PERFECT STRANGERS
UK, 1947, 102 Minutes, Black and white.
Robert Donat, Deborah Kerr, Glynnis Johns, Ann Todd, Roland Culver.
Directed by Alexander Korda.
Perfect Strangers is an engaging comedy-romance set in the war period, showing an ordinary British couple, Robert and Catherine Wilson, their humdrum life and the change in each of them as they went into the Services and experienced the war. They were away from each other for three years and at the end were, as the title suggests, perfect strangers. (The American alternate title was Vacation from Marriage.)
Robert Donat had had a distinguished career in the 30s with a great number of films culminating in his Oscar winning Goodbye Mr. Chips. Deborah Kerr was at the beginning of her very long and successful career. Ann Todd and Roland Culver have small but significant roles and Glynnis Johns stands out as an engaging fellow Wren to Deborah Kerr. Author and playwright Clemence Dane joins with director Anthony Pelissier for the screenplay. The direction and production was by Alexander Korda. who had been so important in establishing the British film industry in the 30s. The humour and the humanity of the stars ensures that the film is quite engaging even in later decades.
1. An entertaining romance, war drama, human drama? Impact in the 40s? Now?
2. The film's value as propaganda material in the 40s? British spirit, the war effort, the presentation of the British as patriotic and in service of their country, the rebuilding of England after the war? British spirit and patriotism? How relevant now? Has the film dated?
3. The prestige of the production? Black and white photography, authors, score? The stars? The irony of the title? The alternate American title? How well did the film establish its background: London, the war, ordinary people and the emphasis on their very ordinary lives, the name of Wilson, their flat, their daily routine, life in the city, work? The drab aspects, the humdrum way of life? Clothes, appearance? The ironic touch in presenting this drabness, with humour?
4. Robert Donat's style as Robert? His appearance, moustache and bowler hat, the background of the marriage, the annual holidays, his timidity, wheezing at the stairs, seeing him at work, his volunteering and not being eligible for more pay, his meek acceptance of this, arguing how he would explain it to Catherine? How well did this establish his ordinariness?
5. Deborah Kerr as Catherine? Drab housewife, her colds, timidity with her husband?
6. The contrast with the way of life in the Navy: Robert's being on the train, explaining himself, the roll call, the entry into the Navy, sleeping quarters, meals, seasickness, the change in the way of life and it giving him more vigour, people calling him Bob, the growing number of friends, the challenge and strategies of the war? The way in which he cam alive? Communication with Catherine? The changing memories of his past? His rowing the boat and hurting his hands, his convalescence and the long discussion with the nurse, the dancing, the discussion about the meaning of the war, her dead husband, and his career as an explorer? The missing of Catherine and then the change of awareness about her? How convincingly was this change in personality presented?
7. The same thing happening to Catherine? Volunteering for the Wrens, crying on arrival, the discussion with Dizzy, her growing friendship with her, the letters to Robert, her skills in the war, manning a boat, carrying messages, the friendship with Richard and dancing, the drawing and the image of her, not as she was in the past? The growing awareness of wider horizons, change in personality ? lipstick, dancing, drinks? How convincingly was her change of personality presented?
8. The propaganda aspects of the film: Robert and his discussions with the nurse and the significance of the war and suffering? Dizzy and the late revelation of her fiance in Singapore and her attitude towards his return?
9. The humour of the preparations for husband and wife meeting? The significance of the title? The role of the editing and the paralleling of their journey, talk, words, attitudes? Their presuppositions about the other not changing, their fears?
10. Robert and Scottie and their conversations, the arrival at the flat? Catherine and Dizzy and Catherine's fear, the running away, the phone call? The dramatic feeling of their meeting, clashes, the divorce?
11. The atmosphere of the pub and the irony of the golden anniversary of the proprietor's marriage with the speech and the celebration? The light and each seeing the other almost for the first time? The irony of their stating their memories and explaining various attitudes? The various sides of the same events and their interpretation? The dancing, the drinking? Dizzy and Scottie and their presence as catalysts? The attack on Robert as being an old woman, Robert's attack on Catherine's ego?
12. The humour of the clash in the street and the attempts to get a taxi?
13. Catherine in the flat and the relating of her memories to Dizzy? The parallel of Robert's soliloquy and his return to get his luggage?
14. The sentiment in the final new encounter, their new view from their flat, the ruins of London and the ruins of their marriage, the morale in rebuilding? The reality that it would not be easy?
15. How well did the film work on the level of man-woman relationships, marriage, people changing? New starts, the quality of love?
16. The success of the film as a war film, a film of the 40s, a film for the 40s peace? The use of the cinema medium for propaganda?
