Who knows why it took seven years to find an American distributor (Paramount) - maybe because by then James Mason and Deborah Kerr had become international names and writer A.J. Cronin was becoming increasingly popular. The movie with it's Victorian Dickensian narrative of a stern patriarch and a wronged young woman is simply dominated by the fantastic Robert Newton who even when he gets his comeuppance towers over everyone else in the movie - as with all his roles he attacks this one with a flourishing bravado.
He plays James Brodie, proprietor of a stylish hat shop and lord and master of "Hatter's Castle", a bleak stone mansion built on the outskirts of town. He may have the grudging respect of the other shop owners (who are just itching to witness his downfall) but at home he is a tyrant whose family live in fear of him. His wife is battling cancer and is only diagnosed by young Dr. Renwick (James Mason) who is driven from the house for his insolence - she can then go back to being the work drudge (he will not allow her to have any servants). His daughter Mary (Deborah Kerr) is afraid of her own shadow and even his favourite, Angus, is nervy and on the edge of a breakdown because of his father's relentless driving him to study.
The film is saved from absolute grimness by Emlyn Williams portrayal of the oily Dennis. He is a villain too but played with William's usual flippant charm. He is the "step brother" (read lover) of barmaid Nancy, who is also the lover of Brodie, but when she persuades him to find Dennis a position in his shop events are put in place for Brodie's downfall. Next door is the iron monger who is going through a tough time financially and is desperate for Brodie to buy him out. Of course he won't - he wants to see the failing shopkeeper hit rock bottom. Enter slippery Dennis who seems to have a few irons in the fire and puts the grateful storekeeper in the way of a very eager buyer - the Mungo Hat Company!!!
It is the beginning of the end but Dennis hasn't finished with the family yet. He has his eyes on Mary and when she is forbidden to go to the ball (for defending Renwick) Dennis brings the ball to her, including a bottle of champagne - fade to darkness!!! The following scene is a blistering showdown between Brodie and Nancy, he realises he has been two timed by cocky upstart Dennis, who then sneeringly says of Mary "your daughter asked me to marry her - and she'll be very glad if I say yes"!!! Mary then finds herself (literally) thrown out into the storming rain (almost as melodramatic as Lillian Gish's turn out in "Way Down East"). She inadvertently catches the same train as Dennis but he gives her the cold shoulder and is almost gleeful when she leaps from the train into the night - if only he had followed!!!
The twists and turns in this quite hokey bit of Edwardian Gothic are too many to mention. James Mason was still in his bland leading man stage but Deborah Kerr was just super. She wasn't the original choice, Margaret Lockwood was and only bowed out because of pregnancy but I don't think Kerr could have been bettered. But holding the whole film in the palm of his hand is Robert Newton - he and Deborah Kerr are the reasons this movie should be highly praised.
He plays James Brodie, proprietor of a stylish hat shop and lord and master of "Hatter's Castle", a bleak stone mansion built on the outskirts of town. He may have the grudging respect of the other shop owners (who are just itching to witness his downfall) but at home he is a tyrant whose family live in fear of him. His wife is battling cancer and is only diagnosed by young Dr. Renwick (James Mason) who is driven from the house for his insolence - she can then go back to being the work drudge (he will not allow her to have any servants). His daughter Mary (Deborah Kerr) is afraid of her own shadow and even his favourite, Angus, is nervy and on the edge of a breakdown because of his father's relentless driving him to study.
The film is saved from absolute grimness by Emlyn Williams portrayal of the oily Dennis. He is a villain too but played with William's usual flippant charm. He is the "step brother" (read lover) of barmaid Nancy, who is also the lover of Brodie, but when she persuades him to find Dennis a position in his shop events are put in place for Brodie's downfall. Next door is the iron monger who is going through a tough time financially and is desperate for Brodie to buy him out. Of course he won't - he wants to see the failing shopkeeper hit rock bottom. Enter slippery Dennis who seems to have a few irons in the fire and puts the grateful storekeeper in the way of a very eager buyer - the Mungo Hat Company!!!
It is the beginning of the end but Dennis hasn't finished with the family yet. He has his eyes on Mary and when she is forbidden to go to the ball (for defending Renwick) Dennis brings the ball to her, including a bottle of champagne - fade to darkness!!! The following scene is a blistering showdown between Brodie and Nancy, he realises he has been two timed by cocky upstart Dennis, who then sneeringly says of Mary "your daughter asked me to marry her - and she'll be very glad if I say yes"!!! Mary then finds herself (literally) thrown out into the storming rain (almost as melodramatic as Lillian Gish's turn out in "Way Down East"). She inadvertently catches the same train as Dennis but he gives her the cold shoulder and is almost gleeful when she leaps from the train into the night - if only he had followed!!!
The twists and turns in this quite hokey bit of Edwardian Gothic are too many to mention. James Mason was still in his bland leading man stage but Deborah Kerr was just super. She wasn't the original choice, Margaret Lockwood was and only bowed out because of pregnancy but I don't think Kerr could have been bettered. But holding the whole film in the palm of his hand is Robert Newton - he and Deborah Kerr are the reasons this movie should be highly praised.