LADY POSSESSED

UK, 1952, 87 minutes, Black and white.
James Mason, June Havoc, Fay Compton, Pamela Mason.
Directed by William Spier.

A melodrama of a rather vivid type. The film stars James Mason and was written by himself with his then wife. Pamela Kellino from her own novel. June Havoc makes a welcome appearance as the leading lady. The film came from the Republic Studios, notable for their direct and small budget work. The film has a strong emphasis also on psychiatric explanations. The film is of interest as a James Mason vehicle, but is certainly not one of his best.

1. Audience expectation from the title? too sensational? Its tone? A melodrama of the emotions?

2. Was this film oriented towards male or female audiences? Why?

3. What was the centre of interest in the film? The characters? reality mixed with fantasy? The psychological overtones of fantasy and the mysteriousness of the occult?

4. How successfully did the film set its scene: the hospital sequences, the coincidences? Jean’s dreams? the gradual building up of her possession?

5. How important and justified was the psychological explanation of the events? Jean's loss of her baby, wanting to see Del Palma? suffering, reaction to her husband, the house and its atmosphere, her sympathy for Del Palma, telepathy?

6. How effective the taking an ordinary women as its heroine? An American in England? How ordinary was Jean’s experience in the hospital? Audience sympathy for her? The quality of her relationship with her husband. especially with his work, busy, away from America, the child? The impact of her drowning and belief? Her empathy with the house and its personalities? How much did the house and the atmosphere change her? How well did the film communicate this? Her balance between reality and fantasy – in getting to know Del Palma? The concert and asking the question about his hands? Going to the medium and the experience of the seance? Dying? Why did she go to meet him? The effect on her and her wanting to save him? On the effect on her life and her wanting to go away with him? Why did she feel that it must be done? Not confiding in her husband? The melodrama
of the denouement - as satisfactory for this film? Being humiliated by Del Palma, rushing to the train, the support of her husband, the return to reality? Did the film give insight into such a tormented woman?

7. How important for the success of the film was the reality of Sybil? The audience only seeing her carried by her husband? Her pervading presence At the house? Dr Burrows’ description of her and her actions? Her artwork? The importance of the letter? the letter about Del Palma?

8. How interesting a character was Del Palma? James Mason’s style? The impact of the outburst at the hospital? The funeral? As being romanticized by Jean? Yet in reality very ordinary? The success of James Mason's dubbed singing voice? As a pianist and song man? The drinking, the experience of the seance? His living in the past? the liberation that Jean afforded him? His not being under any illusions about the relationship? His being liberated by the letter?

9. The importance of the seance and its atmosphere? The personality of the medium? The fraudulent nature of the seance? Debunking the atmosphere of séances?

10. What did Sybil and her chatter and friendship contribute to the atmosphere of the film? Tom and his anxieties in consulting the psychiatrist? The doctor and his inability to help Jean?

11. Was this a well constructed melodrama, succeeding because of its almost plausibility? Or was it just a far-fetched film?