BLANCHE FURY
UK, 1948, 95 minutes, Colour.
Valerie Hobson, Stewart Granger, Walter Fitzgerald, Michael Gough, Maurice Denham, Sybilla Binder.
Directed by Marc Allegret.
Blanche Fury is another of the costume dramas that were so popular in England and the end of the '40s. In the Gainsborough tradition, but boasting colour photography, this film stars Valerie Hobson as a wilful governess who becomes mistress of an important mansion - but destroys herself in the end. Stewart Granger is the illegitimate son of the owners of the mansion, disowned by the new rich who have bought into the family, who commits murder to gain the mansion. Michael Gough and Walter Fitzgerald are the newcomers. Maurice Denham is the law in the area.
The setting is 1853, costumes in the beautiful English countryside - as well as intrigue and melodrama. The film is similar to many of the period and is symbolic of British cinema trends of the period. However, the direction is by French director Marc Allegret.
1.The popularity of this kind of 19th century costume drama? British industry of the '40s? In later decades?
2.Recreation of settings, 1853, the English countryside, the mansions? Costumes and lighting? Musical score?
3.The focus on Blanche: the framework of her death, her memoirs, her dying - redeemed? Her name and its symbolism - as well as her taking the name of the Fury family? The irony of Fury? (And the symbolism of the motto and the Barbary ape protecting the family?)
4.Blanche, poor, as a nurse and a companion, her being imposed on, the news of the inheritance, her disregard of her patroness? Her arrival, the mistaken encounter with Philip? Her uncle and Lawrence? Her love for Lavinia? Her position in the household, her snobbery, disdain towards Philip? Yet attracted to him? The running of the estate, the marrying of Lawrence? Stepmother to Lavinia? The gypsies? The affair with Philip? His arrogance? The ball, the gypsy threats? Her permitting Philip to kill her uncle and Lawrence? Her threatening him not to harm Lavinia? Lavinia wanting to jump the hurdle? Her going to the authorities and telling the complete truth? In the witness- box, the cross-examination by Philip? Her pregnancy, his death, her giving birth to a son and her dying? Redemption?
5.Philip, his arrogance, his position in the household, lawyers trying to prove his legitimacy? The encounter with Blance, infatuated by her, his telling the truth about his aims? The gypsies, the rescue of the horses? The gypsy in the hotel, the girl at the bar? His resentment towards Lawrence and his father? The threat to Lavinia? The committing of the murders? The prison, his cross-examination, his withdrawal because of Blanche's pregnancy? His execution, his son inheriting the estate?
6.The Furys, the newly rich, buying the mansion and the name? The uncle and his concern, disdain for Philip? Running of the household? Lawrence, weak, the clashes with Philip? Love for Lavinia? Their deaths?
7.Lavinia, Blanche's love for her, wanting to ride the hurdle, the irony of her being killed because she was wilful?
8.The gypsies, their disdain for people and its being returned, the stealing of the horses, Blanche losing her way? Philip and attacking the gypsies? The gypsy woman in the hotel? The woman at the bar - and her testimony of the case?
9.The upholding of the law, the magistrate, the administration of justice, the judge, the court, the jury?
10.Popular melodramatic ingredients: estates, the impoverished, wealth, power, passion and greed, death?
