MR EMMANUEL
UK, 1944, 94 minutes, Black and white.
Felix Aylmer, Greta Gynt, Walter Rilla, Ursula Jeans.
Directed by Harold French.
Mr Emmanuel is an interesting war propaganda film from Britain in the mid 1940s. Unlike American films, it focuses squarely and explicitly on a Jewish character, the persecution of Jews by the Nazis and the dangers prior to World War II. Based on a novel by Louis Golding and directed by Harold French, the film is a star vehicle for Felix Aylmer. He portrays Isaac Emmanuel, a retired man who befriends some refugees from Germany, especially a suicidal boy and promises to go to Germany to try to find his mother. His visit to Germany highlights the atmosphere of repression, especially when he is arrested and tortured. Aylmer gives a very sympathetic performance. Greta Gynt appears as a British Jewish woman who is the mistress of a Nazi official (with a sequence where the official takes her to a ball and tries to make the Nazi heirarchy acknowledge her presence).
The film is an appeal for awareness about Nazism, Hitler, the persecution of the Jews. In retrospect it stands up quite well as a British melodrama with a strong topical message.
1. A film of the 40s: British war propaganda, anti-Nazi, sympathy for the Jews? A bold film in the 1940s? Its impact now?
2. Brevity, black and white photography, sets? The cast? The musical score?
3. The title, the focus on Isaac Emmanuel, the sympathetic style and performance of Felix Aylmer?
4. Mr Emmanuel: his 50 years in England, the Jewish migrant, content in England? His retirement, the watch, the discussions with the neighbour? His puzzle about retirement and what to do? The visit to the Coopers, the meeting of the boys, the friendship with Bruno, his sympathy and pity, the birthday celebration, saving Bruno's life, the promise? His decision to go to Germany, the warnings against it? Arrival, finding accommodation, the welcome? His attempts to find Bruno's mother and their being thwarted? Meeting the professor selling goods on the street and wanting to be anonymous? The hostility towards him as a Jew? His going to the police. explaining things clearly, his being in bed and arrested? the imprisonment, the time, the torture? The beatings? Not explaining the charge to him? His suddenly being released? His going to the club to see Elsie, her phone call, his asking her to get the information, the car with the message, his going to the house, finding Bruno's mother, the confrontation with her, her option to stay with her husband? His return to England, meeting Bruno, the decision to tell him that his mother was dead? The portrait of an individual, a man of conviction, of
courage and sympathy, suffering for his beliefs, trying to do what was right?
5. The Coopers and their sympathy, looking after the boys, providing them with a home? Sending them to the school? Their concern about Bruno, Mr Emmanuel?
6. Elsie, her background in Magnolia Street, singing at the nightclub, her relationship with the officer? Her being Jewish? His taking her to the party, being snubbed by the German officials, their change of attitude? Her persuading the
officer to help Mr Emmanuel? The phone call, giving him the information, her regrets about her life, her good wishes to her family but yet her decision to stay in Germany?
7. Bruno and the boys, refugees, not knowing what happened to their parents? Bruno and his depression, the birthday party, the attempting to kill himself? Mr Emmanuel saving him, getting the promise from him to stay alive? His hopes,
the return, his settling into the British school, playing soccer, accepting the fact that his mother was dead?
8. The school principal, accommodating the refugees, making them a part of school life?
9. Germany, the professor and his trying to be anonymous, arrested? The Gestapo and their tactics, interrogations?
10. The people in the house, supporting Mr Emmanuel, the shock at the arrest? The contrast with the man at the office and his refusing to speak to Jews?
11. The sub-plot of the other assassination, the accused, trying to frame Mr Emmanuel, the propaganda in the papers?
12. A short melodrama with a strong message (relevant decades after its time)?
