 In 1946, a cagey release strategy in the United States was undoubtedly helped by the “ecstatic” reviews from U.S. critics, “hailing it as one of the screen's first great works of art and the most impressive directing debut since Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane" (1941).” 

Miller adds that “Olivier won Best Actor awards from the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Review, also capturing the latter's Best Picture award and coming within a few votes of beating "The Best Years of Our Lives" (1946) for the New York Film Critics Award in that category.”

The film was highly acclaimed around the world.James Agee, who reviewed it separately for three publications, called it "one of the cinema's great works of art".According to "Kinematograph Weekly" the 'biggest winner' at the box office in 1945 Britain was "The Seventh Veil", with "runners up" being (in release order), "Madonna of the Seven Moons", "Old Acquaintance", "Frenchman's Creek", "Mrs Parkington", "Arsenic and Old Lace", "Meet Me in St Louis", "A Song to Remember", "Since You Went Away", "Here Come the Waves", "Tonight and Every Night", "Hollywood Canteen", "They Were Sisters", "The Princess and the Pirate", "The Adventures of Susan", "National Velvet", "Mrs Skefflington", "I Live in Grosvenor Square", "Nob Hill", "Perfect Strangers", "Valley of Decision", "Conflict" and "Duffy's Tavern".