THE WICKED LADY
UK, 1945, 104 minutes, Black and white.
Margaret Lockwood, James Mason, Griffith Jones, Patricia Roc, Michael Rennie, Enid Stamp- Taylor, Felix Aylmer, Martita Hunt.
Directed by Leslie Arliss.
The Wicked Lady was perhaps the most famous of the Gainsborough Studios melodramas of the mid-40s. They starred Margaret Lockwood, Stewart Granger, James Mason, Patricia Roc and Phyllis Calvert. Margaret Lockwood is the wicked lady. Patricia Roc is the virtuous lady. James Mason is Captain Jerry Jackson, the 17th century highwayman. There is a strong supporting cast including Martita Hunt, Felix Aylmer as Hogarth.
The film re-creates an atmosphere of the Restoration period, enjoys itself in presenting Margaret Lockwood as a femme fatale, unscrupulous, stopping at nothing yet getting her comeuppance.
The film was escapist entertainment in its day. However, it is always commented on that several scenes had to be re-shot for the American screen because of the lady's neckline.
No such scruple was found for the remake in the early '80s. Writer-director Leslie Arliss collaborated with Michael Winner on the remake. It follows the original quite strongly - though with an '80s permissive style. (The stars of the remake were Faye Dunaway, Alan Bates, Denholm Elliott, Oliver Tobias and John Gielgud.)
1. The impact of the film in its time? Status? The '40s? In retrospect?
2. The production values at Gainsborough Studios: costume design, decor? Elaborate country mansions? The British countryside? 17th century London? Musical score? Song?
3. Audience expectations: melodrama, the Restoration, good and evil, poetic justice?
4. Margaret Lockwood as Barbara: in herself, her beauty and presence? Her friendship with Caroline? Her decision to take Ralph and his wealth and position? Her devices, riding, falling? Her false confession to Caroline? The wedding and persuading Caroline to stay? Meeting Kit and the instant infatuation? The clashes with Henrietta and their verbal vying with each other? Bored in the country, sewing, not looking after the household? Relying on Caroline? The maids and the aunts? Hogarth? Gambling with Henrietta and losing the brooch that was her mother's? Her vow never to part with it? The stories of the highwayman and her going out on the road and robbing Henrietta? Henrietta’s story and its ironic lies? Her continuing to rob, the encounter with Jackson? Sharing with him? Going to the inn, passionate affair? Hogarth and his watching her, his hold over her? Quoting the Scriptures? Her pretending to be converted? Looking after him, poisoning him? Going to the shop to get the poison? The baptism of the tenant's son? Hearing about the gold? The gold robbery, her killing? Hogarth's hold over her and her absence from the road? Finding Jackson with the woman? Throwing the note to betray him? Going to London, with Henrietta and Caroline? going to the hanging? Watching Jackson, his not betraying her? The note and her giving money to Jackson's girl? The irony of his escape? The irony of her meeting Kit again? The decision to kill Ralph, her killing Jackson? Her being shot; going home, Caroline and the truth, her decision to tell Kit the truth and his leaving her alone? Dying alone?
5. The contrast with Caroline, attractive, virtuous? Her love for Ralph but giving him up? At the wedding, staying for the household, hurt, her singing, the encounter with Ralph, being honourable? Meeting Kit, the decision to marry? Returning to look after Hogarth and the household? Her presence at the hanging, her puzzle? The resolution and the irony of Barbara's death?
6. Ralph as the country lord, his infatuation with Barbara, riding with her, the decision to leave Caroline and marry? His social concern with the tenants, going to their celebrations? His disillusionment with Barbara? Attraction towards Caroline? The irony of everything being resolved at the end?
7. Kit and his charm, infatuation with Barbara, with Caroline, honourable, the irony of his shooting Barbara? His leaving her to die?
8. The sketch of the household: the dowager, the two aunts? Hogarth and his religious mania, quoting the Scriptures, his hold over Barbara? In the church at the funeral? His being poisoned, his realisation? Barbara smothering him?
9. Henrietta and the picture of Restoration society? London society, gambling, executions? The verbal exchanges?
10. Jerry Jackson and the gallant highwayman, his robberies, infatuated with Barbara, sharing with her, going to the inn, his policy of not killing, his reaction to her, her absence and his going back with the girl, the arrest, the hanging, his not betraying her, his jaunty speech, the money for the girl, the escape, the return to Barbara's room, his being shot by her?
11. Entertaining melodrama, larger than life?
