by Allan Fish
(USA 1948 105m) DVD1/2
Be vulgar, by all means
p/d/w Preston Sturges ph Victor Milner ed Robert Frich md Alfred Newman m Giaocchino Rossini, Richard Wagner, P.I.Tchaikovsky art Lyle Wheeler, Joseph C.Wright cos Bonnie Cashin
Rex Harrison (Sir Alfred de Carter), Linda Darnell (Daphne de Carter), Rudy Vallee (August Henshier), Barbara Lawrence (Barbara Henshier), Lionel Stander (Hugo Standoff), Kurt Kreuger (Anthony), Edgar Kennedy (Det.Sweeney), Al Bridge (house detective), Julius Tannen (tailor), Torben Meyer (Dr Schultz), Robert Greig, Isabel Jewell,
Of all his comic masterpieces, none has been so worthy of rediscovery as this black romantic comedy. Sturges’ last major film was also his most highbrow, a film that, though enjoyable for all, contained subtleties surrounding the choice of music that only connoisseurs could appreciate. It’s like a box of After Eight mints, dark on the outside, velvety smooth on the inside and leaving you craving for more. Just a pity that Sturges wasn’t allowed to ever give us seconds.
Sir Alfred de Carter is a famous British composer (modelled on Thomas Beecham, Carter’s liver pills being the name for Beecham’s pills in the US) who has married a young American, Daphne, whose younger sister is wife to a rich but dull financier. When de Carter asks his brother in law to keep an eye on his wife while he’s away, he doesn’t realise how seriously he would undertake the task and is told that he believes Daphne is having an affair. One night, while conducting a concert, he imagines three different ways of dealing with the situation; murder, surrender and Russian roulette. (more…)