MR PEABODY AND THE MERMAID

US, 1948, 89 minutes, Black and white.
William Powell, Ann Blyth, Irene Hervey.
Directed by Irving Pichel.

Mr Peabody and the Mermaid is another film about mermaids – much better known is the British Miranda with Glynis Johns (and the sequel Mad About Men) and Daryl Hannah as the mermaid in Splash (with its sequel Splash, Too). This is a little fable from the late 40s about ageing, about masculine charm, about women responding to this charm. William Powell is the star, a veteran from the 1920s and especially the 30s with such films as the Thin Man series as well as The Great Ziegfeld. In the same year as this film he made the classic Life With Father. Ann Blyth is the lead – having emerged as Joan Crawford’s daughter in Mildred Pierce and soon to become a singing star in such films as The Great Caruso, The Student Prince and Rose Marie.

The film was directed by actor Irving Pichel who had been the off-screen voice of Jesus in the 1939 The Great Commandment and co-directed the 1954 biblical film, Day of Triumph.

1. How enjoyable a comedy from the forties? The impression of the dated style? The overall impact now?

2. For what audience was the film made?

3. The film as a fable? The moral of the story? The light touch in the moral?

4. Comedy about the human foible of not facing aging, not facing reality? The masculine myth of flirting and leering at younger women? The mermaid as the creation of this imagination?

5. The fantasy of the mermaid? Havable and yet not havable? Attractive and alluring though magic women? Yet the difficulties of keeping her?

6. The effect Of the structure of the film? The psychological overtones? The leading up to fantasy? The memories?

7. How credible was Arthur as the hero of the film? the initial impression, his memories, age, relationship with his wife, flirting? The atmosphere of the holiday? The creation of the mermaid? His encounter with her and reactions? The deep seated fantasies especially diving into the water at the end?

8. The mermaid herself? The difficulty of creating a character without speaking? How attractive? Her humour and petulance? The name that he gave her?

9. The contribution of the other characters especially Holly? The doctor, the guests at the hotel?

10. The significance of the ending? The facing of the truth. happy middle-aged people in their marriage? The irony of Lenore's hair clip?