THE MILL ON THE FLOSS
UK, 1936, 95 minutes, Black and white.
James Mason, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Felix Aylmer, Griffith Jones, Frank Lawton, Fay Compton, Victoria Hopper, Sam Livesey, Martita Hunt.
Directed by Tim Whelan.
George Eliot (Mary Evans) is considered one of the great English novelists of the 19th century. Her Mill on the Floss has been filmed several times, including a silent version as well as a television version of the 1970s in the film version, with Emily Watson, in the 1990s.
This is an early film for James Mason who is to go to Hollywood in the 1940s and have a successful international career. Geraldine Fitzgerald, also in an early film, was to go to Hollywood soon after this film and appear in such classics as Dark Victory. The supporting cast contains eminent British performers including Felix Aylmer in a villainous role, Fay Compton as Tulliver’s wife, and Sam Livesy, Roger Livesey’s his father, is Tulliver. Martits Hunt, later to be Miss Havisham, is an autocratic cousin.
Within an hour and a half, the screenplay includes key elements of the novel, delineation of the characters, especially as children, their growing up, the son and his fierce loyalty towards his father and resentment towards the local mill owner and the daughter and her liveliness and emotional tangles.
There are some early special effects with the flood in the town and the destruction of the mill.
Tim Whelan was an American director who worked in England with such films as The Divorce of Lady X, The Thief of Baghdad.
1. A version of the classic George Eliot novel? Filmmaking in the 30s, a brief film, capturing the essence of the characters and novel?
2. The 1830s and the 1840s, Victorian England, the countryside, the town, homes, the different classes, the mill, boarding schools? The musical score?
3. The focus on Tolliver, his wife, Maggie, Tom, Tulliver’s ambitions, sending Tom to boarding school for an education, the tensions with Wakem, the ownership of the mill, the court cases, taking so long, Tolliver losing? His being hired by Wakem, eventually paying off his debt?
4. The children, Maggie, her vitality, Philip and his being quiet, Tom and his going to school, his bullying Bob for the halfpenny? Sign of things to come?
5. The children growing up, Tom returning home, the experience of school, going to work for his father, the resentment against the Wakems? Maggie, her vitality, her friendship with Lucy, the wedding, Stephen and his attentions, her friendship with Philip, the ups and downs of the family fortunes?
6. Tulliver, his collapse, the loss of the case, paying off his debt, his happiness, Tom and his participation?
7. Wakem, his arrogance, place in society, his home, relationship with his son? Tulliver’s attack on him?
8. Lucy and Stephen, and friendship with Maggie, the marriage, Stephen and the betrayal, the ambiguity of Maggie’s response, the experience of the flood, Maggie’s disappearance, her getting shelter, her return, Lucy and her support, the gossips of the condemnation in the town? Bob passing by, his success in life, merchant, supporting Maggie and condemning the gossips?
9. Mrs Glegg, the range of cousins, the generations, Mrs Glegg and her acerbic comments, Tom persuading her to invest? Her silent husband?
10. The visuals of the flood, the special effects?
11. Tom, growing harder, the death of his sister, her reputation, reactions? The changing of the status quo – future experience and memories?
