Finding him to be delightful in Carol Reed's The Young Mr. Pitt (1942-also reviewed), I was intrigued to spot on Talking Pictures free online catch-up service Encore, a Ealing title starring Robert Donat that I had not heard of before, giving me a new lease of life for a viewing.
View on the film:
Returning to the screen after a three year break, Robert Donat gives a heart-breaking performance as Thorne, with Donat putting the long battle he had with chronic asthma into Thorne's battle with a terminal illness, (with Thorne also having to deal with financial struggles, something Donat also faced during the time he had to take away from the screen) as Thorne reevaluates his world-weary attitude,and Donat expresses Thorne deciding to spend the rest of his life, preaching a new live and let live belief.
Following the congregation as they take their seats, director Charles Frend & cinematographer Douglas Slocombe bring a touch of Ealing class to the sermon, in long, graceful wide-shots across the church, landing on close-ups of the locals shocked in the drastic changes of their traditional vicar.
Taking things extremely personally when a dying churchgoer ask him to protect his cash, in order for it all to be given to his son, and none to his wife, the screenplay by Frank Baker,Patrick Jenkins and Journey Into Fear (1943-also reviewed) novelist Eric Ambler paint an excellent, delicate character study,which explores how prominent the vicar is in the community, leading to half the locals absolutely trusting him, and the other, gossiping half having doubts, from the shock of Thorne finding a new lease of life.
View on the film:
Returning to the screen after a three year break, Robert Donat gives a heart-breaking performance as Thorne, with Donat putting the long battle he had with chronic asthma into Thorne's battle with a terminal illness, (with Thorne also having to deal with financial struggles, something Donat also faced during the time he had to take away from the screen) as Thorne reevaluates his world-weary attitude,and Donat expresses Thorne deciding to spend the rest of his life, preaching a new live and let live belief.
Following the congregation as they take their seats, director Charles Frend & cinematographer Douglas Slocombe bring a touch of Ealing class to the sermon, in long, graceful wide-shots across the church, landing on close-ups of the locals shocked in the drastic changes of their traditional vicar.
Taking things extremely personally when a dying churchgoer ask him to protect his cash, in order for it all to be given to his son, and none to his wife, the screenplay by Frank Baker,Patrick Jenkins and Journey Into Fear (1943-also reviewed) novelist Eric Ambler paint an excellent, delicate character study,which explores how prominent the vicar is in the community, leading to half the locals absolutely trusting him, and the other, gossiping half having doubts, from the shock of Thorne finding a new lease of life.