I really liked how familiar all of the characters were. There were so many faces that I knew, that I just felt more comfortable watching these extraordinary happenings. I think that was cleverly done, for such actors as Ethel Barrymore, Cecil Kellaway, David Wayne, Florence Bates and Clem Bevans are all familiar faces to me (an audience from a much more modern time, yet I still watch lots of movies from past eras), and imagine that during 1948 most viewers knew all of their faces well. I liked that they were character actors, and loved seeing Felix Bressart (most familiar to me as Pirovitch from The Shop Around the Corner) as the absent-minded Pete and Henry Hull (most familiar to me as Rittenhouse in Lifeboat) as Eke.
One thing I really didn’t like though, was the exclusion of Arne and all of his lively discussions, as well as the picnic out in the country when Gus actually interacts with Jennie. Further, Gus playing a harp just doesn’t do it for me.