THE GIRL IN THE NEWS

Barry K. Barnes and Margaret Lockwood

THE GIRL IN THE NEWS (1940). Director: Carol Reed.  

With the aid of her lawyer, Stephen Farrington (Barry K. Barnes), nurse Anne Graham (Margaret Lockwood) is acquitted of murdering her elderly employer for financial gain. Farrington was never quite convinced of her innocence, and his trust is again put to the test when there is another suspicious death in the household where Anne has again become a nurse. Farrington has his work cut out for him, but his defense, centering on a conspiracy in the household, is by no means a sure thing. Were the dead man's wife (Margaretta Scott of Fanny By Gaslight) and butler (Emlyn Williams of Another Man's Poison) involved in the crime? And if so, how can he prove it to a jury's satisfaction? The plot for Girl in the News sounds intriguing, but the movie is pretty much a mere time-passer with adequate performances and not a lot of suspense. The characters are not that well developed, either. Margaret Lockwood appeared to much, much better advantage in The Wicked Lady. Carol Reed also directed Trapeze. 

Verdict: Disappointing murder melodrama. **1/4. 

FANNY BY GASLIGHT

Stewart Granger and Phyllis Calvert

FANNY BY GASLIGHT (aka Man of Evil/1944). Director: Anthony Asquith. 

In 19th century London young Fanny (Phyllis Calvert of Madonna of the Seven Moons) is unaware that her father, Hopwood (John Laurie), isn't her real father, and that he owns the brothel next door. When he is killed by a disgruntled patron, Lord Manderstroke (James Mason), the truth comes out and Fanny and her mother are ostracized. Fanny eventually reunites with her biological father, a cabinet minister named Clive Seymour (Stuart Lindsell) whose marriage to Fanny's mother was annulled by the family. After another tragedy, Fanny draws close to her father's business partner, Harry Somerford (Stewart Granger), but his hateful sister Kate (Cathleen Nesbitt) may destroy their plans for a union. Then there is Lord Manderstroke, who keeps popping up in Fanny's life when she least expects it ...

Margaretta Scott and James Mason

Fanny By Gaslight, is a good, old-fashioned, British "will our Fanny ever find happiness" rags to riches tale that is absorbing, entertaining, and very well-played. In addition to the actors already named, there is also good work from Margaretta Scott [Crescendo] as Seymour's unfaithful wife, Alicia, and Amy Veness as Mrs. Heaviside, the loving servant and former nanny to Clive, among others. If the convoluted plot weren't enough, there are also hookers doing the can can, a ballet sequence, and a duel with pistols outside Paris. Although sinister Mason doesn't have that much screen time, he nearly steals the show. Anthony Asquith also directed The Browning Version and many others. 

Verdict: Solid cast in an engaging melodrama. ***.