Displaying items by tag: David Miller

BEAUTIFUL STRANGER/TWIST OF FATE

UK, 1954, 89 minutes, Black-and-white.

Ginger Rogers, Jacques Bergerac, Stanley Baker, Herbert Lom, Eddie Byrne, Margaret Rawlings, Coral Browne, Ferdy Mayne, John Le Mesurier.

Directed by David Miller.

Title and the credits love song indicate that Love is the beautiful stranger. However, it may also be the character of Johnny, former chorus girl dancer, played by Ginger Rogers.

During the 1950s, many of the American stars, with the introduction of television, came to England to star in smaller films, enhancing their reputations. Ginger Rogers had a strong career from the 1930s, dancing with Fred Astaire, an Oscar in 1940 for Kitty Foyle, her later career during the 40s and 50s in comedies and dramas.

The two leading men, 16 and 17 years younger than she, are the seemingly emotionless Stanley Baker and the French heartthrob in American films and television, Jacques Bergerac. He and Ginger Rogers were married at the time of making this film. There is an interesting supporting cast led by Herbert Lom in a rather sinister role, Eddie Byrne as a criminal contact, Corel Browne’s appearance at the hairdressers, Ferdy Mayne as the police officer, John Le Mesurier in a scene in the casino. Direction is by experienced American director, David Miller.

Riviera setting, crime and forgery, gambling, violence, betrayals… An entertainment rather than a serious portrait of credible characters and situations.

1. The original title, the theme song: Love is a Beautiful Stranger? The international title and its relationship to plot twists?
2. British filmmaking, American actors and directors, British cast? French Riviera locations? Musical score?
3. Johnny, the central character, Ginger Rogers, in her early 40s, the leading men 16 and 17 years younger? Her glamour, the range of costumes, her screen presence? Her story, theatre and dancing, hard times, the encounter with Louis, infatuated with him, his wealth, the yacht, the house, the gifts of jewellery, the high life, the casinos? The possibility of marriage? The effect on her, the encounter with Emil, the money, her friend in the sanatorium? Upset with Louis, his marriage, his business, the phone calls, her driving the car, the crash, the encounter with Pierre, the artists, the friendship, the pottery, the return, falling in love? Her dilemmas, Louis and his absences, his return, suspicions, and feels payment with the necklace, his balls conclusions, confrontations with Johnny?
4. Louis, business, his wife and relationship, her brothers, the forgeries, his gang, the sale of the coins, the plan for each of forgery, the collection, Emil paying with the necklace and his suspicions, the plan with Luigi, with Johnny, going to Africa? The scenes with his wife, the clash? His suspicions, the confrontations, his unexpected death?
5. Emil, past friendship with Johnny, the casino, the money and gambling, the selling of the coins, Luigi, the necklace, Emil and his lies, robbing the safe, the necklace, returning, robbing the safe of the cash, the encounter with Louis, the fight, Louis’s death, putting the body in the car, following, trying to burn the body, the irony of his coat, the money in the fire, pursuing him, the fight, Luigi shooting him?
6. Luigi, working with Louis, loyalty, collecting the coins, the money, the final plan, Louis not arriving, following Emil? His death?
7. Background characters, life at the casino, the local police and their activities?
8. A variation on film noir? An entertainment rather than realistic characters and situations?