THE HOUR BEFORE DAWN
US, 1944, 75 minutes, Black-and-white.
Franchot Tone, Veronica Lake, John Sutton, Binnie Barnes, Henry Stephenson, Philip Merivale, Nils Asther.
Directed by Frank Tuttle.
The Hour before Dawn is a Paramount production of 1944 with reputable director of action films and drama, Frank Tuttle. It has a musical score by Miklos Rosza before he moved into biblical epics. Costumes are by Edith Head and make up by Wally Westmore. It also has a strong cast led by Franchot Tone and, unusually as an Austrian spy, Veronica Lake.
The film has a very short running time, surprising for the film with these production values.
The setting is England in 1939 through to 1940 and the German blitzing of England. The film serves as morale boosting and propaganda in 1944, Hollywood’s contribution.
While Americans have the central roles, Franchot Tone and John Sutton have British accents while Veronica Lake, playing an Austrian, has a broken English accent. On the other hand, Henry Stephenson as the retired general, Benny Barnes as the former actress, Philip Merivale as a magistrate are British.
The film focuses on two themes. At the core is pacifism, the Franchot Tone character having accidentally shot his collie in an opening scene of the film, has taken a stance against all killing, against the local partridge hunting, and getting an exemption from active service because of his unwillingness to kill. He gets local jobs although he is looked down on by many of the farmers.
The other theme is the German fifth column in England, Veronica Lake infiltrating herself into the household, even marrying the central character, but in league with German contacts and with a mission to light fire beacons to guide the Germans in their bombardment of the English countryside.
It is interesting to note the pacifism theme of the film – actor Lou Ayres was boycotted from many films for some years because of his stance in World War II. Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge, 2016, was a portrait of a conscientious objector in the Japanese war and received great acclaim.
1. Hollywood contribution to the war propaganda effort? Appearing in 1944? The British setting? Morale boosting?
2. Black-and-white photography, atmosphere of England, the countryside, the country mansion? Air fields, the country roads? The musical score? Morale and Roll out the Barrel?
3. The plausibility of the plot? The fifth column in England? The cells and the false identities, alleged refugees, music teachers, companions and governesses? The plots, the contact with Germany? The Hitler broadcasts? Giving help to German planes, beacons to indicate landmarks for bombing?
4. The prologue, Jim and his father, shooting, the death of the dog? The effect on Jim? Not sharing in the partridge hunting? His speech to the hunters? His convictions? Pacifism? His speech to his family, wanting to defend but not to kill? His hearing with the magistrates? His looking for work on the farms, the farmers looking down on him? Punching the lazy worker? Getting the job? Living away from the family? His relationship with his father and his father’s support? Roger and his support, May and her criticisms? Tommy, his devotion to his uncle? The boxing training?
5. The family, the father, experience in World War I, loving his sons, the genial man, the home guard and the humour of the old men and the war? Supporting his son? Roger, the air force, serious, loving May, the banter between them? Her being an old showgirl? Going on tour for the troops? The air fields, the German raids? May returning by car from Scotland? The dangers? The morale boosting in the shelter?
6. Dora, from Austria, her appearance, prim hairdo, accent? Encountering the family on holidays, coming to England, companion and governess? Jim and his infatuation with her? His proposal, the marriage certificate? The audience learning that she was a spy, the meetings with the contact, with the music teacher? Their plans, listening to Hitler? Propaganda, influencing Jim, marrying him so that she could not be interned? The clashes with Tommy? Lighting the haystack, the fire, the signals? Going back into the house, the confrontation with Jim, declaring her hatred of him? The gun, his attacking her, killing her?
7. Propaganda issues, infiltration, the meeting with the alleged Dutchman, his insinuations about the defeat of England, negotiations with Germany? A future? Reporting these spies to the authorities?
8. The theme of pacifism, World War II, exemptions from service – but the morale of the film indicating that in desperation, Jim would actually kill
9. The finale with him flying the plane with Roger?
