A London Films Production, presented by Alexander Korda. Copyright 1955 by London Film Productions. Released through 20th Century-Fox. New York opening at the Plaza: 12 October 1955. U.S. release: 20 November 1955. U.K. release: 27 September 1955. Australian release: 10 May 1956. 8,913 feet. 99 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Judge's wife falls for feckless flier.
COMMENT: Aside from "The Village Squire" and "Gentleman's Agreement" (both 1935), this is the least known and certainly the least revived of Vivien Leigh's starring films. It's true there are reasons "The Deep Blue Sea" deserves its present obscurity. Chief of these is director, Anatole Litvak. Whilst he often blocks out his action effectively on the CinemaScope screen, he rarely moves the camera. Not only are there few pans and no tracking shots to speak of, even the director's famous "signature" crane shot is missing.
The result is a rather stodgy, not to say stage-bound film. This impression is magnified by Vivien Leigh's overly theatrical performance which is at odds with the pitch at which other players, particularly Kenneth More, deliver their lines. As a result the audience never becomes really interested in Hester or absorbed in her problems. Some weak writing by Rattigan doesn't help either. Whilst the dialogue is often too verbose, characterization of all but the two principals remains stubbornly superficial.
SYNOPSIS: Judge's wife falls for feckless flier.
COMMENT: Aside from "The Village Squire" and "Gentleman's Agreement" (both 1935), this is the least known and certainly the least revived of Vivien Leigh's starring films. It's true there are reasons "The Deep Blue Sea" deserves its present obscurity. Chief of these is director, Anatole Litvak. Whilst he often blocks out his action effectively on the CinemaScope screen, he rarely moves the camera. Not only are there few pans and no tracking shots to speak of, even the director's famous "signature" crane shot is missing.
The result is a rather stodgy, not to say stage-bound film. This impression is magnified by Vivien Leigh's overly theatrical performance which is at odds with the pitch at which other players, particularly Kenneth More, deliver their lines. As a result the audience never becomes really interested in Hester or absorbed in her problems. Some weak writing by Rattigan doesn't help either. Whilst the dialogue is often too verbose, characterization of all but the two principals remains stubbornly superficial.