REVIEW: All Night Long (1962)

REVIEW: All Night Long (1962 UK)

Wealthy playboy Rod Hamilton (Attenborough) plans an elaborate first-wedding anniversary for pianist Rex and ex-singer Delia (Harris & Stevens). The setting is a modified 2-story warehouse, complete with bandstand for a group of professional musicians who will provide music for the event.

Drummer Johnny Cousin (McGoohan) arrives with his own drum kit and immediately goes upstairs and makes a private phone call to booking agent Lou Berger (Bernard Braden). He tells him that he can get Delia to come out of retirement and join his own new band. The promoter informs Johnny that without Delia, he’s not interested.

The problem is, Delia retired when she married, and promised to stay that way.  While she has been rehearsing a song in a new style just for Rex, she has no actual intentions of going back on the road. But the promoter doesn’t know that, so Johnny tells him to come over and see her perform that night.

Delia chats with Johnny about her joining his new band, but she tells him flat out she is not going back on the road, with his, or any, band. He even tells her it has nothing to do with finally getting his own band, he just wants her. She tells him in no uncertain terms never to "talk to me like this again, EVER".

Johnny has been working on putting together his 12-man band for a year, and is in debt "up to the neck".  He hopes to get more financial backing from Rod, who has bought Delia an expensive anniversary gift.  But Rod isn't forthcoming with the agreed upon "25 grand".

Johnny is now so obsessed with getting his own band together that he spends the evening pitting friend against friend, lover against lover, hoping to eventually tear Delia away from Rex by proving her unfaithful. She would then be “available” to sing with his band.

What follows is a maze of lies and underhanded tactics, but the basic plan is to make it appear that Rex’s manager Cass (Michell) is having an affair with Delia. He eventually does this by putting ideas in people’s minds, then splicing together a tape recording of Cass talking to his girlfriend with one with him and Delia. Johnny plays this fake conversation to Rex who goes into a rage, attacking Cass and Delia, to the shock of all of the guests and musicians.

When Rex states to everyone that Johnny played him a tape recording proving that Delia is unfaithful, it is Johnny’s own wife Emily (Blair) who tells the whole crowd he is a liar, always has been.

Rex chases Johnny upstairs and out onto a balcony. He is ready to beat him into a pile of pudding when Delia stops him, and Rex leaves.  Delia goes after him...

The guests and musicians also leave. Eventually, only Johnny, Emily, and Rod are left in the warehouse. As Rod shuts off lights upstairs and prepares to leave, Emily tries to console Johnny, who is sitting at his drum kit.  His impeccable demeanor is gone.  He instead is hunched over, disheveled, sweating profusely.  He tells his wife to go on with her life without him, but she tells him she won’t because she loves him. This seems to shock Johnny, but he then goes into a rage, states he doesn't want to be loved, and loves no one, not even himself.

Johnny begins to furiously bang on his drums as Emily leaves. Rod then descends the stairs and walks right by him like he isn’t even there, exiting the darkened building, leaving Johnny alone with his demons.

“All Night Long” has been released on Region 2/PAL DVD & Blu-ray by Network (UK).  It was also released on Region 1 DVD as part of Criterion’s “Basil Dearden’s London Underground” DVD set (2010).  Turner Classic Movies occasionally plays the film as well.

Rod inspects the special banner commemorating Rex and Delia's first anniversary

Delia and Rex, the happy couple, arrive at the surprise party

Johnny tries to get Delia to join his new band... and gets turned down flatly

Part of Johnny's plan, get Cass to fall off the weed-wagon and sow the seeds of hate

Stoned & drunk Cass rips into agent Lou Berger, the very man who Johnny is trying to get to promote his new band

A stern talking-to from Rex...

Johnny takes his turn at the drums, eyes scanning the room, mind scheming even as he plays...

Delia sings her first tune for Rex, the guests, and fellow musicians

Johnny works on his "damning evidence" against Cass & Delia

Preparing to play the tape to Rex, Delia's gold cigarette case in his pocket...

Rex reacts to the fake tape... he has Cass and Delia in his cross-hairs now...

Rex tries to strangle his wife as Cass and Rod try to get through the locked door

Emily tells the crowd that Johnny is, and always has been, "a terrible, terrible liar" who never told the truth in his life

Benny tells Cass to tell Rex it was she he was speaking to when the tape machine was recording

Johnny starts to realize the jig is up...

"You fixed the tape... why did you do that?"

Johnny saved from becoming a puddle of tuxedo by Delia, who snaps Rex back into reality

Delia runs to Rex outside... 

Emily ready to leave with her husband, but Johnny tells her to "walk out on me, like all the others did..."

Johnny reacts to Emily telling him she loves him... 

... but he then looses his temper, ranting about love... he doesn't want to be loved... he loves no one, "I don't even love Johnny". 
He tells his wife to go find someone else to love as he starts manically drumming... she leaves...

Rod heads downstairs as Johnny beats his drums... and walks right by him toward the exit...

Rex and Delia, still together...

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The Actors

Patrick McGoohan Johnny Cousin	Marti Stevens Delia Lane	Paul Harris Aurelius Rex
Keith Michell Cass Michaels	Richard Attenborough Rod Hamilton	Betsy Blair Emily (Cousin)
Bernard Braden Lou Berger	María Velasco Benny

This film is loosely based on Shakespeare’s Othello.  And I readily admit I know next to nothing about Shakespeare (other than do NOT mention Macbeth by name to an actor!).   I had to (try to) read some of his works in school, but I never could understand any of it, thanks to ye ole English.  Period reviews of the film explained that Othello is Rex, Desdemona is Delia, Iago is Johnny, and Cassio is Cass.  Additionally, one reviewer felt Roderigo was Rod, Emilia was Emily. 

Those same period reviews also mention somewhat “square” moments when the actors use jazzy, “hip” talk.  Thankfully, there’s actually very little of that.  Most of the “hipness” is in the scenes where Johnny and Cass are smoking marijuana.  There’s also very little, if any, reference to the fact that Rex and Delia are an interracial couple.  I personally like that, as I can’t stand preachy films unless they fairly show both sides of an issue.  But for 1962, it must have raised a few eyebrows.  Being based on Othello probably helped, unless the viewer was like me and had no idea what Othello was all about, so couldn’t make the connection!  Not mentioned in period reviews is the fact that Cass’ relationship with girlfriend Benny is also interracial, as the actress María Velasco was Mexican.

Of note, this good looking, well edited film actually falls flat on its face during the above-mentioned pot smoking scenes.  There are some abrupt edits, which make me wonder if censors were at work, the scene wasn’t believable enough, or perhaps even the actors weren’t comfortable with the scene.  McGoohan was often called a prude for his Catholic morals, but he also drank and smoked a lot.  If he ever went on record about the use of drugs, I’d like to know his feelings on the subject (or WOULD I??).  Regardless, those bits are the only real technically-bad things I can think of.

Well, there is one other:  The actors’ pretending to make music.  With so many real jazz musicians on screen, I was worried how the actors would look trying to play instruments.  Harris isn’t very believable at all on the piano.  Michell is a bit better with his sax.  Stevens’ mouthing of her two songs is ok at times, too dramatic at others, too emotionless elsewhere.  Not being familiar with her, I looked her up and she did indeed sing during her career, though I haven’t confirmed who did the singing on the film’s soundtrack.

But, mercifully, McGoohan did a lot of preparation for his drumming scenes with real drummer Allan Ganley, whom you hear on the soundtrack.  As a result, other than a few seconds here and there where the soundtrack is slightly out of sync with the film, McGoohan's drumming looks very credible.  Considering his top-billing and abundance of on-screen time, it is a testament to his desire for perfection that McGoohan spent so much extra effort (reportedly on his own time at home) just to make sure his drumming would look credible.  He even scored a photo on the cover of the film’s soundtrack album, and reportedly kept “Johnny Cousin’s” drum kit.

As far as the cast goes, first and foremost, I’m not used to seeing so little of Richard Attenborough in a film!  Especially having seen The Great Escape a gazillion times!  But he plays the part of the fair, amiable playboy well, and he looks nice in his tux, though he switches into a “square” sweater almost immediately!  He drives a yummy Bentley convertible (top up, in the London rain).

Marti Stevens reminded me a little of Marlene Dietrich (oddly enough, while reading a little about her, I found out the two women were indeed friends!).  Her overall performance is good, and she looks the part, though “torch singers” were often a bit rougher around the edges.

I felt Keith Michell was alternately slightly too wooden and slightly too “method” as Cass, though he never goes too far overboard into the realm of overacting.  All in all, he’s OK as the pawn in Johnny’s game.  (And María Velasco plays Cass’ girlfriend perfectly.)

Paul Harris as Rex seemed better in the first half of the film than in the second.  He fits as a happily married jazz pianist celebrating his first wedding anniversary.  But once the doubt, brooding, and anger begin, his performance tends to also get rather wooden.  Harris seems to have gone the “understated route”.  That, no doubt, suits many tastes.  Perhaps I am being too harsh.  But he just isn’t facially expressive enough to convey what he is thinking.  That is, until the very end, when it becomes very obvious indeed.

Betsy Blair plays Johnny’s wife just right.  She is slightly ditzy and rather innocent, perhaps in denial as well.  She loves her husband even though her marriage to Johnny when they were young was not the happy event it should have been.  And he doesn't seem to treat her very well at times.  But she proves to be loyal to him, right up to the end.

Last, but far from least, is Patrick McGoohan’s performance as Johnny Cousins. 

One peek at this blog and it becomes blatantly obvious I am a fan of his, and this film seems to be a favorite of other fans as well (female ones, anyway).  Filmed between the original half-hour Danger Man series and the later hour-long revival, he is handsome and classy in his tuxedo, smoking too much as usual, effortlessly gliding around the set as his character sets his plan in motion.

This film also adds some credence to my theory that make-up folks sometimes darkened McGoohan's eyebrows for certain productions.  As can be seen here, they were very light indeed. 

I’ve already covered here my relief that McGoohan's drumming looks credible, and his American accent is for the most part more believable here than in the first Danger Man series (perhaps the lack of slight Irish-tinge makes the difference).  As for the scenes where he is smoking marijuana, being a teetotaler I can’t really judge his performance (I didn’t know pot came in dark, neatly rolled cigarettes, and I always thought the smoke was supposed to stay inhaled longer).

And in some early scenes, it seems as though McGoohan is perhaps over doing things a bit.  That is, until the plot unfolds, and the audience starts to realize just what Johnny Cousin is up to.

Unlike Paul Harris, McGoohan is easily able to express thoughts and emotions with subtle changes to his face.  He goes from scheming-happiness to stressed-apprehension to glee in the blink of an eye (1:16:59-20).  He stands in the background watching his surroundings (27:54), and we know he has just thought up a new angle for his plan without him saying a word.  We know exactly how he feels throughout the film, even though he never says a single word to anyone. 

And despite being a conniving, underhanded louse, it is rather difficult to hate his character.  Is it because of his intelligence?  His smile?  His upbeat manner?  His good-natured, helpful ways?  Or do we feel sorry for him thanks to that ever present, slightly insane look in his eyes?  Only a few times do we see actual malice in those eyes.  The other characters don’t see it, just the audience.

Even Johnny’s reaction to being unmasked as the man who caused all of the suffering of the evening is understated.  After his initial “what, who, me??” reaction, he just stands there, ever so slightly changing his expression as the noose tightens.  He says nothing, not even when Rex has him by the throat, ready to turn him into a bloody puddle of tuxedo.  It’s all in his face and body language.

Only in the last scene does the audience get any actual first-hand insight into Johnny’s mind.  He has gone from the happy-go-lucky drummer in his very first scene, to a miserable, disheveled, lonely man, seemingly unable to love and be loved.  In fact, one almost wonders if all his scheming actually had nothing to do with getting his own band started at all, but to get back at everyone around him who had someone to love.  

If this is the case, what about his wife Emily, who seems to really love him, warts and all?  Was the fact she never got their marriage annulled a thorn in his side?  Did Johnny really mean it when he told Delia it wasn't about having his own band, but because he needed her? Take a look at the 16:21 mark of the film.  Is he being genuine?  Or is that band with his name on it his one and only priority?  He had, after all, already spent a whole year and lots of cash putting it together.  Johnny was turned down in one way or another by (in order) Berger, Delia, Rod, even Cass, who simply lets it be known nothing could ever break up Rex and Delia's marriage.  By the time the night is over, Berger is publicly insulted by Cass, Delia almost looses her husband (and life), Rod's party is ruined, and Cass is thrown from a second floor staircase.  Payback, perhaps?

No doubt, this is where the whole Shakespeare thing kicks in… I should have tried to pay more attention in English class!

The ending is also the point when we, the audience, may indeed finally hate Johnny Cousin, if just for the way he treats his wife.  And yet, in a way, we can still sort of feel sorry for him as he manically beats his drums, alone and in the dark.

And so I give this film a “yup, go watch it” rating. It may take a few viewings to catch all of the little intricacies, twists & turns.  I caught a lot of things while working on the screen-shots.  The movie looks good (some interesting camera moves here and there help) and sounds good as well.

Oh, that reminds me… you better like jazz if you watch this one…

"Be seeing you!"

McGoohan fans will no doubt chuckle at 1:17:54... 

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The Musicians

Dave Brubeck Piano	Charles Mingus Bass	John Dankworth Alto Sax	Allan Ganley Drums
Bert Courtley Trumpet	Tubby Hayes Tenor Sax & Vibes	Ray Dempsey Guitar	Colin Purbrook Piano
Keith Christie  Trombone	Harry Beckett Trumpet	John Scott Alto Sax & Flute	Did I goof with an I.D.? Let me know!!!

There are a LOT of jazz musicians in this film. The list above is incomplete, and I hope I got the names matched up properly to the faces (let me know if I didn’t!).  I think it's darn nifty the musicians got their names in the beginning credits right along with the actors.

DANGER:  Personal opinions ahead!

Jazz is a type of music with something for many, varying tastes. There are only so many styles of rock, fewer styles of country-western, and even fewer of the blues. But with jazz, you have Fusion, West Coast, East Coast, Dixieland, Acid, Contemporary, Ragtime, Be-Bop, etc. It can all get very personal. And snobbish.

While not an actual aficionado, I have liked jazz since I was a kid. I grew up with my brother playing guitar to jazz records. Wes Montgomery, Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrell, they all wafted down from his attic bedroom. Later on I discovered Vince Guaraldi, The Modern Jazz Quartet (with Milt Jackson on vibes), and Oscar Peterson. Some purists probably will scoff, but 1940s swing and even some Dixieland is just plain good stuff.

But one thing that has been constant is my dislike of horns in jazz. I know there are players from the past I would like, I just haven’t made the effort to look into their albums yet. But as far as guys like Miles Davis and Charlie Parker… no thank you.

All Night Long, though, is full of “brass”.  And I like about 95% of it, which proves my theory there ARE jazz horn players I would like. 

I had only heard of two of the musicians in the film, Dave Brubeck (piano) and Charles Mingus (bass).  Though I have never really listened to their music (I know I like Brubeck’s song Take Five).  I believe a majority of the rest of the guys are British.  And they swap places throughout the movie, with different men playing drums, piano, bass… even bongos!  Tubby Hayes even goes from vibes to sax.

As stated earlier, drummer Allan Ganley had the task of helping Patrick McGoohan learn drums well enough to look convincing on screen.  Check out the scene at 9:17, where Johnny Cousin arrives with his own set of drums (with "his name on it").  That is Ganley staring at him as he talks to the band.  This little bit seems to be tongue-in-cheek.  Johnny the master drummer takes charge and tells this other interloper what to do, when in reality it is an actor pretending to tell his drum teacher what to do!

Another aspect of jazz I have never liked is singers, especially female ones (personal preference rears its ugly head here again).  To me, jazz is purely musical.  No lyrics required (except maybe with Big Band swing) .  This might be why I do indeed like Ella Fitzgerald.  She tended to sing like a musician.  So did Mel Torme.  But so many women seem to try too hard to sound “jazzy” or "torchy", and it just turns me off.

Because of this, I am going to refrain from commenting on the two songs sung in the film (first one is better).  (Oh, wait... that is a comment... ooooops)

For those interested in the film’s soundtrack, an LP was issued in 1962 on the Fontana label.  It was  reissued on vinyl by Not NowMusic.

6/3/2020 - Jonelle DeFelice

REVIEW: The Gypsy and the Gentleman (1958)

The Gypsy and the Gentleman (1958)

The film opens in a basement full of “betting gentlemen” watching Sir Paul Deverill (Keith Michell) struggle with a greased pig.  He is supposed to be marrying Vanessa Ruddock (Clare Austin), though he doesn’t love her.  As he rides home in a coach with her father, he promises him they will marry regardless.  Meanwhile, two gypsies, Belle (Melina Mercouri) and Jess (Patrick McGoohan) are making their way on foot in the same direction as Deverill.

Belle enters the Deverill kitchen to try and “sell her wares”, and gets kicked out, stealing some cooked chicken in the process.  She brings the food to Jess, who is building a fire, and she states she is not a gypsy, since her father was a “gentleman”.  Meanwhile Deverill has a hot bath, a luxury to the gypsies. 

Aunt Lady Caroline Ayrton (Helen Haye) visits Paul and his sister Sarah (June Laverick), who Caroline says will get her fortune, not Paul, who will squander it away.  Caroline is in love with a medical student, John Patterson (Lyndon Brook). 

The band of gypsies hold a sort of fair, full of locals, and Deverill holds a boxing match.  He promises to pay the winner “a purse”, but after the match, he discovers his pocket has been picked.  Blame is put on Belle, who the crowd turns on.  She seeks safety in Deverill’s arms, and returns his purse.  She flirts with him, and he proceeds to give her freedom… and the money.  Deverill will get another purse for the winning boxer.

Next we meet Sarah’s intended, as well as Deverill’s. 

One rainy night, Deverill’s coach is passing Bess and Jess’s camp, and she runs up to the road and finagles herself into the coach.  She tells him sister Sarah that she isn’t a real gypsy, because her father was a gentleman.  She is offered a roof over her head for the night.  This ends up being a night in Deverill’s bedroom.

Belle ends up living at the house, Sarah doesn’t like it, Belle steals the second purse of money intended for the boxer, Deverill is called on to decide which woman to keep, Belle or Vanessa, he chooses Belle, etc etc etc.   Belle and Deverill get married.  Sarah tells her there is no money, just debts.  Belle gets mad.  But she sticks around, determined to be something more than poor.

Time passes, and it appears most of the valuables in the Deverill house have been sold to pay creditors.  Most of the staff is gone.  Jess manages to become Deverill’s “man”, taking care of horses, etc.  He lives over the stable.  Belle occasionally flirts with him, but also hits him like she hits the last remaining maid.  He makes it clear Belle can’t treat him that way, and also if he ends up having to run, he will run alone. 

Aunt Caroline passes away, and the family lawyer comes to the house.  He explains the terms of her will.  Sister Sarah will get her fortune if she marries before she turns 21.  Belle and Jess start working on making sure she can’t get married in time, scheming with the lawyer. 

Jess locks Sarah inside a “folly” on the estate, what looks like an Oriental tower of sorts, surrounded by water.   She often met her boyfriend John there.  So when John arrives looking for her, he goes to see if she is there.  Jess pretends he is living in the folly, and John leaves. 

Sarah ends up escaping the folly, and makes it to London.  Belle, Jess, and Deverill head there as well.  Belle and Jess meet up with the lawyer and Jess suggests having Sarah committed to an insane asylum.  She is found, then kidnapped and brought to the asylum.  Bess gets a drunken Deverill to sign the proper paperwork to keep his sister locked away.

Sarah’s friend Mrs. Haggard (Flora Robson) finds out, and tries to free her.  She succeeds in convincing the corrupt head of the hospital to let her go instead of being exposed to the public.

Deverill suddenly sobers up enough to go to his lawyer’s office.  He discovers what has been going on behind his back, and suddenly grows a spine. 

The movie ends with Sarah and Mrs. Haggard in a coach speeding away from the asylum, followed by Jess and Belle on another coach.  Deverill is on horseback racing toward them from the opposite direction.  They meet on a stone-arch bridge over a swift waterway.  Jess and Belle fall into the water.  Deverill jumps in after Belle, as Jess swims toward the shore.

Belle yells out for Jess, as Deverill keeps her above water.  Deverill has saved Belle’s life, but she only wants Jess.  Jess keeps swimming and gets onto the shore.  He looks back, but sees no one.  Deverill decides to drown Belle and himself.

This movie can be found online with some digging.  It appears to have been released on DVD in a few countries (such as Region 0/Spain)

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This film is somewhat notorious for McGoohan fans (female ones, anyway) thanks to that beard and the smooching scenes.  To what extent his infamous no-kissing policy actually extended, we may never know.  But his Rank roles did require kissing women, no more so than in this story.  Though, you never really see lips touching lips!

I had already formed an opinion of this movie thanks to female fans' comments regarding his kissing scenes (positive), McGoohan's own opinion of his Rank films (negative), and even one newspaper editorial from years ago where a woman was rather upset at his non-Secret Agent-like character (scoundrel). I found a copy of the film posted online and gave it a view...

The whole film actually has a decent "look" to it. Even a less-than-stellar online copy had good color, though McGoohan's eyes didn't look at all blue, so a good copy from a good print probably would look amazing. But there are plenty of outdoor scenes, elaborate sets, and colorful costumes.  It doesn’t look cheap.

But the plot looses your interest after a while, and the ending is rather trite.

The two lead characters, Belle and Sir Paul Deverill, are, well... CADS. It is very hard to be sympathetic to either of them. They both ask for what they get.

I found Melina Mercouri rather annoying.  I probably shouldn’t fault her, but her character instead.  She sure was fiery!  But she just seemed to be pushing the sexy-thing too much. Her whole performance was a bit over the top. Her outfits made the most of her teeny waist and were cut to make the most of the upper-half of her.  Let’s just say she was no Dagmar (look her up…).

Keith Michell as Sir Paul Deverill also annoyed me.  But, again, his character is a spoiled jerk you have no sympathy for, either.  I found myself wondering if I, the viewer, was supposed to hate him for dumping nice Sarah Deverill for slutty Belle, or feel for him because he is being duped.  His death in the end is no great loss…

The "nice" characters are pretty run-of-the-mill, though Flora Robson is a bit of a stand-out as Mrs. Haggard.  June Laverick likewise was OK as Sarah Deverill, if a bit too mousy. 

As for McGoohan's character, Jess, one minute he seems nice, then nasty, then a bit of both, then also a cad.  But how can you hate a character that sits and gently pets a white ferret?  It doesn’t really matter, because he looks darn sexy in his beard.  And I am generally no fan of beards! 

I didn’t find his infamous “love scenes” with Mercouri as steamy as fans always suggest.  I still didn’t see any lip-on-lip contact, he still seems distracted (by food or a purse of money), and the scenes still fade out just in time.  There also didn’t seem to be any sort of connection between the two actors, unlike his kiss at the end of “Nor the Moon by Night”. 

But all that smooching aside (and there is a lot implied in this film), McGoohan’s best scene, acting wise, may actually be the one where Jess pretends to live in the folly.  He’s a totally different character, and actually gets some dialog to say.

Now, if you like horses, there are a lot of them in this one.  I couldn’t quite tell which actors were actually doing their own high-speed riding, some of it side-saddle, but there is one thing I just have to ask:  HOW does McGoohan get onto his horse like that??

Watch it if you must, but have a good reason to, like I did...

REVIEW: Charley's Aunt (1941)

Charley's Aunt (1941)

Charley's Aunt began life in 1892 as a British stage play, and has been performed in one form or another basically ever since. At least eleven film versions have been produced around the world. So, given the long-term popularity of this one, I won't bother going into the plot here.

The long and short of it is Oxford University undergraduate Lord Fancourt Babberley is conned into wearing a dress and impersonating fellow student Charley Wykeham's aunt, Donna Lucia d'Alvadorez, a rich widow from Brazil, in order to act as chaperone for two girlfriends. Things get more and more complicated from there, with two different fathers competing for the fake aunt and her money, etc.

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Anyone who has ever listened to a good quantity of Jack Benny's radio shows knows he once played Charley's Aunt. There were many gags regarding the costume itself. But it took me until this year to acquire and watch the 20th Century Fox Cinema Archives DVD (2018).

The first few scenes almost made me not watch the rest of it. Jack trying to sound English was, well… sad. Sure enough, after doing a little reading about the original play, I found out that those very scenes were in fact different than the original story, and thankfully things picked up a bit once Jack Benny put on the dress… and that fake accent seemed to fall by the wayside as well!

Most of the casting is good, though Benny does seem a bit out of place at times, as does James Ellison, who also doesn’t pull off being English.  But Benny does an admiral job as Aunt Donna Lucia, especially with the sight gags.  I’m not used to seeing Jack MOVE so much!  I certainly don’t associate him with slapstick. Laird Cregar is convincing as Ellison’s father, but was actually under 30, younger than the man he was playing the father of!  The three female leads (Kay Francis, Anne Baxter, Arleen Whelan) look stunning in their costumes.

If you pay attention, you can almost imagine which scenes could be the beginning and end of on-stage acts, just by the amount of time spent on one set.

Get past the beginning, and you end up with a fun little movie with some good sight gags.

If you would like to watch Charley's Aunt on DVD, the UPC is 024543586173 (20th Century Fox)

REVIEW: High Tide at Noon (1957)

High Tide at Noon (1957) 

The film begins with Joanna MacKenzie (Betta St. John) arriving by boat on a seemingly deserted island in Nova Scotia. She wanders around the empty buildings, frightened by a clock chiming in a house. She runs outside and begins to think about the past.

(CUE FLASHBACK…)

We now see a supposedly younger, happier Joanna landing on the island yet again, but it now is teeming with activity from the lobster fishing trade. Her family owns most of the island, and she has returned from school to again live in the family’s house with her mother, father, and brothers.
The Breck family is introduced to the audience as scheming “trash”, always looking for trouble. Despite this, Joanna gives Simon Breck (Patrick McGoohan) some flirty attention, but regrets it when he asks her to meet her that night at an abandoned house (“the old Graham place”). He proceeds to kiss her, then tries to go further and Joanna manages to escape to the safety of her brothers and Nils (Michael Craig), who are playing pool. Nils walks her home and is the only one who knows about what happened.

At a local dance, Simon again makes advances, and an all out fistfight begins. Joanna escapes and stands at the docks alone, thinking. She accidentally overhears her brother Charles talking to his girlfriend, Matille, realizing the girl is pregnant. She later has a heart-to-heart with her brother, who ends up marrying Matille while he is on the mainland selling the family lobster-catch. Their parents are not pleased.

Nils tells Joanna that he’s wanted to propose marriage to her for a long time, but she tells him she isn’t in love with him, and Nils is crushed.

One rainy day a handsome stranger arrives on the island. His name is Alec (William Sylvester), grandson of Sandy Graham, and he intends on taking over her old house. As time goes by, Joanna and Alec fall for each other, and get married. They fix up the house and make it a home, but married life becomes less than happy due to a lack of lobsters in Alec’s traps, and his gambling habit.

One reason the MacKenzie family is also not catching lobsters is someone is cutting the ropes which connect the wooden traps to each lobsterman’s buoys. The Breck family is given a stern talking to by the elder MacKenzie.

After one particular poker game with the same Brecks, Alec comes home and swears to Joanna he will no longer gamble, and will work as hard as he can to earn money and be a good husband. In time, their bills start to get paid, and things begin looking brighter.

Things start to change yet again one night when Alec drowns in a boating accident. Then, one by one, friends and family members move to the mainland where fishing is better.

One rainy night, Simon goes to Joanna’s house, and in so many words tells her now that she isn’t married anymore, he intends on calling in Alec’s I.O.U.’s, which add up to $600. Since she has no money, the house may end up his. He then begins telling Joanne she really wants him, and next thing the audience sees is her running into the family house, crying. Nils goes after Simon, who gets into a boat and speeds off into the sea. Nils can’t catch up, and yells to him he’ll kill Simon if he ever sets foot on the island again.

The lobster business continues to be threatened for locals, and Nils tries one more time to get Joanna to say “yes” to marriage. She again refuses him, and leaves the island. She then realizes she may have made a huge mistake.

Finally, even Joanna and her parents have to leave the island.

We then return to the beginning again, with Joanna on the deserted island. But someone is on the beach… Nils…

Oh, and he says the lobsters are back.

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This film was entered into the 1957 Cannes Film Festival, and a look around the ‘net will turn up a few photos of Rank actors Betta St. John, June Laverick, Anne Heywood, and Patrick McGoohan at the event. There is also a very brief film clip from a Pathe newsreel. No doubt more images exist in collections.

I’m a female who doesn’t like love stories, so I had to force myself to watch this one (yes, once again, because Mr. McGoohan was in it). But I figured the fact it was entered at Cannes would mean it was an excellent film regardless.

Wellp… I wasn’t impressed. In fact, I thought it was downright boring.

Most of the acting was ok, though I have to confess McGoohan’s treatment of Simon would have been more believable had he not tried to sound (North) American. I already knew ahead of time his character was a louse, so I was prepared for his very un-John Drake-like behavior. Still… I had to chuckle and raise an eyebrow (or two) when he had Betta St.John in a clinch!

There were lots of actual outdoor scenes, with only a few obvious-fakey outdoor ones. I was surprised to find behind the scenes photos online showing the sets used.  Perhaps those scenes would have been more obvious to me had I watched an actual DVD on a TV and not a web-sourced copy on an old tablet.  But all in all the film has an OK look to it, though there were no beautiful seas or sunsets, or rolling fields, etc to help elevate it to a higher caliber.

Plot wise, again, I don’t like love stories. So I’ll try not to be too harsh.

Firstly, Simon seems to have already had a go at trying to kiss Joanne in the past. He’s still intent on getting her all for himself. When she arrives on the island after school is over, and he talks to her for the first time, the fact he specifically asks how old she is should have been a wee-bit of a hint that she should RUN. But NO, instead she basically flirts with him, and stupidly goes ahead and meets him at the abandoned Graham house! Then she lets him kiss her! DUH! Like he isn’t going to try to go further? The girl comes across as stupid, not innocent.

The fact she spurns Nils is also a stupid move. Then she marries Alec, not already knowing he likes to gamble? I guess a longer courtship was called for. Though things do work out and they seem to be in love.

The idea of her brother getting a woman pregnant was a bit racy for the era. When she goes into labor, we never do find out much about the result, other than Charles and their father make up.

Too many vague points here and there ruin the believe-ability of the plot.

We never get much explanation as to just what happened to cause the boating accident that killed Alec, other than at least one of the MacKenzie brothers blames himself, and alcohol may have been involved.

Did Simon actually rape Joanna? If so, all that happens is Nils yelling at him as he escapes via boat? A family full of brothers and we hear nothing else about retribution?

And what about that official who seems to be part of the reason the lobstering on the island is going to die? Why can they catch more off the mainland? Are there regulations or something?

And WHY is Nils on the beach at the very end? Is THAT why Joanna came back in the first place?  And if the lobsters are back... is he happier about THAT or seeing Joanna???

I guess I would not tell someone to stay away from the film, just don’t expect a lot of action or ground-breaking dialogue or camera work.

If you'd prefer not to watch this film as a lowish quality online copy, it was available as a Region 2 (non-US) DVD (EAN: 5060105724800)

The old family clock... about to trigger a movie-long flashback

The Breck family... nothing but trouble...

The MacKenzie family

Charles has got hitched on the mainland... he "had to"

A stranger named Alec lands on the island

Joanne marries Alec

An empty money box

Simon visits the widow-MacKenzie... he's calling in Alec's gambling debts, and is not happy about being rejected by her yet again

Nils in the Breck house, about to get revenge on Simon, do "don't mean to fight you... if that's what you want"

More bad news for the lobstermen...

Nils tries one more time to get Joanne to marry him

Leaving the island... best not to look back

"The lobsters are back!" and we are back to the present day once more

OBSERVATION: The Great Corona Supermarket Raid of 2020

OBSERVATION:  The Corona Great Supermarket Raid of 2020

This post has photos taken at the Groton MA Shaw's Supermarket on March 13, 2020... which was, incidentally, Friday the 13th.  This was a bit after the Corona Virus everyone really started to make people panic and raid supermarkets for staples like toilet paper, tissues, milk, bread, eggs, etc.

Here in Massachusetts, this is what you get when a major snow storm (aka:  Nor'eastaaaah) is on the way.  And people who panic and clear the shelves often are teased, as the odds of being "off the grid" in this part of the country for any length of time is slim (with the possible exception of the coastline).

I myself had never witnessed the Snowmageddon supermarket phenomena, so seeing all the shelves empty thanks to Covid-19 was rather novel. 

Now, about three weeks later, there are so many daily updates and changes to policy it is impossible to share any of it here.  History will tell just what happened.

NOTE:  Please excuse the photo quality... my cell phone takes crappy pics!

INCOMPLETE LIST OF OBSERVED ITEMS 

THAT ARE HARD TO FIND AS OF 4/2/20:

TOILET PAPER

TISSUES

PAPER TOWELS

HAND SANITIZER

LYSOL

MOST LIQUID SOAPS

SPAM

SOME CAMPBELL'S SOUP FLAVORS

ALL RAMEN NOODLES

ALL PASTA

Paper products isle...

Paper products isle...

Bread, etc isle...

No eggs...

The water isle...

Water isle...

Most of the produce was gone...

Sugar and flour almost all gone...