TRIO

UK, 1950, 91 minutes, Black and white.

The Verger: James Hayter, Kathleen Harrison, Michael Hordern, Lana Morris, Felix Aylmer.
Directed by Ken Annakin.

Mr Know All: Nigel Patrick, Ann Crawford, Naunton Wayne, Wilfrid Hyde White, Michael Medwin, Bill Travers.
Directed by Ken Annakin.

Sanatorium: Jean Simmons, Michael Rennie, Roland Culver, Andre Morell, Raymond Huntley, John Laurie, Finlay Currie, Marjorie Fielding.
Directed by Harold French.

Trio is one of three films produced in the UK in the late 40s and early 50s with collections of short stories by W. Somerset Maugham. Maugham’s stories had appeared in a number of films including Rain and Miss Sadie Thompson, The Letter, and the aubiographical The Moon and Sixpence.

Directors Ken Annakin and Harold French had emerged in the 1940s as very competent directors and made a number of features during the 1950s. French did not move overseas. However, Ken Annakin began to direct films for Disney including The Sword and the Rose and The Swiss Family Robinson and moved to bigger-budget films including Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines.

Trio is a very entertaining collection. The Verger is a star vehicle for elderly character actors James Hayter, Kathleen Harrison and Felix Aylmer. The second story is a tour-de-force for Nigel Patrick, Mr Knowall. The third story, Sanatorium, is more emotional with Jean Simmons and Michael Rennie suffering and coming to love each other. Once again, there are a number of British supporting actors in the various segments but especially Sanatorium, Roland Culver, (??? – not sure if he was meant to be in or not) Andre Morell, John Lawrie and Finlay Currie.

Maugham himself introduces the film.

1. The popularity of the work of W. Somerset Maugham? The popularity of the films Quartet and Encore? Audience enjoyment of the short story, the short story as basis for feature film? The particularly British tone, style, irony of Maugham?

2. The value of the short story in its precision, mood, situation, character study? The omnibus film and the popularity of the collection of short stories? The transition to the television series and the series taking this kind of film's place?

3. British filmmaking in the '40s and '50s ? ordinariness, the British touch, feeling, authenticity, irony, humour? Black and white photography, the strong British casts, musical score?

4. The range of this selection of stories? The proportion given to Sanatorium? Humour, irony, romance and sentiment?

5. The Verger?
(a) The portrait of Mr. Forman, James Hayter's genial presence, agel expressive face, manner of speaking? His work in the church, the encounter with the vicar and the interrogation about his job? The revelation that he couldn't read or write and the vicar's response? The meeting and the others' response? The friendship with Mrs. Brown? Mr. Forman's walk, his comments about his need for a cigarette, his idea for the shop, the suddenness of his proposal to Mrs. Brown? The party for her daughter and the announcement? The buying of the shop, setting it up, the humour of the sequence with the first sale and the first penny? The growing success? Mrs. Brown's daughter, son in law and their problems, the new shop? The baptism at the vicar's church and the donation of fifty pounds for the poor? The success after ten years? The visit to the bank? The point of the story - the humour of his success because he couldn't read and write -? otherwise still being the verger at the church?
(b) The supporting characters and their range: the vicar and his snobbery, the council of the church, Mrs. Brown and her love for her husband, the daughter and son~in?law, the manager of the bank?

6. Mr Know All

(a) Nigel Patrick's performance as a tour de force? The satire on the British, the members of the Empire and their wanting to be more British than the British? A comedy of manners? Mr. Kalada's idiosyncrasies, push, annoying people, vitality, irrepressible? People liking and disliking? The situations in which he found himself, interfering with people, impossible to put down? His showing off and people's reaction and nickname Mr. Know All especially at the fancy dress ball? The encounter with Mrs. Raway, the discussion about the pearls, his seeing her face in the mirror, his gentlemanly decision?
(b) The supporting characters - representing the British Empire, the civil servants, the captain and crew? Ramsay and his being absent? Mrs. Ramsay and her devotion to her husband, the irony of the discussion about the pearls, her plea, her reputation being saved? Wilfrid Hyde White and his comments on Mr. Kalada, the final friendship after their sharing?

7. The Sanatorium:

(a) The focus on Ashendon and his being somewhat a representative of Maugham himself? His observation, wisdom, experience of his own illness? Dr. Lennox and the treatment, the fishing sequence? The range of patients at the sanatorium - the ladies and their genteel gossip, Campbell and McLeod? and their continual bickering, Chester and his resentment and the visits of his wife? The way of life in a Scottish sanatorium - the nature of tuberculosis, the quiet way of life, genteel? Treatment and length of time?
(b) Insight into the range of characters: McLeod? and Campbell and their clashes, as regards the music, their places at the table, the best room, the card playing? The ladies and their gossip, Campbell's petition about McLeod's music? Chester and his self preoccupation, his looking foxward to his wife's visit, his resentment towards her and his deliberately hurting her? His not wanting her to visit?
(c) Templeton and the background to his arrival, the explanation of his story, his pursuit of Evie? Evie as a resourceful and pleasant young girl? The number of their encounters. people's comment, their falling in love, outings? Their decision? The tests and Dr. LennoxIs? comment? Their decision to go ahead with the marriage even with the lessening of their life span? The sentiment, sentimentality of this story?
(d) The themes of love and death? The brevity of the story, the feeling of the story?

8. How satisfying a group of short stories? The work of Maugham - his insight, sympathy, irony?