The Stars Look Down (1940)
Country: GB
Technical: bw 110m
Director: Carol Reed
Cast: Michael Redgrave, Margaret Lockwood, Emlyn Williams, Edward Rigby, Linden Travers, Cecil Parker
Synopsis:
Fired up with socialist ideals and righteous anger against the private ownership of coal mines, the scion of a mining family secures a scholarship to study for a degree, with the aim of becoming a member for parliament. However, he is hoist by an old pal from the colliery, who passes off his long-term girlfriend onto him, scuppering his chances of advancement, and negotiates a contract with the mine owner to reopen a dangerous seam.
Review:
Leaving aside the socialist bookends, extolling the working man and invoking the forging of a new Jerusalem, this is a thoroughly absorbing and impressively assembled piece of drama, that only incidentally reunited about half the cast of The Lady Vanishes. It is based on a novel by A. J. Cronin, and for all its downbeat plot dynamics it manages to create an even-handed picture of society at the time, perhaps eclipsed by the outbreak of war.
Country: GB
Technical: bw 110m
Director: Carol Reed
Cast: Michael Redgrave, Margaret Lockwood, Emlyn Williams, Edward Rigby, Linden Travers, Cecil Parker
Synopsis:
Fired up with socialist ideals and righteous anger against the private ownership of coal mines, the scion of a mining family secures a scholarship to study for a degree, with the aim of becoming a member for parliament. However, he is hoist by an old pal from the colliery, who passes off his long-term girlfriend onto him, scuppering his chances of advancement, and negotiates a contract with the mine owner to reopen a dangerous seam.
Review:
Leaving aside the socialist bookends, extolling the working man and invoking the forging of a new Jerusalem, this is a thoroughly absorbing and impressively assembled piece of drama, that only incidentally reunited about half the cast of The Lady Vanishes. It is based on a novel by A. J. Cronin, and for all its downbeat plot dynamics it manages to create an even-handed picture of society at the time, perhaps eclipsed by the outbreak of war.
Country: GB
Technical: bw 110m
Director: Carol Reed
Cast: Michael Redgrave, Margaret Lockwood, Emlyn Williams, Edward Rigby, Linden Travers, Cecil Parker
Synopsis:
Fired up with socialist ideals and righteous anger against the private ownership of coal mines, the scion of a mining family secures a scholarship to study for a degree, with the aim of becoming a member for parliament. However, he is hoist by an old pal from the colliery, who passes off his long-term girlfriend onto him, scuppering his chances of advancement, and negotiates a contract with the mine owner to reopen a dangerous seam.
Review:
Leaving aside the socialist bookends, extolling the working man and invoking the forging of a new Jerusalem, this is a thoroughly absorbing and impressively assembled piece of drama, that only incidentally reunited about half the cast of The Lady Vanishes. It is based on a novel by A. J. Cronin, and for all its downbeat plot dynamics it manages to create an even-handed picture of society at the time, perhaps eclipsed by the outbreak of war.