BEWARE OF PITY
UK, 1946, 106 minutes, Black and white.
Lilli Palmer, Albert Lieven, Cedric Hardwicke, Gladys Cooper, Linden Travers, Ernest Thesiger, Emrys Jones.
Directed by Maurice Elvey.
Beware of Pity is a British costume melodrama, post-war, remembering the atmosphere of World War One. It is based on a novel by Stefan Sweig.
The film receives the colourful costume treatment of the Gainsborough Studios, popular during World War Two with such films as The Man in Gray, Fanny by Gaslight. The film is also a star vehicle for Lilli Palmer at the beginning of her stardom. Her co-star is Albert Lieven and Cedric Hardwicke and Gladys Cooper have sympathetic roles as a doctor and his blind wife. Ernest Thesiger is Lilli Palmer's father.
The film is set in Czechoslovakia, re-creates the atmosphere of the Hapsburg empire and its collapse. The film is romantic, a moralising tale - and has a tragic ending that is rather unexpected. There is a lush musical score.
1.Entertaining melodrama? Costume melodrama? Moral fable?
2.The black and white photography, British post-war production? Studio sets? The romantic score?
3.The title, the meaning for Anton, his warning the young soldier? Love and pity? The victims of pity?
4.Anton, World War Two, Britain? The encounter with the young soldier? Telling him his own story so that the young man would not merely be pitiful but loving? His experience, in World War One? Czechoslovakia, the soldiers and their occupation of the town? His visit to the castle? Socialising, his faux pas with Edith? His hurrying away, leaving his coat? His return and the welcome in the family? Relationship with Edith's father? Her cousin? The friendship with Edith, spending the time? Riding the horse, talking? Music? His motivations of pity? His return to the barracks and the comments of the officers? Edith and her falling in love with him, his resisting it? Her disability, the discussions with the doctor? Edith's father wanting him to find out the truth? The interrogation of the doctor, his telling the father the possibility of a healing, the doctor's reaction? His being trapped? The intense interactions with Edith? His inability to love her? The visit to Vienna, the doctor, the doctor's wife and her advice? The assassination in Sarajevo? The mobilising? His arranging for the doctor's wife to visit Edith? His hearing of the truth of her death? His blaming himself?
5.The accident, the disability, her wealth and background, her father, her cousin? At the ball and her reaction to dancing? Her apologies to Anton? The doctor and his hopes? Her father and his anxieties? Her infatuation with Anton, her telling herself the truth but not admitting it? Wanting his presence, falling ever more deeply in love? His inability to respond? The doctor's hope, her travelling to Switzerland? Releasing her cousin? The realisation of the truth? The outbreak of the war? The visit of the doctor's wife? Her tragic behaviour, her suicide?
6.Her father, his concern, his wealth for his daughter? Wanting her recovery? Enlisting Anton's help? The sadness of his daughter's death?
7.The doctor, his common sense, trying to help Edith? His taciturn manner? Not liking Anton? Telling him about the cure in Switzerland? His angry reaction to Anton? Having to support Edith? His relationship with his wife and the story of his blinding her? His work in Vienna, at the service of everyone?
8.The doctor's wife, her blindness, love for her husband? The story about her blindness? Discussions with Anton, going to Edith, trying to tell her the truth, unable to prevent her suicide?
9.The cousin, her being in service to Edith, her falling in love, wanting her freedom, supporting her cousin?
10.The enclosed world of the wealthy in the Hapsburg empire? The collapse of the empire, the outbreak of the war, transition and change?
