MADNESS OF THE HEART
UK, 1944, 1949, Black and white.
Margaret Lockwood, Maxwell Reed, Kathleen Byron, Paul Dupuis, Thora Hird, Raymond Lovell, Maurice Denham, Cathleen Nesbitt.
Directed by Charles Bennett.
Madness of the Heart is one of the many British melodramas of the '40s and '50s which highlight relationships, tragedy, high melodrama. Margaret Lockwood was the star of many of these films. Here she is a career woman who becomes blind, marries a charming Frenchman and goes to his home in France only to meet the hostility of the family and, especially, the hostility of the woman who wanted to marry him. The film is reminiscent of Rebecca - and Kathleen Byron does an excellent job as Verity (ironic name), the charming but scheming villainess. She had appeared to this effect in such films as Black Narcissus, Prelude to Fame.
The film asks a lot of the audience as regards credibility - however, it is in the vein of the paperback romantic melodramas and is enjoyable as such. There is a strong supporting British cast.
1. The popularity of this kind of romantic melodrama? The similarities with Rebecca and other similar stories?
2. British production values: black and white photography, English and French settings? dramatic effect? The strong cast?
3. The melodramatic score? Pace, editing for melodrama?
4. The title and its relationship to Lydia? To Paul? To Verity?
5. The audience identifying with Lydia and experiencing the melodrama with her? The opening with Lydia as a nun, the portrait of convent life, the sympathetic superiors, her being advised to leave the convent - her false vocation, her falling in love, her disappointment, her going blind? The insertion of the flashbacks to explain this situation? Lydia as a career woman, her friendship with Simon? The encounter with Paul at the airport? The later meeting, falling in love? Her experience of blindness, the possibility of an operation? Her remaining blind? Her leaving the convent? Her going back to work, her cheerfulness, courage? Simon's arranging for Paul to meet her? Their love, marriage, going to France, the hostility of the family - especially the father and his resentment of her handicap? The hostile treatment by the family - the trouble with the children, Lydia's place in the household? The friendship with Verity? The encounters with the chauffeur Max? Paul's absence, her fears and suspicions? her having to cope? The friendship with Verity, Verity's confidences? The attempts on her life - the window, the drowning, the framing of the letter and making it sound suspicious? Verity's not posting it? Paul's hostility? Her leaving the house? The chance operation, its success? Meeting Paul again at the airport - her return, the unmasking of Verity? The reconciliation? A true melodramatic romantic heroine?
6. Paul as the charming Frenchman? The encounter with Lydia, marriage, his business, family, suspicions? His grief at Lydia's leaving? The happy reunion? The sketch of the members of his family – except the hostility of his father?
7. Verity as villainess - her wanting to marry Paul, her seeming charm, riding with Paul, attempts to make Lydia jealous, attempts on her life - the window, the swimming and the drowning and her pretending to save her, her not posting the letter? Her collusion with Max, Max and his suave but sinister blackmail? Lydia returning and unmasking Verity? The crash and the melodrama death of Verity and Sax?
8. Audience suspension of disbelief for enjoying this kind of contrived and heightened romantic melodrama? British style?
