comedy
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 58m
- Production Budget
- $1M
- Worldwide Gross
- $3.9M
- Production Studios
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Clarence Brown
Howard Estabrook, William Saroyan, Herman J. Mankiewicz
Herbert Stothart
Harry Stradling Sr.
Conrad A. Nervig
Clarence Brown
Department Leadership Roster
Clarence Brown
Director
Howard Estabrook
Screenplay
Harry Stradling Sr.
Director of Photography
Conrad A. Nervig
Editor
Clarence Brown
Producer
Herman J. Mankiewicz
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Human Comedy.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Human Comedy.
Coming of Age
War: World War II
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
Movies - Live Action
Missing Mine
Academy Awards: Winners
Best Picture Nominees
Best Picture Nominees (updated 8/6/26)
Similar Titles to The Human Comedy
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
3.7
7.4
7.8
7.7
5.4
7.1
3.5
6.0
7.9
6.6
6.4
5.9
6.7
6.3
7.3
6.7
6.4
6.2
5.3
More Like The Human Comedy
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Human Comedy
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Human Comedy about?
Teenager Homer Macauley stays at home in the small town of Ithaca, California to support his family while his older brother Marcus prepares to go to war.
Who directed The Human Comedy?
The Human Comedy was directed by Clarence Brown.
Who stars in The Human Comedy?
The principal cast of The Human Comedy includes Mickey Rooney, Frank Morgan, James Craig, Marsha Hunt, Fay Bainter.
When was The Human Comedy released and how long is it?
The Human Comedy was released in 1943 with a total runtime of 1h 58m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Human Comedy?
The Human Comedy had a reported production budget of $1M and grossed $3.9M at the worldwide box office (3.9 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Human Comedy?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Human Comedy was composed by Herbert Stothart.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Human Comedy?
The Human Comedy holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).