BEWARE OF PITY

Albert Lieven and Lilli Palmer

BEWARE OF PITY (1946). Director: Maurice Elvey.

When Lt. Anton Marek (Albert Lieven) visits the home of the Baron Kekesfalva (Ernest Thesiger), he encounters the man's daughter, whom he at first doesn't realize is in a wheelchair. When he learns that the daughter, Edith (Lilli Palmer), doesn't get out much due to her affliction, he begins paying calls on her, and the two become friends. Unfortunately, Edith's feelings for Anton become intensely romantic, and she pins her hopes for a full recovery on his alleged love for her and on an operation whose efficacy might just be mythical. Beware of Pity is based on a story by Stefan Zweig, who also wrote Letter From an Unknown Woman, but in this dark romance the man is the protagonist instead of the woman. Beware of Pity is a compelling tragedy which features some fine performances, especially from sensitive Lieven, a German actor who is essentially unknown today but appeared in many British and German films. Thesiger is fine as the concerned father; Gladys Cooper scores as a doctor's blind wife, who urges Anton to marry a woman he doesn't love out of compassion; and Cedric Hardwicke [The Winslow Boy] is also excellent as the doctor. Lilli Palmer [The House That Screamed], on the other hand, is unconvincing as Edith, and this greatly weakens the picture as a whole. An interesting aspect of the film is that when the final tragedy finally occurs, one isn't certain if Marek is heartbroken or relieved.

Verdict: Interesting psychological anti-romance with a fine lead performer from Lieven. ***.

THE LATE EDWINA BLACK

Geraldine Fitzgerald and David Farrar

THE LATE EDWINA BLACK aka The Obsessed/1952. Director: Maurice Elvey.

"There's not much of a world for penniless young girls like you. Or lonely old women like me."

Gregory Black (David Farrar) lives beyond his means in a huge home because his wife, Edwina, is wealthy. Gregory's secretary is Elizabeth Grahame (Geraldine Fitzgerald), and the two have fallen in love. When the never-seen Edwina, who is a bedridden invalid, is found dead, Inspector Martin (Roland Culver) tells them that they found arsenic in the dead woman's system. It isn't long before both Gregory and Elizabeth are freaking out, each accusing the other of murder while Edwina's spirit seems to hover over the household. The Late Edwina Black is well-acted, especially by Fitzgerald [So Evil My Love] and Jean Cadell as the housekeeper, Ellen, and the film has genuine suspense. The problem with the picture is that the two main characters are completely unsympathetic, never registering the slightest compassion or understanding for Edwina. We're led to believe that she may be a harridan, but the events that could have led to her becoming that way are glossed over. This is based on a play that was filmed or made for television more than once. Well-photographed by Stephen Dade. Elvey also directed The Tunnel. David Farrar played Sexton Blake in The Echo Murders.

Verdict: Not bad mystery film with a good plot but unlikable characters. **1/2.

IS YOUR HONEYMOON REALLY NECESSARY

Diana Dors and Bonar Colleano

IS YOUR HONEYMOON REALLY NECESSARY (1953). Director: Maurice Elvey.

American serviceman Commander Laurie Vining (Bonar Colleano) arrives in London for his honeymoon with his second wife, Gillian (Diana Decker). Unfortunately his first wife, Candy (Diana Dors of Berserk) shows up at the hotel and insists that they were never actually divorced. Laurie calls his lawyer, Frank (David Tomlinson) for help even as he makes up excuses to stay out of the marital bed. Eventually both Candy and Frank wind up moving into the suite. How will Laurie manage to get out of this sticky situation! Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary is based on what must have been a mediocre drawing room comedy and never gets off the ground, although some of the performances help. Dors is adorable and adept; Tomlinson is on the money; Becker is very appealing; and while the unconventionally attractive Colleano is certainly no Cary Grant as an actor, he manages to get his character across. Sidney James is a soldier friend of Laurie's named Hank, and MacDonald Parke is Admiral Fields. Lou Jacobi has a very small role as a testy captain. One odd thing is that an unmarried maid named Lucy (Audrey Freeman) keeps flirting with various men and they react as if she's Margaret Hamilton when she's actually quite pretty. Hank acts upset when she kisses him, but she's out of the homely guy's league, which the picture just doesn't seem to get. Maurice Elvey also directed The Tunnel.

Verdict: Skip it if you can. **.

THE TUNNEL aka TRANSATLANTIC TUNNEL

THE TUNNEL (1935/British). Also released in shortened version as Transatlantic Tunnel. Director: Maurice Elvey.

Absurd sci-fi feature has Richard Dix as a visionary who neglects wife and child as he leads an engineering team determined to build an underground tunnel between London and New York! The project is seen only in idealistic terms -- never practical ones-- and for some reason everyone believes the completion of the tunnel will mean the beginning of world peace! The film takes place in a vague future time period, but nobody ever explains why there's a need for an undersea tunnel when planes would get everyone across the ocean much faster, and boats, while more leisurely, would allow everyone to enjoy the open air and sunshine. [There is a theory that with modern-day technology a train might be able to speed through such a tunnel in less than an hour, but it is only a theory.] This futuristic society has gyrocopters and "televisors" (video phones). and a huge radium drill is employed to dig out the tunnel. The most effective -- and horrifying -- sequence has Dix struggling over whether or not to close huge metal doors on a crowd of screaming men -- including his own son -- because if he doesn't poisonous gas may get loose and possibly kill thousands of other workers in the tunnel. There are also sub-plots with Dix's wife going blind, and another woman falling in love with him, but the drama of the piece seems highly contrived. Leslie Banks, the sinister count of The Most Dangerous Game, plays a sympathetic character, a friend to Dix and his wife (Madge Evans), in this film. The performances are generally quite credible even if the movie isn't.

Verdict: Fairly fast-paced but not especially memorable. *1/2.