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KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS (Dir: Robert Hamer, 1949).
1949 is the year that cemented the Ealing Studios’ close association with comedy. This year saw the release of three bona fide classics: Passport to Pimlico (Henry Cornelius), Whisky Galore (Alexander Mackendrick) and lastly Kind Hearts and Coronets.
Dennis Price stars as Louis Mazzini, only son of a disinherited heir to the aristocratic D’Ascoyn family, dispossessed for marrying an Italian singer deemed below her status. On his mother’s death he vows to take revenge on the family and sets out to murder the eight D’Ascoyns who stand between him and dukedom.
Price delivers a career best performance as Mazzini, cool and callous, yet charming enough to elicit audience sympathy, as he dispenses with the various D'Ascoyns. Excellent support comes in the form of Valerie Hobson and Joan Greenwood as rival love interests and an astonishing performance by Alec Guinness as the eight D'Ascoyns on Mazzini's hit list. The talented Robert Hamer directs with a light touch which never sees the movie descend into bad taste of farce.
The astute screenplay by Hamer and John Deighton, from a Roy Horniman novel, is both darkly cynical and witty and 70 years after release it remains, arguably, the blackest of black comedy scripts to reach British cinema screens.
In this respect it is unique among the Ealing comedies. Certainly it conveys the social commentary of its stable mates but lacking the gentle morals of say Passport to Pimlico or The Man in the White Suit (Alexander Mackendrick, 1951) and their reflection on post-war mores. Rather, its period setting allows for a biting critique of an outdated class system and the notion of inherited privilege.
While initially dismissed by some critics as too dark, Kind Hearts and Coronets is now widely considered the greatest of the Ealing comedies. It is difficult to think of any other movie so simultaneously dark yet delicate. Expertly performed and beautifully told; I would recommend this masterpiece of a movie to those with even the slightest interest in the cinema.
Visit my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME to read an unedited version of this review and reviews of other Ealing Studios classics! Link below.
MURDER MOST FOUL (Dir: George Pollock, 1964).
MGM’s third outing for Agatha Christie’s amateur sleuth Miss Marple, with the incomparable Margaret Rutherford in the title role.
Investigating the murder of a blackmailer, Miss Marple bluffs her way into theatrical troupe the Cosgood Players, with whom the victim has a previous association. The old girl knows she is on the right track as more troupe members are disposed of. Anyone of the players has possible motive for murder, and Miss Marple is soon in danger herself as the killer gets wind of her snooping.
As with the previous series entry Murder at the Gallop, this movie is based upon a novel featuring Christie’s Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, in this instance her 1952 novel Mrs McGinty’s Dead. As before, Poirot is elbowed out the picture to make way for Miss Marple.
Once again Rutherford attacks the role of Miss Marple with relish! While nothing like the literary incarnation, she injects the role with such goodnatured bluster that its impossible not to love her interpretation. A strong supporting cast of Brit acting legends adds to the fun. Returning from previous adventures are Charles Tingwell as the long suffering Inspector Craddock and Rutherford's real life husband Stringer Davis as Miss Marple's chaste love interest Mr Stringer.
As with other titles in the series, Murder Most Foul is not necessarily one for Christie purists. Great liberties are taken with the original, not just the recasting of the lead character. However, the movie is a lot of fun. Director George Pollock skillfully judges the overt comic tone with the more serious business of murder. There are genuine thrills to be found as the mystery unfolds to a neatly suspenseful, not too obvious climax.
In truth, Murder Most Foul differs little from the two previous outings. But happily, what worked before works again and the formula still feels surprisingly fresh. Unfortunately Miss Marple doesn't delight us with her twist again, or any other fad dances for that matter. But as compensation she does perform a priceless rendition of Robert W Service's poem The Shooting of Dan McGrew, which alone makes the movie worth a watch!
A longer, more in-depth review of MURDER MOST FOUL is available on my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME! Link below.
