KIND LADY
US, 1951, 78 minutes. Black and white.
Ethel Barrymore, Maurice Evans, Angela Lansbury, Keenan Wynn, Betsy Blair, John Williams, Doris Lloyd, Moyna Mac Gill.
Directed by John Sturges.
Kind Lady is based on a play by Edward Chodorov. It was filmed in 1935 with Aline Mac Mahon and Basil Rathbone. This version was directed by John Sturges at the beginning of his career, making small-budget films at MGM and finally to bigger-budget films after his success with Bad Day at Black Rock. His most famous films are The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape.
This is a Victorian-style melodrama, in the vein of Gaslight. Ethel Barrymore portrays an elderly lady who lives alone. She is charmed by an artist who moves into her home with his wife, who is ill, and child. He also installs his own servants.
Maurice Evans plays the artist with some oily charm, suddenly revealing that he is a conman and that the servants are his allies. This means that the old lady becomes imprisoned in her house, is treated rather brutally, her portrait is painted as an ugly neurotic, she is denounced as delusional by the artist to any visitors who come, especially the hospital staff.
However, as the group starts to sell the old lady’s many art treasures and furniture, an inspector becomes suspicious. He is played by John Williams who was to figure strongly in some of Alfred Hitchcock’s films including To Catch a Thief and Dial M for Murder.
Keenan Wynn and Angela Lansbury are effective as the evil servants. (Angela Lansbury’s mother, Moyna Mac Gill, appears as the sister of the maid who has disappeared.)
The film has a brief running time, but is a fascinating story, given the conflict between Ethel Barrymore and Maurice Evans.
1. The film as a Victorian thriller? Ethel Barrymore vehicle? Her status as a leading lady of American theatre? Her age, 1950s?
2. The recreation of period, the house, the streets, the park, costumes and décor? The furniture and artwork? The interiors? The musical score?
3. The title, Mary Herries as a really kind lady, the irony of her kindness towards the fraudsters?
4. Ethel Barrymore as Mary, her age, her life and style, living alone, her art and her furniture? Kindly? With people, helping them? The encounter with the artist? Her response to him and his work? His wife, coming into the house, her kindly taking them in? the response to him, making them comfortable?
5. Elcott, his work as an artist, the encounter with Mary, sales, charm, his admiring her furniture and art? His wife, her collapse? Moving in? the disappearance of the housekeeper? Her sister coming to search for her? The plausible explanations?
6. Edwards and his wife? Types, criminal? Their relationship with Elcott? Their behaviour in the house, taking over, Mrs Edwards and her dominance? Aggie, cheeky, her being sent away?
7. The revelation that Elcott was a conman? His plan, the art and furniture, moving them, moving to sell them? To sell the house? The help from the Edwards? His saying that Mary was delusional, posing as her nephew? The hospital episode? Mary overhearing things? The nurse?
8. Mary, imprisoned, using her wits, deceiving Elcott and the Edwardses? Her being found out? Tied up, the isolation in her room? Her strength of character despite her fear? The issues of food and drink, eating and not eating?
9. Ada, with Elcott, part of the plan, the baby and the illness? Her presence in the house? Her also being imprisoned? Getting out, the contact with Mary? Liaising with her – and their being able to deceive Elcott?
10. The nature of the alliance, help, Ada and her reactions?
11. Foster, very British, the sales, his inquiries, believing Elcott? Yet suspicions? Going into action, unmasking Elcott?
12. The finale, Mary and Ada, Foster, the overcoming of Elcott and the Edwards?
13. A satisfying thriller? Period piece? A picture of indomitable courage?
