Watching the light fade on Lured (1947-also reviewed) I decided to expand on this viewing, by making it a George Sanders double bill. Checking Talking Pictures free online catch-up service, I was happy to find an Adventure title that had a few days left on the site starring Sanders, leading to me meeting the son of Monte Cristo.
View on the film:
Riding in on rear screen projection backed by a rousing score from Great Expectations (1934-also reviewed) composer Edward Ward, The Sun Never Sets (1939-also reviewed) director Rowland V. Lee & Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951-also reviewed) cinematographer George Robinson jump over any limitations in the mid-budget, and land in a joyful swashbuckler atmosphere, swift dolly shots displaying the detailed castle/ palace sets, which roll out to distorted panning shots that place the viewer right in the middle of the crowd, as the clash of steel from the nifty sword fights between Cristo and Lanen.
Stamping round the kingdom like a mad general with a shaved head and jackboots, George Sanders walks into his eighth film role of 1940, and gives a magnificent performance as Lanen, whose venomous dialogue is performed by Sanders with a real relish, matched by the stern glances Sanders gives all those who question the imposing figure of Lanen.
Reuniting with Sanders after they had worked on James Whale's Green Hell (1940-also reviewed) Joan Bennett gives a glittering performance as Zona, who Bennett has hold her head high in a regal manner, which Bennett balances with a firmness in her vocal delivery, expressing Zona pushing back on Lanen's demands.
Joined by a welcomed appearance by James Whale's regular collaborator Dwight Frye, Louis Hayward gives a dashing turn as Cristo, where he rolls with the punches and expert sword-fighting with a striking confidence, that Hayward brings over to Cristo being gleeful outsmarting Lanen while secretly out of the mask.
Drawing swords close to the Fantastique films made im France during the Occupation, the screenplay by George Bruce intelligently uses the characters from Alexandre Dumas's novel, as a foundation to explore the unfolding horror WWII. Surrounding Lanen with henchmen who wear black shirts, Bruce keeps Lanen's power-grab as a dictator one that is grounded in realism, with book burning and arresting all political opposition, which cleverly raise the stakes in the action set-pieces, as the town gets covered in Operation Cornflakes- leaflets, spread across the bowl by the son of Monte Cristo.
View on the film:
Riding in on rear screen projection backed by a rousing score from Great Expectations (1934-also reviewed) composer Edward Ward, The Sun Never Sets (1939-also reviewed) director Rowland V. Lee & Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951-also reviewed) cinematographer George Robinson jump over any limitations in the mid-budget, and land in a joyful swashbuckler atmosphere, swift dolly shots displaying the detailed castle/ palace sets, which roll out to distorted panning shots that place the viewer right in the middle of the crowd, as the clash of steel from the nifty sword fights between Cristo and Lanen.
Stamping round the kingdom like a mad general with a shaved head and jackboots, George Sanders walks into his eighth film role of 1940, and gives a magnificent performance as Lanen, whose venomous dialogue is performed by Sanders with a real relish, matched by the stern glances Sanders gives all those who question the imposing figure of Lanen.
Reuniting with Sanders after they had worked on James Whale's Green Hell (1940-also reviewed) Joan Bennett gives a glittering performance as Zona, who Bennett has hold her head high in a regal manner, which Bennett balances with a firmness in her vocal delivery, expressing Zona pushing back on Lanen's demands.
Joined by a welcomed appearance by James Whale's regular collaborator Dwight Frye, Louis Hayward gives a dashing turn as Cristo, where he rolls with the punches and expert sword-fighting with a striking confidence, that Hayward brings over to Cristo being gleeful outsmarting Lanen while secretly out of the mask.
Drawing swords close to the Fantastique films made im France during the Occupation, the screenplay by George Bruce intelligently uses the characters from Alexandre Dumas's novel, as a foundation to explore the unfolding horror WWII. Surrounding Lanen with henchmen who wear black shirts, Bruce keeps Lanen's power-grab as a dictator one that is grounded in realism, with book burning and arresting all political opposition, which cleverly raise the stakes in the action set-pieces, as the town gets covered in Operation Cornflakes- leaflets, spread across the bowl by the son of Monte Cristo.