FANNY BY GASLIGHT
UK, 1944, 108 minutes, Black and white.
James Mason, Phyllis Calvert, Stewart Granger, Wilfrid Lawson, John Laurie, Margarita Scott, Stuart Lindsell, Jean Kent.
Directed by Anthony Asquith.
Fanny By Gaslight is a lavish Victorian melodrama, set in 1880. It is from a novel by Michael Sadleir. The film was one of the melodramas of the Gainsborough Studios, a tradition started by The Man in Grey in 1943 and followed by such films as The Wicked Lady. The stars generally were Stewart Granger and James Mason, Phyllis Calvert and Margaret Lockwood with actresses like Jean Kent and Patricia Roe in support. The films also had a strong gallery of character actors in support.
The film is beautifully mounted, with black and white photography, elegant settings and costumes. It is also dramatic and melodramatic in its presentation of character, their interactions, moral struggles. This is particularly the case with James Mason, scowling as the villain throughout these films.
Direction is by Anthony Asquith, a distinguished British director who made such films as The Browning Version and The V.1.Ps.
1. Enjoyable Victoria melodrama? British style? Filmmaking, stars? The perennial appeal of this kind of material ? costume soap opera?
2. Black and white photography, sets and decor, the re-creation of period? Poverty and affluence? Musical score?
3. The title and expectations? The focus on Fanny? 1870, her birthday, friendship with Lucy, going down into the brothel, being given the sweets? Her innocence? Hopwood and his running the brothel? Chunks and his trying to save Fanny? Her birthday party? Setting the tone?
4. Fanny's return, her birthday, meeting her family, meeting Lucy? Her father and the brothel? His affluent guests? Lord Manderstoke and the clash? The brawl in the street and Hopwood's death? Manderstoke as sinister? The case going to the court, Fanny giving testimony, her innocence and ignorance, Manderstoke being freed? The repercussions on Fanny, the collapse of her mother, her telling her that she must go to Mr Seymour?
5. Fanny and her destiny: Clive Seymour, friendship, the discovery of the truth about her father, her mother's affair with Seymour? Her going into service? Pretending to be Nanny's niece? Alicia and her taking her as a maid? Her successful work? Going travelling with Alicia? The maids gossiping? The discovery of the relationship between Alicia and Manderstoke? Her wanting to tell her father? Being caught? Alicia's interpretation?
6. Alicia and Clive, the demand for the divorce, Alicia's greed? The pressure on her husband to give up his career and wealth? His killing himself? His note? Harry administering his will? H1s sense of honour, his work as a public servant, love for Fanny?
7. Fanny and her having to go to work, in the tavern? The past friendship with Harry? His finding her. bringing the will, discovering the truth? Their falling in love? His going to the tavern? His sister's disapproval of the marriage?
8. Fanny's disappearance, the collage of her seeking jobs? Going to Lucy with her theatrical success? Lucy taking her to the club and the women as prostitutes? Manderstoke and Alicia present? The confrontation? Harry's arrival, saving Fanny, the fight with Manderstoke?
9. Fanny and her love for Harry, defying the family? Harry's interview with his mother and sister? Going to Paris, the relationship between the two? Joy? The theatre, discovering Lucy? Lucy under Manderstoke's patronage? The clash with Harry and Manderstoke, the duel, Harry not shooting, his being wounded, in hospital, the doctor's support, his sister wanting Fanny removed? Fanny able to bring him back to health and her final hope for a happy future?
10. The sketch of the characters: Manderstoke as the arrogant and selfish lord? Harry as the eager and sincere public servant in love? Alicia as the selfish rich woman? Lucy as the ambitious actress, with the patronage of Manderstoke? Kate Somerford and her spinster-brittle bitterness? Chunks and his looking after Fanny?
11. The popularity of this kind of film? Audience response to melodramatic tensions, characters and situations?
