From Chekhov's only novel, 'The Shooting Party' (1884), originally screenwritten by James M Cain, who 'Americanized' it too much, then Rowland Leigh, 'a very English Englishman'. (The credited 'Michael O'Hara' didn't exist, was made up for some budgetary reasons.) Sirk has updated it to bring in the Russian Revolution to the story.
On casting Edward Everett Horton as one of the leads 'Everyone told me I was mad, and a lot of pressure was put on me to fire him, but I refused, and I thought he was excellent; he got great reviews'. I agree and I think it's definitely the most substantial part I've seen him in.
Sirk was interested in Chekhov's social aspects, the 'shoddy' characters of the land-owner and the small-town judge. George Sanders as the latter was born in Russia (of English parents) and understood the character immediately. He's excellent.
Whilst credited to Archie Stout, the picture was largely shot by Eugen Schuftan, who's credited as 'technical consultant'. (Jon Halliday's invaluable 'Sirk on Sirk' is the source here.)
The other odd credit is for 'Collaborating Film Editor' Gregg Tallas, which perhaps suggested that Sirk was mainly responsible. Good score from Karl Hajos, a Hungarian composer of operettas..
Good cast. Linda Darnell is just right as the scheming social climber. With Anna Lee (fiancee), Hugo Haas (the girl's father), Laurie Lane (the maid), John Philliber (Horton's butler), Sig Ruman, Robert Greig, Jimmy Conlin (briefly).
It is simply filmed without much of Sirk's graceful tracking shots or his 'curious camera' but does have a few nice touches, the best being a very long double exposure of guilty Sanders over a tracking shot of the jury.
Our VCI / Kit Parker Films DVD boasts a print of some fuzziness:
...but it seems to be the only one available. No, it seems the French 'Edition Speciale' entitled L'Aveu is 'une magnifique copie restaurée'. But is €99.73! The British DVD release (black and white cover) seems no longer available.
No comments:
Post a Comment