The film is the simple story of a middle-aged American woman who travels to Venice on a vacation where she meets and falls for a shopkeeper. It is a film with a simple premise as it shows a secretary taking this trip to Venice as she has saved all her money as she films and photographs everything, she sees but copes with her own loneliness and the unfamiliarity of her surroundings. The film’s screenplay by David Lean and H.E. Bates is straightforward in its narrative yet it is an exploration of a woman going to a city she has always dreamed of going to and be amazed by its wonders but is troubled by her own loneliness while staying at a hotel with two couples of American tourists visiting the city.
The protagonist in Jane Hudson (Katharine Hepburn) is fascinated by her surroundings but remains troubled by her own loneliness until she meets a local antiques shopkeeper in Renato de Rossi (Rossano Brazzi) who sells her a rare 18th Century Venetian glass goblet. Hudson would often meet a young boy in Mauro (Gaetano Autiero) during her trip while also conversing with her fellow travelers and the hotel owner Signora Fiorini (Isa Miranda) as she tries to make sense of her surroundings with Renato being someone who can bring her some joy.
Lean’s direction is exquisite in its scenery as it is shot in and around Venice including the island of Burano near Venice. Lean’s usage of the wide and medium shots does not just capture the scope of the city but also in its canals, bridges, and the town square where Lean makes the city a key character in the film. Lean also play into the sense of isolation and confusion that Hudson goes through where he would shoot her in a close-up, or a medium shot as she sits in a café near the town square and then zoom out into a medium or wide shot. The usage of the locations help play into Hudson’s own fascination with her surroundings, including a famous shot of her falling onto a canal when she was trying to film something. Lean also maintains an intimacy in scenes set in and outside of the hotel that Hudson stays in where she meets her fellow tourists and its owner Signora Fiorini.
Lean also plays into many of the dramatic tropes that Hudson goes through as well as Renato’s own issues as he is someone that has a life of his own yet prefers to keep private and not hurt anyone. Lean also play into the different ideas of how Americans and Italians view relationships including sex as Hudson is more conservative on her views including her reaction towards the lifestyle of Signora Fiorini though Renato’s response is that it is no one’s business but Signora Fiorini. The film’s third act is about Hudson’s growing relationship with Renato and the idea of a possible new life but reality kicks in as it relates to the fact that Hudson’s time in Venice is limited. Still, Lean manages to create a lot of dramatic stakes in the third function as well as an ending that is incredibly powerful in all its complexities. Overall, Lean crafts a rapturous and exhilarating film about an American woman traveling to Venice and be enamored by a kind shopkeeper.
Cinematographer Jack Hildyard does brilliant work with the film’s colorful cinematography with the usage of the Eastman negative film stock that is processed and printed by Technicolor as it captures the beauty of Venice in its exteriors along with some gorgeous lighting for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night. Editor Peter Taylor does excellent work with the editing with its usage of dissolves and rhythmic cuts to play into the sense of adventure as well as some of the film’s dramatic moments. Production designer Vincent Korda does amazing work with the interiors of the hotel that Hudson and other American tourists stay in as well as the shop that Renato runs. Costume designer Rosa Gori does tremendous work with the costumes in the suits that the men wear as well as the gorgeous designer gowns, shoes, and such that the women wear including a dress Hudson wears on her night with Renato.
Sound editors Winston Ryder and Jacqueline Thiedot do superb work with the sound in the natural quality that is presented on location as well as the way music is presented live as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Alessandro Cicognini is incredible for its lush orchestral score filled with rich string arrangements in its usage of traditional Italian string instruments as well as its accordions along with other music pieces that play into its locations and in some of the dramatic moments of the film as it is a major technical highlight.
The film’s phenomenal ensemble cast feature some notable small roles from Gino Cavaleri as a train porter, Andre Morell as a train passenger that Hudson meets early in the film, Virginia Simion as the hotel maid Giovanna, and Jeremy Spenser as a young man who works at Renato’s shop. Gaetano Autiero is terrific as a young boy named Mauro who guides Hudson through some locations as well as help her take photographs though he claims to be an orphan who lives in the streets of the city. MacDonald Parke and Jane Rose are superb in their respective roles as Lloyd and Edith McIlhenny as an elderly American couple traveling through Europe with the former being annoyed and often saying the wrong things while the latter is excited by her surroundings. Darren McGavin and Mari Aldon are fantastic in their respective roles as the younger American couple in Eddie and Phyl Yaeger with the former being a painter who likes to delve into the city’s decadence with the latter also having fun but becomes concerned if her marriage would survive. Isa Miranda is excellent as the hotel owner Signora Fiorini as a woman who runs the hotel that Hudson stays in as she knows about the city as well as having a different attitude about love and relationships in comparison to Hudson’s view.
Rossano Brazzi is amazing as Renato de Rossi as a local antiques shopkeeper who is enamored with Hudson as he helps her in finding her way in Venice while also being someone that is willing to reason with her about her views on sex and relationships while admitting to having his own flaws as it is a charismatic performance from Brazzi. Finally, there’s Katharine Hepburn in a spectacular performance as Jane Hudson as an American tourist who finally reaches her dream destination where she is wowed by what the city offers yet is troubled by her own loneliness until she meets Renato. Hepburn’s performance is truly radiant in the way she expresses her disappointment with herself and the way things are as well as coping with that disappointment until meeting Renato broadens her views of the world and in people as it is one of Hepburn’s iconic performances.
Summertime is a magnificent film by David Lean that features top-notch leading performances from Katharine Hepburn and Rossano Brazzi. Along with its supporting cast, gorgeous photography, a great film soundtrack, its story of love and the yearning to connect, and Venice itself. It is a film that isn’t just this witty romantic comedy but also a film that explore adult themes on what it means to connect with not just people but also in its surroundings. In the end, Summertime is an outstanding film by David Lean.
David Lean Films: In Which We Serve - This Happy Breed - Blithe Spirit - Brief Encounter - Great Expectations (1946 film) - Oliver Twist (1948 film) - The Passionate Friends - Madeleine (1950 film) - The Sound Barrier - Hobson's Choice - The Bridge on the River Kwai - Lawrence of Arabia - Doctor Zhivago - Ryan's Daughter - (Lost and Found: The Story of Cook’s Anchor) – A Passage to India - (The Auteurs #74: David Lean)
© thevoid99 2025
The film follows the life of a family from 1919 to 1939 as they live in this house during the course of these two decades amidst many social, cultural, and political changes that would affect this family in this small suburban home. It is a film that follows the life of this family in a former World War I veteran just a year after the war had ended as he moves his family to suburbia as one of his neighbors is another former soldier from the same war. The film’s screenplay is largely straightforward in exploring the life of Frank and Ethel Gibbons (Robert Newton and Celia Johnson, respectively) as well as their children in Vi (Eileen Erskine), Reg (John Blythe), and the youngest daughter Queenie (Kay Walsh), Ethel’s mother Mrs. Flint (Amy Veness), and Frank’s sister Sylvia (Alison Legatt) where they all share this small yet quaint home. Their neighbor across the street from them in Frank’s old friend Bob Mitchell (Stanley Holloway) and his son Billy (John Mills) who is a sailor that often pines for Queenie.
During the course of the film through its narrative, Frank and Ethel would endure a lot of what is happening around them as Reg befriends the socialist Sam Leadbitter (Guy Verney) who would get Reg into trouble during the General Strike of 1926 while Frank and Bob both volunteered during that strike. During the course of the film, Reg and Queenie would try to follow the trends and issues of the time with Frank preferring to stay away while Vi would settle into a family life. Reg would also get married but Queenie would rebel against her family’s ideals for something of her own as the family would deal with new things such as technology in the wireless radio, talking films, and other things as they would also witness events around them that would change Britain just before the start of World War II.
David Lean’s direction does have bits of style but much of it is intimate where a lot of the action takes place inside the Gibbons house with a few scenes set outside of the house. While there are a few wide shots in the film that include an opening and closing shot that reflects the area where the Gibbons live in with un-credited open narration by Laurence Olivier for the opening scene. Lean’s usage of medium shots and close-ups do play into a lot of the drama as many of the house interiors from the first shot of the house from the inside and the last one do make this home a major character in the film. From the dining and tea room where the characters frequent through changing times as well as listening to the wireless radio. Lean also keep things simple when it comes to shooting a conversation as there’s a lot of dialogue that is spoken that often play into the reaction of the times or wanting to be part of this new world unaware that war will be coming. The film also has elements of tragedy during a scene where everything that is being told is shown off-screen where Lean focuses more on the contents on the tea room since the audience knows what these characters are going to discover.
Lean also uses some of these historical events as a backdrop in the film as it play into how the Gibbons’ react such as the trends of the time as well as world events that would play into World War II. Notably in a few scenes involving Bob and Frank as they get drunk while discussing the future as they do become hopeful only to be concerned in the later years with Frank reacting badly to Neville Chamberlain’s trip to Munich and how the people have responded. Even as the characters get older and wiser though a few get lost in trends and such to get them disconnected with reality only to be grounded by their role in the family. Overall, Lean crafts a majestic and compelling film about the life of a family living in suburban London between the periods of two World Wars.
Cinematographer Ronald Neame does incredible work with the film’s luscious Technicolor photography as it adds a lot to the film’s visuals in the many exteriors in the daytime as well some unique lighting for some of the interiors including scenes at night. Editor Jack Harris does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward but also has bits of style while also using fade-to-black to help structure certain scenes to transition from one period to another period. Art director C.P. Newman does amazing work with the look of the house and its many interiors as well as the backyard with the small garden that Frank tends to as the rooms and their evolution in the span of 20 years do add a lot to the visuals but also in helping to tell a story of this house.
Makeup artist Tony Sforzini and hair dresser Vivienne Walker do fantastic work with the look of the characters such as Frank, Ethel, Sylvia, and Bob and how they grew into older people in the coming years without doing too much makeup. The sound work of John Cook, Desmond Dew, and C.C. Stevens is superb for the way things sound outside of a house or how small sounds are presented inside the house. The film’s music by Muir Matheson is wonderful for its serene orchestral score that has some upbeat pieces but also somber bits to play into the drama as it also feature additional music from Clifton Parker and the music from those 20 years in the film.
The film’s marvelous casting feature some notable small roles from Merle Tottenham as the Gibbons’ maid Edie, Betty Fleetwood as a neighbor girl named Phyllis that Reg would marry, Guy Verney as Reg’s socialist friend Sam Leadbitter who would have feelings for Vi, John Blythe as Frank and Ethel’s son Reg as a young man who is eager to be part of the new world but also learn that he has to take the values of the old world to keep him grounded, Eileen Erskine as Frank and Ethel’s eldest daughter Vi who is just trying to find her own identity yet is someone who has a lot more respect to her parents values than her siblings, and Amy Veness as Ethel’s mother Mrs. Flint who often deals with health issues and often argues with Sylvia over trivial things. Alison Leggatt is fantastic as Frank’s sister Sylvia who often talks about many things and follows many trends where she gets into arguments with Mrs. Flint and the annoy the family with her ideas on spiritualism. Kay Walsh is excellent as Frank and Ethel’s youngest child Queenie as a young woman who rebels against her parents’ value while falling for a married man despite an offer from Billy who offers her a better life.
John Mills is brilliant as Billy as Bob’s son who is a sailor and a kind man that has feelings for Queenie despite being away at sea often as he is also someone that has a lot to offer to Queenie as well as be someone who respects Frank and Ethel. Stanley Holloway is amazing as Bob Mitchell as a former World War I soldier who lives across the street from the Gibbons’ home as he fought with Frank as the two deal with changing times but also hoping to maintain some values in the hope of a better future for their children. Celia Johnson is incredible as Ethel Gibbons as the matriarch of the family who deals with a lot of the drama in her family while maintaining the household despite some of Queenie’s actions that would hurt Ethel. Finally, there’s Robert Newton in a phenomenal performance as Frank Gibbons as a World War I veteran who is trying to start a new life in a new home with his family as he deals with changing attitudes and ideals as he tries to maintain his values while watching everything from afar.
This Happy Breed is a sensational film from David Lean. Featuring a great ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, a sumptuous music score, and its exploration of a family’s life during a period of peace between two world wars. The film is an engaging drama with light touches that explore the dynamics of a family living in suburban London in a time when war wasn’t looming. In the end, This Happy Breed is a phenomenal film from David Lean.
David Lean Films: In Which We Serve - Blithe Spirit - Brief Encounter - Great Expectations (1946 film) - Oliver Twist (1948 film) - The Passionate Friends - Madeleine (1950 film) - The Sound Barrier - Hobson's Choice - Summertime (1955 film) – The Bridge on the River Kwai - Lawrence of Arabia - Doctor Zhivago - Ryan's Daughter - (Lost and Found: The Story of Cook’s Anchor) – A Passage to India - (The Auteurs #74: David Lean)
© thevoid99 2022
Directed by David Lean and written by Stanley Haynes and Nicholas Phipps, Madeleine is based on the true story of Madeleine Smith who was from a wealthy family in Glasgow, Scotland who was accused of killing her lover in 1857. The film is a trial drama that explores the life of a woman whose affair with a Frenchman lead to his death and questions about lifestyle and such as she is portrayed by Ann Todd. Also starring Ivan Desny, Leslie Banks, and Norman Wooland. Madeleine is a riveting and compelling film from David Lean.
The film revolves around the true story of Madeleine Smith who is accused of poisoning her French lover as it lead to many questions about his death with people wondering about their affair and the scandal it would’ve brought to her social status. It’s a film that explores a woman hiding this affair from her family and fiancé as it would later become troubling and complicated. The film’s screenplay by Stanley Haynes and Nicholas Phipps, with the latter providing the dialogue, has a straightforward structure as the first act is about Smith’s affair with Emile L’Angelier (Ivan Desny) as it’s a secret affair that her father James (Leslie Banks) doesn’t know of fearing that he might disapprove of the relationship. James believes that another society gentleman in William Minnoch (Norman Wooland) is more suitable as he does offer security and kindness. The second act revolves around L’Angelier’s intentions and Smith’s attempt to break off the affair with its third act being the trial into whether or not Smith did poison L’Angelier.
David Lean’s direction does bear elements of style though much of his direction is straightforward as it opens with the exact location in Glasgow, Scotland where Smith lived nearly a century ago where the story took place. Shot largely at Pinewood Studios in London with some shots at Edinburgh, Lean does use a few wide shots for some of the locations as well as a lavish sequence of Smith and L’Angelier watching locals dancing to a traditional Scottish number which would cut to a medium shot of Smith and L’Angelier mimic the dancing. The usage of medium shots and close-ups give Lean a lot of coverage into the interior settings with the latter being used to focus on a piece of clothing or a character’s face such as Smith who is dealing with confusion about her love for L’Angelier and her increasing interest in Minnoch. Even as it would add to the drama and the growing dissolution between Smith and L’Angelier.
Lean’s direction also play into the ambiguity of how Smith is trying to handle her situation that would lead to the third act where she’s on trial. The trial scenes also have these usage of flashbacks from the testimonies of those who know Smith and wonder if she’s capable of doing something terrifying. Lean would use some long shots for some of the monologues in the trial scene as well as some shots of people at the trial. The film’s climax is about its verdict as well as its aftermath that ends up raising more questions than answers. At the center of it is Smith as a woman who was torn between two lovers but also a lifestyle that’s given her so much as it add to the emotional stakes of the film. Overall, Lean crafts a mesmerizing yet chilling film about a woman’s troubled affair with a Frenchman that leads to his death and troubling aftermath.
Cinematographer Guy Green does excellent work with the film’s black-and-white photography as its usage of shadows and lights to help provide some of the drama as well as some of the film’s darker moments. Editors Clive Donner and Geoffrey Foot do amazing work with the editing as it help play into the dramatic suspense as well as scenes in the trial to play into the emotional elements of the film. Costume designer Margaret Furse does brilliant work with the period costumes from the lavish dresses that Smith wears to the suits that the men wore in those times.
Hair stylist Biddy Chrystal does nice work with the hairstyle of Smith in her different looks to play into her persona as this prestigious society woman. Sound mixers Stanley Lambourne and Gordon K. McCallum do superb work with the sound as it help play into some of the suspense including a sequence of L’Angelier returning to his apartment as well as sparse sounds of objects at Smith’s home. The film’s music by William Alwyn is wonderful for its lush and rich orchestral score that has elements of bombast in the strings but also in somber moments that play into the drama.
The film’s terrific cast feature some notable small roles from Patricia Raine as Smith’s youngest sister Bessie, Susan Stranks as Smith’s younger sister Janet, Andre Morrel as Smith’s defense attorney, Barry Jones as the prosecutor, David Horne as the judge, Edward Chapman as a doctor, Jean Cadell as a concerned landlord for L’Angelier, Barbara Everest as Smith’s mother, Elizabeth Sellars as the Smiths’ maid Christina who is suspicious about Madeleine’s meetings with L’Angelier, and Eugene Deckers as a friend of L’Angelier in Thuau who would uncover some belongings that would raise questions about L’Angelier’s relationship with Smith. Leslie Banks is fantastic as Smith’s father who is a man of great importance as he wants what is best for his daughter while becoming uneased about the crimes she has committed.
Norman Wooland is excellent as William Minnoch as a society gentleman whom Smith’s father believes is an ideal man where he is kind and willing to listen to Smith as well as be someone who genuinely cares about her. Ivan Desny is brilliant as Emile L’Angelier as a Frenchman living in Glasgow who charms and woos Smith as they become lovers as he’s hoping to make their affair public which brings some complications due to his desire to rise up in the world of society as well as wanting to meet Smith’s father. Finally, there’s Ann Todd in an incredible performance as the titular character as this society woman who is torn between two different men while wanting to maintain her role in upper-class society where Todd displays that sense of quiet ambiguity and anguish as a woman that has put herself into a situation that could mean doom for her.
Madeleine is a marvelous film from David Lean that features a great performance from Ann Todd in the titular role. Along with its supporting cast, captivating story of status and desires, and dazzling technical work, it’s a film that explore a woman caught in an affair that becomes troubled just as it would risk her own lifestyle and later put her into a scandal involving murder and deceit. In the end, Madeleine is a remarkable film from David Lean.
David Lean Films: In Which We Serve - This Happy Breed – Blithe Spirit - Brief Encounter - Great Expectations (1946 film) - Oliver Twist (1948 film) - The Passionate Friends - The Sound Barrier - Hobson's Choice - Summertime (1955 film) – The Bridge on the River Kwai - Lawrence of Arabia - Doctor Zhivago - Ryan's Daughter - (Lost and Found: The Story of Cook’s Anchor) – A Passage to India - (The Auteurs #74: David Lean)
© thevoid99 2019
Based on the novel by Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist is the story of an orphaned boy who joins a gang of pickpockets to escape a life of misery with the help of a criminal. Directed by David Lean and screenplay by Lean and Stanley Haynes, the film is a look of a boy trying to find a family and people to care for after leading a life of abuse of misery. Starring Alec Guinness, Robert Newton, Kay Walsh, John Howard Davies, and Anthony Newley. Oliver Twist is a touching and visually-astonishing film from David Lean.
The film follows the titular character (John Howard Davies) who is a young boy that had been raised in an orphanage as he would later join a gang of pickpockets where he learns the trade as a mean to survive and later finds kindness and compassion from an old rich man. It’s a film that explore a boy who had endured nothing but cruelty as he would escape these harsh environments and discover a world where there is this element of survival but also a world that can offer him so much more. The film’s screenplay by David Lean and Stanley Haynes, with contributions from Eric Ambler and Kay Walsh, follows this young boy who was born in an orphanage as his mother (Josephine Stuart) died just shortly after his birth asking an old woman to take care of the boy who would regretfully send him to an orphanage.
After being sent to work as an apprentice for the undertaker Mr. Sowberry (Gibb McLaughlin) and later running away after a period of abuse. Twist would go to London where he would meet a young pickpocket in the Artful Dodger (Anthony Newley) and an old man who trains them named Fagin (Alec Guinness). Fagin would provide Twist this need of companionship and brotherhood among these pickpockets until he is mistaken for a thief by an old rich man in Mr. Brownlow (Henry Stephenson) who would take pity in the young boy and show him a world that has a lot to offer other than riches. Twist is torn between two worlds as an associate of Fagin in Bill Sikes (Robert Newton) discovers more about Twist’s identity and would use it for selfish reasons much to the dismay of his girlfriend in the kind-hearted prostitute Nancy (Kay Walsh).
David Lean’s direction is definitely mesmerizing for the images that he creates as well as some images that are striking such as a wide shot of London that Twist and Dodger would see from a bridge on the way to Fagin’s hideout. Shot on Pinewood Studios in London to recreate 19th Century London, Lean would use the wide shots to get a scope of London in those times as well as the world that is London which is huge for a young boy like Twist. Though it is shot on the full-frame 1:33:1 aspect ratio, Lean does manage to get enough coverage of the places that Twist would go into such as the orphanage, the home of the undertaker, Fagin’s hideout, and Mr. Brownlow’s home as it each represent this world that is full of complexities and wonders that would fascinate Twist. Lean’s direction does emphasize on close-ups and medium shots as it play into the wonderment of Twist in his surroundings as well as the sense of the unknown into who he is as well as some secrets about his mother. Lean would create some unique compositions that play into the drama but also in some of the suspense as well as images that represent elements of symbolism into the plight of the characters.
Lean’s direction also play into the contrast of the two different lifestyles that Twist would endure as the home at Mr. Brownlow is spacious and full of knowledge but there’s also a warmth to it that can give the boy a chance of a future. It’s something totally different than what Fagin’s world is in as it’s dirty, cramped, and decayed yet there is an air of excitement into that world. The film’s third act that relates to Sikes and those who had taken care of Twist in the past where it play into the discovery of his identity as well as who is mother was and who her father is. Even as Nancy would find out the truth as she is eager to make things right as it lead to a confrontation involving Fagin and Sikes over Twist’s fate. Overall, Lean crafts a riveting and heartfelt film about a boy’s journey to find hope and kindness in a cruel world.
Cinematographer Guy Green does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white photography with its stylish usage of lighting and shadows for many of the interior scenes set in the day and night as well as some exterior scenes set at night as it’s a major highlight for the film. Editor Jack Harris does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with a few dissolves and some rhythmic cuts to play into the drama and suspense. Set decorators T. Hopewell Ash and Claude Momsay do incredible work with the look of the homes from the spacious home of Mr. Brownlow to the more decayed world of Fagin. Costume designer Margaret Furse does fantastic work with the look of the decayed clothes that Fagin and his gang wears as well as the more posh clothes of Mr. Brownlow
Makeup artist Stuart Freeborn does terrific work with the look of Fagin from his nose and ragged hair to play into his dirty yet charming look. Sound recordists Stanley Lambourne and Gordon K. McCallum do superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the locations as well as in some of the sound effects in the film. The film’s music by Arnold Bax is amazing for its orchestral score that play into some suspense in some of the film’s bombastic string arrangements along with some low-key and playful pieces in the film.
The casting by Dennis Van Thal is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Hattie Jacques as a tavern singer, Josephine Stuart as Twist’s mother, Gibb McLaughlin as the undertaker Mr. Sowberry who takes Twist in as his apprentice, Michael Dear as a worker for the undertaker in Noah who insults Twist’s mother, Deidre Doyle as an old woman at the workhouse, Kathleen Harrison as the cruel Mrs. Sowberry who would keep a major secret from Twist in the hopes of great finances, Diana Dors as a maid for the Sowberrys in Charlotte, and Amy Veness as Mr. Brownlow’s warm housekeeper Mrs. Bedwin whom Twist becomes fond of. Ralph Truman and Francis L. Sullivan are terrific in their respective roles as Monks and Mr. Bumble as two men who both have selfish interests in Twist with Monks being a landlord of sorts for Fagin and Mr. Bumble being the one who sent Twist to Mr. Sowberry.
Anthony Newley is superb as the Artful Dodger as a young pickpocket who would introduce Twist to Fagin as well as be kind of an older brother of sorts to Twist as he also has an intense dislike towards Sikes. Kay Walsh is fantastic as the young prostitute Nancy who is also Sikes’ lover as someone that becomes concerned about Twist when she learns what Sikes is planning to do while discovering more about Twist’s true identity. Henry Stephenson is excellent as Mr. Brownlow as an elderly rich man who takes pity in Twist following a misunderstanding involving theft as he gets to know the boy where he has a realization about who the boy really is. Robert Newton is brilliant as Bill Sikes as this vicious criminal that is willing to use Twist for his own reasons as well as financial and such as he would learn more about Twist and where he comes from.
Alec Guinness is amazing as Fagin as this criminal who teaches young boys how to be pickpockets as he is a father figure of sorts for Twist despite his immorality towards the law while also being someone that does care about Twist. Finally, there’s John Howard Davies in an incredible performance as the titular role as a young boy who has known nothing but cruelty and abuse where he has enough of it and runs away where he learns how to survive through pickpocketing and later encountering a world of kindness and generosity where he’s torn between two ideals and two worlds only to realize that there are those that will use him for the worst kind of reasons.
Oliver Twist is a phenomenal film from David Lean. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, a rich music score, and a compelling story of family, survival, and kindness. It’s a film that definitely captures the spirit of Charles Dickens in his exploration of fate and identity. In the end, Oliver Twist is a sensational film from Charles Dickens.
Related: Oliver Twist (2005 film) - (The Auteurs #74: David Lean)
David Lean Films: In Which We Serve - This Happy Breed – Blithe Spirit - Brief Encounter - Great Expectations (1946 film) - The Passionate Friends - Madeleine (1950 film) – The Sound Barrier - Hobson's Choice - Summertime (1955 film) – The Bridge on the River Kwai - Lawrence of Arabia - Doctor Zhivago - Ryan's Daughter - (Lost and Found: The Story of Cook’s Anchor) – A Passage to India
© thevoid99 2019
Based on the novel by Charles Dickens, Great Expectations is the story of a boy’s encounter with a convict that would eventually lead to his development upon meeting an eccentric rich spinster whose adopted daughter he falls for and later pursues as an adult. Directed by David Lean and screenplay by Lean, Anthony Havelock-Allan, Cecil McGivern, Ronald Neame, and Kay Walsh, the film is an adaptation of one of Dickens’ acclaimed novels as it explores a man trying to find himself but also cope with his need to be with a person who treats him with indifference. Starring John Mills, Anthony Wagner, Jean Simmons, Valerie Hobson, Alec Guinness, Martita Hunt, Bernard Miles, and Finlay Currie. Great Expectations is a rich and evocative film from David Lean.
The film follows the journey of a young boy from a humble and poor background whose encounter with an escaped convict would lead to unexpected fortunes where he would become a gentleman and be given opportunities that others would never have while pursuing a young woman whom he had been in love with since he was a boy. It’s a film that follows the journey of this boy who would become a man as he would find himself in situations that would play into his development as well as cope with the changes he would endure. The film’s screenplay is largely told from the film’s perspective of its protagonist Pip (John Mills) as he recalls his journey as a boy (Anthony Wagner) who was living with his sister (Freda Jackson) and her blacksmith husband Joe Gargery (Bernard Miles). Visiting his the grave of his parents, he would encounter this convict (Finlay Currie) who threatens him unless Pip brings food, drink, and a file for his chains as the young Pip would do so.
It’s this act of kindness to the convict that would mark the start of good fortune for Pip who would be asked by an acquaintance of the reclusive Miss Havisham (Martita Hunt) to be a playmate for her adopted daughter Estella (Jean Simmons) who isn’t fond of Pip. Even as Pip has to endure her cruelty though Miss Havisham does find him to be fascinating as she sees that Pip has the potential to be so much more. By the time Pip grows into a man where he would be Joe’s apprentice, the film would show Pip getting some unexpected fortunes as he believes that Miss Havisham is his benefactor. Moving to London, Pip would learn how to be a gentleman with the help of Herbert Pocket (Alec Guinness) and Miss Havisham’s lawyer Mr. Jaggers (Francis L. Sullivan) as he would cope in how to behave and act like a gentleman and fit in to society. Yet, he would also pursue the adult Estella (Valerie Hobson) who would treat him coldly as Pip would learn why she is the way she is as it all goes back to Miss Havisham who would cope with the way she raised Estella.
David Lean’s direction does have elements of style in the compositions in some scenes yet much of the film is presented in a straightforward fashion. Shot on location at Denham Film Studios in Buckhamshire, the film play into two different worlds such as the rural beachside landscape that Pip lives with his sister and Joe where Miss Havisham’s estate is also located at and London where the adult Joe would live and work at with Pocket. Lean’s usage of the wide shots would capture the location as well as the world the older Pip is in as it relates to the dance halls with Estella as it also play into this sense of detachment from Estella who has other interests. Lean’s usage of close-ups and medium shots play into the despair that Pip would endure in his pursuit of Estella as well as these stylistic slanted shots in how Pip and Miss Havisham would engage each other in a scene.
Lean’s direction also play into this element of dramatic suspense as it relates to the identity of Pip’s benefactor as well as other revelations about Miss Havisham’s past and Estella herself. Much of Lean’s direction would have these moments that are surreal but also chilling as it relates to some of the things in Pip’s past as a child where Lean would provide subtle hints in the imagery. The estate of Miss Havisham does have elements of horror in its look yet it more represents this metaphorical sense of Miss Havisham’s sense of loss and the reasons she would give Estella this world that is cold and unforgiving. All of which forces Pip to make sense of everything as well as provide a sense of hope through simple acts of kindness in a world that is often very cruel. Overall, Lean crafts a riveting and intoxicating film about a boy’s journey into a gentleman and his pursuit towards a woman who filled with uncertainty and a cold demeanor.
Cinematographer Guy Green, with opening sequence by Robert Krasker, does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white photography to capture the look of the landscape as well as the array of natural lighting for many of the interiors in Miss Havisham’s estate as well as some scenes set at night. Editor Jack Harris does excellent work with the editing as it play into the drama and suspense as well as some stylish montages to play into Pip’s growth in becoming a gentleman. Production designer Jack Bryan, with set decorator Erik Blakemore and art director Wilfred Shingleton, does fantastic work with the look of the sets including Miss Havisham’s home and the apartment he would share with Pocket.
Costume designer Sophie Devine does amazing work with the costumes from the look of the suits that the men wore during the 19th Century to the dresses including the ones that Estella wore. Sound editor Winston Ryder does terrific work with the sound in capturing the atmosphere of the locations as well as the sound of winds and the oceans for a key scene in the third act. The film’s music by Walter Goehr is superb for its sumptuous orchestral score that play into the drama and some of the film’s lighter moments as well as the suspenseful moments with its heavy strings and percussions.
The casting by Pat MacConnell, Adele Raymond, and Maude Spector do wonderful work with the casting as it include notable small roles from O.B. Clarence as Mr. Wemmick’s father, Torin Thatcher as a gentleman Estella is pursuing, Ivor Barnard as a man who helps Pip in a plan late in the film in Mr. Wemmick, Eileen Erskine as Joe’s new lover Biddy whom Pip is fond of, Freda Jackson as Joe’s first wife/Pip’s sister, John Forrest as a young version of Pocket that the young Pip meets at Miss Havisham’s home, and Francis L. Sullivan in a terrific performance as Miss Havisham’s lawyer Mr. Jaggers who would take Pip in for work as well as tell some things about Miss Havisham and Estella late in the film. Bernard Miles is superb as Joe Gargery as a blacksmith who is married to Pip’s sister in the first act as he is a father figure of sorts to Pip as well as someone who is willing to support him no matter how out of sorts he is with the rest of the world.
Alec Guinness is fantastic as Herbert Pocket as Pip’s co-worker who would help him in the ways of being a gentleman as well as informing Pip about what happened to Miss Havisham in her early life Anthony Wager is excellent as the young Pip who would deal with his encounter with the convict as well as young Estella’s cruelty where he would end up being fascinated by her. Jean Simmons is brilliant as the young Estella as a young girl who is quite cruel yet is intrigued by Pip for not giving into her insults while having desires to be a lady. Finlay Currie is amazing as the mysterious convict the young Pip meets early in the film as he would threaten him for food and a file to break away from his chains as he is touched by Pip’s kindness where he would later get him out of trouble as he would also appear in the film’s third act.
Martita Hunt is remarkable as Miss Havisham as an old woman who lives in a decayed estate that invites Pip to be her adopted daughter’s playmate as she is fascinated by the young boy but also deals with a sense of heartbreak as it represents her loss and sense of disappointment with the world. Valerie Hobson is incredible as Estella as a woman who is eager to make it into society yet would treat Pip as a prop rather than a person in her pursuit to be a bigger deal in society. Finally, there’s John Mills in a marvelous performance as older Pip as a man who is given a chance to be a gentleman as well as be part of society only to deal with some of the things that happen which makes him uneasy as well as his pursuit of Estella whom he sees as someone that is need to be loved.
Great Expectations is a phenomenal film from David Lean. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, a compelling script that is faithful to the Dickens novel, and a sumptuous music score. It’s a film that bear a lot of what is expected from Dickens with visual ideas from Lean that makes the film a top-notch adaptation. In the end, Great Expectations is a sensational film from David Lean.
Related: Great Expectations (1998 film) - (The Auteurs #74: David Lean)
David Lean Films: In Which We Serve - This Happy Breed – Blithe Spirit - Brief Encounter - Oliver Twist (1948 film) – The Passionate Friends - Madeleine (1950 film) – The Sound Barrier - Hobson's Choice - Summertime (1955 film) – The Bridge on the River Kwai - Lawrence of Arabia - Doctor Zhivago - Ryan's Daughter - (Lost and Found: The Story of Cook’s Anchor) – A Passage to India
© thevoid99 2018
Directed by Noel Coward and David Lean and written, starring, and music score by Coward, In Which We Serve is the story of Royal Naval sailors fighting in World War II as deal with their role in the war as they fight the Germans. The film is a dramatization of the exploits of Captain Lord Louis Mountbatten who would fight the Germans during a campaign in Crete in which his destroyer had sank during the campaign. Also starring John Mills, Bernard Miles, Celia Johnson, and Richard Attenborough. In Which We Serve is a riveting and evocative film from Noel Coward and David Lean.
The film follows the life of naval crew whose destroyer is being attacked by German air forces as they think about their lives at home as well as their lives working on this ship they love. It’s a film that explores men who are dealing with survival as they also reflect on their lives at home as much of it takes place on a lifeboat where a captain and other survivors think about home and the events that lead to the situation they’re in. Noel Coward’s screenplay takes a back-and-forth narrative of Captain E.V. Kinross (Noel Coward) and his crew trying to survive as well as looking back into their own lives at home as well as their life on the destroyer known as the HMS Torrin. Much of the film is told through flashbacks of not just the life that Captain Kinross has but also some of his officers and crew members including sailors who had families to go home to. Notably Chief Petty Officer Hardy (Bernard Miles) and Seaman Blake (John Mills) who would both endure changes into their own lives at home.
Coward’s direction mainly focuses on a lot of the film’s dramatic moments as well as many scenes not set during the conflict as he aims for something simpler in the compositions with a few stylish touches. Shot largely at the Denham Studios in Denham with a few exteriors shot in nearby locations, much of Coward’s direction would have a few wide shots of the locations but mainly focuses on close-ups and medium shots to play into the drama. Notably the lives of Captain Kinross, Hardy, and Blake as well as a few others including their respective spouses/lovers where Coward’s direction has elements of theatricality in its framing and long takes but does manage to establish what is going on and who these characters are.
Much of the film’s action scenes are helmed by David Lean who would use a lot of wide shots and some stock footage to play into the battle as a way to showcase the intensity of these battles. Even in the scenes on the lifeboat where the survivors have to evade the firepower from enemy planes with the wounded on the boats. Coward and Lean would still provide moments that play into what is at stake as well as the need to survive and watch their beloved ship in its final moments. Overall, Coward and Lean create a gripping and compelling film about the life of a British destroyer’s captain and his crew as they try to survive against the Germans.
Cinematographer Ronald Neame does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white cinematography as it play into the beauty of some of the locations outside of the studio the scenes in the sea with its usage of lights for the scenes in the day and night along with its interiors. Editor Thelma Myers, with additional work from David Lean, does excellent work with the editing in its usage of stylish transitional dissolves as well as some rhythmic cuts for some of the film’s action scenes. Art director David Rawnsley does amazing work with the look of the interiors of the destroyer as well as the shipyard and the homes of some of the characters.
The special effects work of Douglas Woolsey is fantastic for the usage of miniatures in some of the action scenes whenever the ships are destroyed as well as a few visual tricks in some of the transitions. Sound recordist C.C. Stevens does terrific work with the sound in capturing the sound of bombs during the blitz sequence as well as the sound of gunfire in some of the action scenes. The film’s music by David Lean, with contributions from Clifton Parker, is wonderful for its usage of orchestral string arrangements with elements of percussion bombast and military cadences to play into the drama and action throughout the film.
The casting by Irene Howard is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Daniel Massey and Ann Stephens as Captain Kinross’ children, George Carney and Kathleen Harrison as Blake's parents, Richard Attenborough as a young seaman who enters an empty bar following the Dunkirk evacuation, and Michael Wilding as a sailor named Flags. Kay Walsh is fantastic as Blake’s girlfriend/future wife Freda as a woman he meets on a train as they become a couple as she worries about what will happen to him. Joyce Carey is wonderful as Hardy’s wife Kath as a woman that knows what her husband is dealing with as she befriends Freda and helps her deal with being a sailor’s wife. Celia Johnson is brilliant as Alix Kinross as Captain Kinross’ wife who deals with the same issues as the other spouses as she is this picture of grace as someone who is trying keep her family together and know what to expect if things go wrong.
John Mills is excellent as Seaman Shorty Blake as a sailor who is dealing with a new love as well as the expectations of becoming a father while dealing with his role as a sailor as he does whatever he can to help his fellow sailors and officers. Bernard Miles is amazing as Chief Petty Officer Walter Hardy as an officer who is a second-in-command of sorts for Captain Kinross as well as be someone who is a friend of the sailors including Blake whom he offers advice to about marriage. Finally, there’s Noel Coward in a remarkable performance as Captain E.V. Kinross as the captain of the HMS Torrin who is trying to run things as well as be someone a group of sailors and officers can count on while being a good father and husband to his family as he knows the struggle he has in being away from them.
In Which We Serve is an incredible film from Noel Coward and David Lean. Featuring some dazzling visuals, an inventive screenplay, a great cast, and some amazing action sequences. It’s a war film that maybe a propaganda film for its time but it is still a riveting film that explore how important the need to fight for the good of the world. In the end, In Which We Serve is a marvelous film from Noel Coward and David Lean.
David Lean Films: This Happy Breed – Blithe Spirit - Brief Encounter - Great Expectations (1946 film) – Oliver Twist (1948 film) – The Passionate Friends - Madeleine (1950 film) – The Sound Barrier - Hobson's Choice - Summertime (1955 film) – The Bridge on the River Kwai - Lawrence of Arabia - Doctor Zhivago - Ryan's Daughter - (Lost and Found: The Story of Cook’s Anchor) – A Passage to India - (The Auteurs #74: David Lean)
© thevoid99 2018
(Played in Competition for the Palme d’Or at the 1949 Cannes Film Festival)
Based on the novel by H.G. Wells, The Passionate Friends is the story of a love triangle involving a woman with another man as she reflects on the affair as she sees him for the first time in nine years. Directed by David Lean and screenplay by Lean, Eric Ambler, and Stanley Haynes, the film is an exploration of love affairs told through a series of episodic flashbacks. Starring Ann Todd, Claude Rains, and Trevor Howard. The Passionate Friends is an extraordinary yet mesmerizing film from David Lean.
The film follows a woman who arrives to Switzerland for a holiday as she hears the familiar voice of a former lover as she then reflects on the affair she had with this man she was in love with while being married to a powerful banker. It’s a film that explores the idea of affairs and longing as a woman find herself torn for her love for this man and her devotion to her husband. The film’s screenplay begins with Mary Justin (Ann Todd) arriving to Switzerland with her husband’s secretary Miss Layton (Betty Ann Davies) as hearing the voice of her former lover in Professor Steven Stratton (Trevor Howard) forces her to look back nine years earlier when they rekindled their affair as she is married to the powerful banker Howard Justin (Claude Rains). The first half is about the affair that is just innocent as Mary and Steven knew each other years ago but Howard’s discovery of it would end it. The film’s second half begins in Switzerland due to a chance meeting as the two don’t just cope with missing each other but also talking about what happened to them since.
David Lean’s direction is enthralling in terms of the compositions he creates in some of the locations in Switzerland including the Alps as well as some of the more simplistic scenes set in London. While there are some unique wide shots that would Lean would create including a New Year’s Eve party in the film’s flashbacks. Lean goes for something that is more intimate with the usage of close-ups and medium shots to play into the attraction between Mary and Steven as he would create images that are astonishing for the scenes in the second half of the film set in the Alps. Lean would also create moments of fantasy as it relates to the things that Mary and Steven want but it would often collide with reality. Especially in the third act where the story returns to London as it is about the reality of Mary’s encounter with Steven and what she faces due to the anger and heartbreak from her husband. Overall, Lean crafts a compelling yet evocative film about a married woman dealing with the presence of her former lover.
Cinematographer Guy Green does amazing work with the film’s black-and-white photography from the look of the interiors including the scenes at night at the London underground train stations as well as some of the gorgeous exterior scenes in the Alps during the day. Editors Geoffrey Foot, Clive Donner, and Jack Harris do excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward with some dissolves and rhythmic cutting to play into the drama. Costume designer Margaret Furse does nice work with the costumes as it play into the posh look of the characters to play into the world they live in. Sound recorders Stanley Lambourne and Gordon K. McCallum do terrific work with the sound in capturing the sounds of boat and train engines heard from afar that add to some of the drama in some scenes. The film’s music by Richard Addinsell is wonderful for its sumptuous orchestral score that play into some of the happier moments as well as using some heavy orchestration for the dramatic moments.
The film’s marvelous cast include a couple of fantastic performances from Betty Ann Davies as Howard’s secretary Miss Layton and Isabel Dean as Steven’s date at the New Year’s Eve party in Pat. Claude Rains is incredible as Howard Justin as a banker that is trying to be a good husband but feels threatened by the presence of Professor Steven Stratton as he tries to hold on to his love for Mary. Trevor Howard is remarkable as Professor Steven Stratton as a man who is in love with Mary as he is eager to give her a nice life but also is aware what he’s doing to Howard. Finally, there’s Ann Todd in a radiant performance as Mary Justin as a married woman who is forced to recall events of her affair with Professor Stratton as she copes with wanting to be with him but also be loyal to her husband as the sense of anguish and torment gives Todd a performance that has to be seen.
The Passionate Friends is a sensational film from David Lean. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous cinematography, a dazzling film score, and a riveting story on longing and affairs. The film is certainly one of Lean’s more intimate yet character-driven stories filled with amazing imagery as well as intriguing characters. In the end, The Passionate Friends is a rapturous film from David Lean.
David Lean Films: In Which We Serve – This Happy Breed – Blithe Spirit - Brief Encounter - Great Expectations (1946 film) – Oliver Twist (1948 film) – Madeleine (1950 film) – The Sound Barrier - Hobson's Choice - Summertime (1955 film) – The Bridge on the River Kwai - Lawrence of Arabia - Doctor Zhivago - Ryan's Daughter - (Lost and Found: The Story of Cook’s Anchor) – A Passage to India - (The Auteurs #74: David Lean)
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by David Lean and written by Terence Rattigan, The Sound Barrier is the story of a test pilot who takes part in an experiment with aircraft designers to try and break the sound barrier where its owner is hoping for the experiment to succeed. The film is a mixture of drama mixed in with documentary footage about the attempts to break the sound barrier in the aftermath of World War II. Starring Ralph Richardson, Ann Todd, Nigel Patrick, John Justin, and Denholm Elliott. The Sound Barrier is a riveting film from David Lean.
The film follows the son-in-law of a wealthy aircraft design company owner who becomes a test pilot as they embark on breaking the sound barrier. It’s a film with a simple premise yet it is more about a man’s obsession with wanting to do the impossible just as World War II is about to end as he sees that his daughter’s new husband might be the right person to break the sound barrier. Terence Rattigan’s screenplay explore the sense of ambition as well as the desire to do something new and see if the impossible can be overcome. Yet, there is also some conflict over these ambitions where the protagonist in the owner John Ridgefield (Ralph Richardson) who is looking into the future as he is already on board on the emerging jet engine at the time.
Though he had plans for his son Chris (Denholm Elliott) to be the test pilot, it would be his new son-in-law Tony Garthwaite (Nigel Patrick) that would take on the role but becomes conflicted as he has just started a blissful life with Ridgefield’s daughter Susan (Ann Todd). The heart of the film is this conflict between Susan and her father as the former disapproves of her father’s ambitions just as she and Tony are making a life of their own with a child on the way. Tony is caught in the middle of this conflict as he wants to do the things as a test pilot but is also aware of the risks when he reads about a test pilot’s death in the second act. Even as the events in the third act where Susan and her father become estranged due to the former’s disdain for what her father wants showcase some of the fallacies of ambition despite Ridgefield’s good intentions.
David Lean’s direction is definitely stylish in some respects where it has some gorgeous compositions for the dramatic moments in the film while the aerial scenes are exquisite in its mixture of documentary footage and in re-created fashion. Much of the film is shot at Shepperton Studios with some of it shot on various locations in the British countryside near airfields as the scenes set in the ground have an intimacy in its close-ups and medium shots in how some look into the way planes are being flown as well as the meetings between the family. Especially in scenes where there is tension looming between Susan and Ridgefield as it play into this conflict of Susan wanting something where men in her family don’t have to live under the shadow of her father which is something Chris struggles with. The aerial scenes definitely have this vast look where Lean would use not just documentary footage of Britain’s own experiment with jet engines but also try and create moments where it could happen as some of it is inspired by actual events. Notably the film’s climax where a test pilot would try to break the sound barrier as it proves into what could be done. Overall, Lean crafts an engaging yet thrilling film about an aircraft owner’s desire to see the sound barrier broken.
Cinematographer Jack Hildyard does brilliant work with the film‘s black-and-white photography for the gorgeous look of some of the aerial scenes including the shots overlooking some of the locations as well as some of the interior scenes set at night along with the exterior nighttime scenes. Editor Geoffrey Foot does excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward with some intricate rhythmic cutting for some of the aerial sequences. Art director Joseph Bato does amazing work with the look of the airfield including Ridgefield‘s office and his home which is quite lavish as it play into his big personality. Costume designer Elizabeth Hennings does nice work with the costumes from the air force uniforms and suits as well as the clothes that Susan wears. The sound work of John Cox and sound editor Winston Ryder is incredible for the way jet engine sounds as well as some of the sparse moments at the homes of some of the characters. The film’s music by Malcolm Arnold is superb for its orchestral score that is bombastic with its string arrangements as well as in some of the somber moments for the dramatic aspects of the film.
The film’s wonderful cast include some notable small roles from Joseph Tomelty as aircraft designer Will Sparks, Dinah Sheridan as one of the test pilot’s wife in Jess Peel, John Justin as an inventive test pilot in Philip Peel, and Denholm Elliott as Susan’s brother Christopher who is reluctant to be his father’s premier test pilot. Nigel Patrick is excellent as Tony Garthwaite as an accomplished war pilot who is hoping for a great life with his new bride Susan while given the chance to do the impossible where he isn’t sure about taking such a grand risk. Ann Todd is brilliant as Susan as the daughter of an aircraft design mogul who is eager to start a new life with her husband while coping with the massive expectations and ambitions of her father as it relates to her husband and brother. Finally, there’s Ralph Richardson in a phenomenal performance as John Ridgefield as an aircraft design mogul who is eager to look into the future as he hopes he can give the British air force something new as well as break the speed barrier unaware of his faults in his thirst to see the impossible become possible.
The Sound Barrier is a remarkable film from David Lean. Featuring a great cast, exhilarating aerial sequences, and a compelling story of ambition and glory. It’s a film that explore the emergence of the modern world as well as man’s desire to do make the impossible possible. In the end, The Sound Barrier is a sensational film from David Lean.
David Lean Films: In Which We Serve - This Happy Breed - Blithe Spirit - Brief Encounter - Great Expectations (1946 film) - Oliver Twist (1948 film) - The Passionate Friends - Madeleine (1950 film) - Hobson's Choice - Summertime (1955 film) - The Bridge on the River Kwai - Lawrence of Arabia - Doctor Zhivago - Ryan's Daughter - (Lost and Found: The Story of Cook’s Anchor) - A Passage to India - (The Auteurs #74: David Lean)
© thevoid99 2017
Based on the play by Harold Brighouse, Hobson’s Choice is the story of a boot shop owner in Victorian England who copes with his eldest daughter’s decision to live her own life and marry his boot smith. Directed by David Lean and screenplay by Lean, Wynyard Browne, and Norman Spencer, the film is an exploration of a man coping with changes as he tries to maintain his own ideas while his daughters would rebel against the old rules. Starring Charles Laughton, Brenda De Banzie, Daphne Anderson, Prunella Scales, Richard Wattis, Derek Blomfield, and John Mills. Hobson’s Choice is a riveting and delightful film from David Lean.
Set in the late 1800s at Lancashire, the film revolves a boot shop owner whose life is about to change when his eldest daughter decides to marry his best boot smith and start her own business after hearing that she is considered too old to be married. It’s a film that play into this man who is quite pompous and often quite selfish as he pays more attention in going to a pub to drink rather than give his daughters the freedom to make something of themselves. Even as his best boot smith is feeling unappreciated for his work when a posh customer commends his work but still gets underpaid. The film’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the ideals of Henry Hobson (Charles Laughton) but also someone that wants to operate everything from his business to his life at home a certain way. Even as he wants his two youngest daughters to be married but with men of his choice rather than their own choice while his eldest daughter Maggie (Brenda De Banzie) is thirty-years-old as he think she’s too old to get married and would rather have her run the business and household which she’s good at.
When Maggie hears what her father has said about her to his friends at the local pub, she realizes that she has to do something for her own independence where she forces her father’s best boot smith in Willie Mossop (John Mills) to marry him and take part in a partnership where he would make the boots and she would sell them and run the business. It’s a move that shocks her father who tries to move on without her but both Alice (Daphne Anderson) and Vicky (Prunella Scales) have a hard time trying to run the household and the business. One of the unique aspects of the script is the developing relationship between Maggie and Willie where even though it’s the former that is doing all of the decision-making. It’s Willie who would become much smarter and more confident as he starts off as someone with little ambition but through Maggie’s patience in educating him and learning bits about the business.
Willie would come into his own while Maggie finds an equal in her life which would inspire Alice and Vicky to find men that they want to marry in their own terms. It’s something that Hobson would struggle with but also his own negligence towards his daughters and the fact that he’s an alcoholic. Hobson is a very unique character who is either oblivious in his selfishness or stubborn in his refusal to accept the changes around him. Especially at one point where he goes to the pub because the dinner Alice and Vicky made for him wasn’t satisfactory to his liking as it would play into the fact that times are changing and all of his bad vices and behaviors is catching up with him.
David Lean’s direction is definitely mesmerizing not just for its sense of theatricality since much of the film is shot in soundstages with some of it exteriors shot in old areas in Manchester where the film is partially set. While there are some wide shots to establish some of the locations, Lean would go for something that is more intimate in its visuals in the way he captures life at the shop as well as the raucous world of the pubs. The direction also has Lean create some moments that are quite surreal as it relates to Hobson’s alcoholic state late in the film such as a scene early in the second half where he sees the moon reflected on puddles and tries to stomp them out. The direction also has a theatricality in some of the wide shots such as the very first time one of Maggie’s sisters sees Maggie with Willie as well as the day of their wedding dinner where Maggie’s sisters are with the men they want to marry.
The direction also has Lean create moments that are quite humorous but in a very low-key way as it relates to Willie and the situation he’s forced into. Yet, even as he is developed into a more educated man with ideas of his own. There is still aspects of him that is quite simple where Lean would create a simple shot as it has something that is also very enjoyable. Notably the sequence of the wedding night where it’s about Willie trying to figure what to do while Maggie is in the other room. The film’s climax isn’t just about what Maggie and Willie had achieved but also a fall of sorts for Hobson who is forced to face reality about himself and the situation he’s in as it relates to his business. Overall, Lean crafts a witty yet whimsical film about a boot shop owner trying to deal with changing times and his own faults.
Cinematographer Jack Hildyard does excellent work with the film‘s black-and-white photography from the gorgeous exterior shots in the park and in the day to some of the interior scenes at night including at the home/shop that Maggie and Willie live/work at. Editor Peter Taylor does superb work with editing as it is largely straightforward with a few rhythmic cuts for some of the film‘s surreal moments. Art director Wilfred Shingleton does brilliant work with the art direction from the look of Hobson’s boot shop and the basement where the boots are made to the pub where Hobson frequents at.
Costume designer John Armstrong does fantastic work with the period costumes as well as the design of the boots that are made and the ragged suit of Hobson. The sound work of John Cox is terrific for the simplicity of the sound as well as the raucous atmosphere of the pubs. The film’s music by Malcolm Arnold is wonderful for its low-key yet playful orchestral music while music director Muir Matheson provide a soundtrack filled with the traditional pub songs of the times.
The film’s incredible cast feature some notable small roles from John Laurie as Dr. MacFarlane, Dorothy Gordon as Willie’s original fiancée, Julien Mitchell as the pub owner, Gibb McLaughlin and Philip Stainton as a couple of pub regulars who are friends of Hobson, Jack Howarth as another boot maker at Hobson’s shop, and Helen Haye as the posh customer who appreciates Willie’s work as she would play an integral part in Willie and Maggie’s new business. Derek Blomfield and Richard Wattis are superb in their respective roles as the corn merchant Freddy Beenstock and the solicitor Albert Prosser as the two men whom Vicky and Alice, respectively, want to marry while they would also be involved with Maggie and Willie’s business.
Prunella Scales is excellent as the youngest daughter Vicky who often does the cleaning as she also tries to cook for her father while Daphne Anderson is fantastic as the middle daughter Alice who knows how to run and manage the business but is aware that it’s not enough for her father. John Mills is brilliant as Willie Mossop as a boot smith who is good at what he does while he finds himself being in a business venture with Maggie where he realizes that he has a lot more to offer. Brenda De Banzie is amazing as Maggie Hobson as a 30-year old woman who decides to go into business by herself with Willie as she is someone with a lot of brains while realizing there’s more to Willie as she falls for him. Finally, there’s Charles Laughton in a phenomenal performance as Henry Hobson as a boot shop owner who prides himself in being the best at what he does but is often very selfish and often drinks himself unaware that he’s done a lot to hurt his family as well as be a fool to himself.
Hobson’s Choice is a sensational film from David Lean that features tremendous performances from Charles Laughton, Brenda De Banzie, and John Mills. It’s a film that has a lot of wit but also a compelling story about changing times and a man’s selfish refusal to accept it. In the end, Hobson’s Choice is a spectacular film from David Lean.
David Lean Films: In Which We Serve - This Happy Breed - Blithe Spirit - Brief Encounter - Great Expectations (1946 film) - Oliver Twist (1948 film) - The Passionate Friends - Madeleine (1950 film) - The Sound Barrier - Summertime (1955 film) - The Bridge on the River Kwai - Lawrence of Arabia - Doctor Zhivago - Ryan's Daughter - (Lost and Found: The Story of Cook’s Anchor) - A Passage to India - (The Auteurs #74: David Lean)
© thevoid99 2017
