?Personal Affair?, great film!

[FredCDobbs]

This is a great British noir from 1953. It takes the audience on a rollercoaster ride of emotional tension and trauma, right up to the very last second of the film, with Gene Tierney and Leo Glenn (ol? Starbuck himself).

 

I hope everyone recorded this one.

[FredCDobbs]

The director, Anthony Pelissier, made only 7 films, between 1949 and 1953.

[MissGoddess]

Fred, there was some discussion on this film beginning here, if you're interested:

 

http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=106111&start=125&tstart=125

 

I agree, it's an excellent movie.

[ClassicViewer]

I couldn't get into it.

 

I have to say that the real reason I didn't like it is because, aside from Tierney, I found none of the other actors attractive. I want real Hollywood stars in my movies. And I want them to be good looking.

 

I deleted it from the DVR and I found a new love: NEVER LET ME GO, with Tierney and megawatt sex symbol Clark Gable.

 

[FredCDobbs]

This was a very suspenseful film, all the way through. Gene Tierney, Leo Genn, and Glynis Johns were great in this film.

 

The repeated scenes of the water rushing over the walkway dam were quite threatening.

 

[FredCDobbs]

Did anyone else see this film?

 

There were several things in it that made it intriguing and very tense. Such as the husband fibbing a little and later admitting it. What other fibs did he tell?

 

And the wife seemed unusually jealous for a professor?s wife. And she seemed a little unstable too.

 

And that aunt! Did anyone notice anything ?unusual? about how the aunt kissed Glynis Johns? I almost fell out of my chair when I saw that scene. Turns out she wasn?t a ?Miss Havisham? like I first thought, but a ?Ms Danvers?!

 

And then there was that walkway across the dam, and all that dark flowing water. Oh my goodness!

[LoveFilmNoir]

Fred, I can always count on your commentary to be quite interesting. I recorded the film and I plan on watching it either today or tomorrow...and probably making a personal DVD copy for my library. I remember your Julie Christie day thread and how popular that was. Gene's day definitely was a delight.

 

Okay, let me get out of this thread now before I start seeing spoilers!

[SansFin]

I love this movie. I had watched it many years ago and forgotten most dialogue and scenes. I did not recognize title or description in schedule. I had very special feeling of watching it for first time again. Gene Tierney's performance was amazing. Glynis Johns looked so young!

[ArchieCarstairs]

I did notice, Fred, and I had the same reaction you did. That whole bit of business was nowhere near subtle. Interesting little twist, I thought.

[LoveFilmNoir]

I forgot that I saw this on TCM 2 years ago....it was playing in the background while I was doing something around the house. Finally being able to give the film my complete, undivided attention, I LOVED IT! Every minute of it. The casting works, Gene Tierney can be deliciously evil in black and white or lavish Technicolor. Glynis Johns was so great here and she definitely steps out of the squeaky clean image she is probably most associated with. I keep forgetting how much I appreciate these British/filmed in UK mysteries from the 40s/50s...all within 90 minutes, quick paced, well acted and a twist at the end.

[FredCDobbs]

I agree. The British mysteries are some of the best ever made. I think films like this are really ?mental? and ?intellectual? films that the general public doesn?t appreciate enough, because they don?t contain much ?action?. No fist fights, no shooting, no car chases, etc. But they certainly work on a viewer?s mind and they take control of it and pull us right into the film, as if these characters are people we know.

 

All through the movie, I found myself trying to anticipate what was going to happen next, but I was hit with one surprise after another. I trusted the professor for a while, then I began to suspect him. Then I began to suspect his jealous wife. Then I decided that the aunt was nuts, and I began to suspect her.

 

Leo Genn wasn?t a handsome man, but he had class, something like Herbert Marshall in ?The Letter?, and anyway, not many of us average people are ?handsome?, and young Glynis Johns falling in love with him is typical of many girls in school. And her reactions to the different situations seemed quite natural.

 

It?s interesting that Gene Tierney played a secondary character, yet every time I saw her I had a lot of interest in her, and her entire film career-persona flashed through my mind. Even when she wasn?t on camera, I kept wondering what she was doing and what she was thinking.

[LoveFilmNoir]

Fred, it seems we saw and took similar out of this film. This particular film reminded me of why I liked a few of the films on the Joseph H. Lewis night.

[Arturo]

ClassicViewer wrote:

*I couldn't get into it.*

*I have to say that the real reason I didn't like it is because, aside from Tierney, I found none of the other actors attractive. I want real Hollywood stars in my movies. And I want them to be good looking*

 

Fred C. Dobbs wrote:

*I agree. The British mysteries are some of the best ever made. I think films like this are really ?mental? and ?intellectual? films that the general public doesn?t appreciate enough, because they don?t contain much ?action?. No fist fights, no shooting, no car chases, etc. But they certainly work on a viewer?s mind and they take control of it and pull us right into the film, as if these characters are people we know.*

 

*No fist fights, no shooting, no car chases, etc.* And no attractive "real Hollywood stars" aside from Tierney. Too bad that would keep you from watching this enjoyable mystery. Since it was British made, and Gene went to England to make it, it would seem unreasonable (and expensive) to have more than the one big Hollywood name in the film.

[LoveFilmNoir]

Some of these 90 minute or less British mysteries are very entertaining. Sometimes we tend to get lost in the hype of the main star or technicolor....but these films are so simply done, with just enough suspense to keep you guessing, and a running time where you can watch the film in one sitting without feeling like you wasted your morning or night etc.