Displaying items by tag: Felix Aylmer

THE YOUNG MR PITT

UK, 1942, 102 minutes, Black-and-white.

Robert Donat, Robert Morley, Phyllis Calvert, John Mills, Raymond Lovell, Felix Aylmer, Max Adrian, Herbert Lom, Jean Kandel.

Directed by Carol Reed.

The film is a star vehicle for renowned British actor, Robert Donat, during World War II. (Comparisons implied between Napoleon and his aggression and the Nazi overwhelming of your about to Hitler. Comparisons between William Pitt and his stances against Napoleon and Churchill confronting Hitler.)

Donat had made a great impression on stage in London but also in the film, especially with his role in The Private Life of Henry VIII, then as the Count of Monte Cristo, a succession of prestigious roles, serious and comic in the latter part of the 1930s, culminating in his Oscar-winning role in Goodbye Mr Chips, 1939.

There was a break between Goodbye Mr Chips and The Young Mr Pitt, three years.

The film is a detailed re-creation of England, especially at the end of the 18^th century and the beginning of the Napoleonic wars. Robert Donat also appears as the older Pitt, passing on his political legacy to his son, the credits noting that the speeches by both Pitts came from the actual records.

Pitt is was prime minister for several decades, falling briefly out of favour with the threat from France after the Revolution but then regaining the prime ministership and the confronting of Napoleon. Robert Morley appears as Fox, invited to collaborate with Pitt but refusing, mocking, but eventually coming onto his side.

There is a gallery of British character actors in support and, interestingly, an early John Mills appearance as William Wilberforce. Herbert Lom all yes yes is what is there and stops on’s’s offices are all there is the’s plays Napoleon – and was to do so in 1956 in War and Peace.

The film was directed by Carol Reed who had been emerging during the 1930s with such films as The Citadel. Perhaps his most famous film, from 1949, was his version of Graham Greene’s The Third Man. Reed continued directing during the 1950s and, surprisingly, won the Oscar for Best Director in 1968 for Oliver.

1. Audience knowledge of William Pitt, his father, his long prime ministership, during the French Revolution, the rise of Napoleon, the war with France? Nelson?
2. British filmmaking in 1942, World War II, dramatising British history, in wartime, the leadership of the Prime Minister, an enemy from the continent (Pitt and Napoleon, Churchill and Hitler)? The public supporting the war effort?
3. The film as “intelligent”? The quality of the screenplay language, well articulated, period sequences yet conveying a great deal of history and character? Costumes and decor, vivid recreation of the period? The musical score?
4. The introduction, the senior Pitt, his political role, verbatim speeches from history, his evening with his son, passing on the inheritance? The drinking, the respect, the family pride?
5. Robert Donat’s presence and performance, credibility, deliverance of speeches, also verbatim from history? His age, his inheritance, his skills, the ridicule of the political opposition, the king, appointing him prime minister? His approach to Charles Fox, refusing? Entry to parliament, the exaggerated mockery? His speeches?
6. The screenplay, moving through almost 20 years, not many indications of dates and how much time passing? Audience applying this?
7. Pitt, his advisers, the relationship with William Wilberforce, Smith as his assistant and secretary? The other friends? The incident of his being mobbed, the physical training centre, the man coming to the rescue and joining the fight, indicating Pitt’s support amongst the people? The newspaper headlines, Fox losing popularity, Pitt, in Parliament?
8. The overview of his social achievements? Hard work?
9. Issues in France, the French Revolution, the execution of the king, Fox and his sympathy for the French? His speeches in the parliament, ridiculing of Pitt? Pitt and his stances, national pride?
10. Napoleon, his signature, his rise, power, the 1790s, Toulon, the siege, British ships, Pitt and his decision to build up the navy? The collage of huge ships filled and launched? Confrontations with Napoleon? The scenes with Napoleon, building up his presence on par? The visit by Talleyrand, by the American, Pitt and his stances?
11. Opposition to his approach, the ridicule and the parliament? The irony of his reading the message about the victory in Egypt? The choice of Nelson, the church sequence, the appointment, Nelson and his achievements, especially Trafalgar?
12. Lord Auckland, diplomatic, his daughter, Pitt and the visits, playing games with the children, the attraction to the daughter, the conversations? Her support? The coach and nodding off and driving to the house, her waiting, Pitt turning back to his work?
13. The new Prime Minister, appointed by the king, the parallels with 1938 and appeasement of Hitler, the appeasement of Napoleon, focusing on domestic issues rather than defence?
14. The further dangers, the appointment by the king, Fox coming to support him, Wilberforce after an initial hesitation, support?
15. Pitt and his help, the doctor’s advice, the nanny and her care, his long working hours, drinking, ignoring the medicine?
16. The film and its tribute, his achievement, death at 46? And morale boosting in 1942?

THE GHOST OF ST MICHAELS

UK, 1941, 82 minutes, Black-and-white.

Will Hay, Charles Hawtrey, Claude Hulbert, Felix Aylmer, Raymond Huntley, John Laurie, Hay Petrie, Brefni O'Rourke.

Directed by Marcel Varnel.

An example of popular comedy produced in the UK in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Will A, the scientist and astronomer in training and hobby, was popular as a comedian in a series of small-budget films at the time. He was revered and audiences now watching his films will be interested in his status and impact at that time. But, it seems quite dated.

This is a wartime story, an indication of spies operating in England and Scotland. It is a story of a transfer of school students to an old Castle in Scotland, travelling by ferry to an island, and the old Castle reputed to have ghosts. (Those interested in screenwriting might note that one of the contributors here, John Dighton, made the school comedy, The Happiest Days of Your Life almost 10 years later.)

The comedy is very broad, farcical, the suggestion of ghosts and eerie music, especially agitated by the Scots staff member, John Laurie. And, in fact, there are two deaths, not by ghost but by a spy. In the two deaths are of the serious characters in the film, two headmasters, Felix Aylmer and Raymond Huntley, playing straight rather than comic roles.

However, in retrospect, the surprise of the film is the presence of Charles Hawtrey at the age of 26, already a strong career in film and radio, really the commanding presence of the film even over Will Pay. He portrays a very precocious student, shrewd, mischievous, a touch self-righteous, the contributing strongly to the solution of the mysteries. It would be another 15 or 16 years before he made his first Carry on film, starring in 23 of the series. And, his style in 1941 certainly prefigured his comic abilities in his Carry on career.

One for the historical record and for film history buffs.

LOSER TAKES ALL

UK, 1956, 88 minutes, Colour.

Glynis Johns, Rossano Brazzi, Robert Morley, Tony Britton, Felix Aylmer, Joyce Carey, Geoffrey Keane, Albert Lieven, A.E.Matthews.

Directed by Ken Annakin.

In retrospect, the biggest surprise about this film is that it is based on a Graham Greene short story and the screenplay has, in fact, been written by Graham Greene. (He is said not to have been so happy about the finished product – he would not have given it a good review in the days when he was a film reviewer!).

It has lavish treatment, a strong cast and Monte Carlo locations and fashions. But, it has a brief running time, a type of British screwball comedy. Characters are not meant to be consistent and, here, they definitely are not. And they are slightly sketched overall.

Rossano Brazzi is a meticulous accountant, wins the favour of businessmen, Robert Morley, who invites him to Monte Carlo for a holiday where he is to marry his fiancee, Glynis Johns. The wealthy man does not turn up and the couple have very limited resources. However, they do get married. A stranger offers a gambling system to the husband and he becomes absorbed, winning a great deal of money and enabling the couple to live something of a high life. But, the husband gets so involved that he neglects his wife and she has caught the eye of a British gambler, played by Tony Britton in his first film.

The plotline is somewhat predictable but the credibility of the characters following the predictable plotline is very doubtful. Perhaps the actors are doing their best, but Rossano Brazzi becomes too serious and avaricious and Glynis Johns more flighty.

There are several character actors in support, a surprising turn by Joyce Carey who has her own schemes in the casinos, Geoffrey Keane as a manager being very superior to the customers.

The film is an early film directed by Ken Annakin who was to have a successful career in the UK and the US, dramas as well is blockbusters.

A MAN ABOUT THE HOUSE

UK, 1947, 99 minutes, Black-and-white.

Margaret Johnston, Dulcie Gray, Kieron Moore, Guy Middleton, Felix Aylmer.

Directed by Lesley Arliss.

A rather low-key melodrama based on a popular novel of the time by Francis Brett Young. This was the period in British cinema of Great Expectations, Black Narcissus. But there were also quite a number of colourful melodramas, sometimes based in Italy as was this one.

Two unmarried sisters run a school in London but receive a bequest from an uncle, a substantial income each year as well as a home in Italy, outside Naples. The sisters are played by Margaret Johnston (Australian-born, stage actress, in films from the 40s to 1968) and Dulcie Gray, with a long career in films. Introduced here is the Irish actor Kieron Moore, retiring from films in 1974, notable for his performances from Vronski with Vivien Leigh in the 1948 Anna Karenina. Guy Middleton and Felix Aylmer were regulars in many British films and these decades.

The film opens in a rather prim London, transfers to Italy, the older sister being very reserved and arrogant, the younger sister more enthusiastic. They encounter Salvatore, the manager of the estate. The older sister gradually mellows and falls in love, the younger sister observing but then falling in love with a doctor who visits. Salvatore is the life of the community, but the audience will at some stage begin to be suspicious, this confirmed, as he is poisoning his wife, resentful that his family which owned the estate has been taken over by the English.

A melodramatic and artificially staged fight between Salvatore and the doctor, the older sister recovering and never knowing her husband’s plans.

Certainly not to the taste and style of the 21^st-century audience. Rather, more interesting as an example of British filmmaking in the postwar period.