WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS

UK, 1947, 78 minutes, Black-and-white.
Patricia Roc, Rosamund John, Bill Owen, Brenda Bruce, Patrick Holt, Cavan Malone, Leslie Dwyer, Sonia Holm, Torin Thatcher, Catherine Lacey.
Directed by Lawrence Huntington.

This is a small drama from post-war Britain focusing on mothers and children, issues of adoption, issues of lack of documentation for adoption.

Patricia Roc, popular at this time in British melodramas, is the mother who discovers at the birth of her child that her husband is a bigamist. She tries to manage, gets a job, takes her baby to a nursery where the baby is looked after by a sympathetic woman, played by Rosamund John, who had lost her child. The mother then decides that the wealthy couple should adopt the child but dismisses doing any paperwork.

The child grows up in affluent circumstances. The mother keeps working, has friends from the store, goes on a holiday camp and eventually marries a man she meets there, Bill Owen. She then begins to long for her son, asking for him back, the adoptive parents refusing, the going to a magistrate, her being awarded custody. However, it is too difficult for the boy.

A familiar theme but of interest in this British context.

1. The rhyme? Tune? The focus on babies? Children growing?

2. The British setting, 1947, the city, hospitals, homes, mansions, childcare? Shops and stores? Holiday camps? The musical score?

3. Llly, pregnant, giving birth, in the hospital, the police arriving, the news of bigamy, its effect on her? Her opinion of herself?

4. The authorities, care, the nursery, Frances and her work, volunteer? Able to leave her son? The interview for the job, getting the uniform, going to the perfume counter, meeting with Gwen? The skill with persuading customers to buy? The effect of her life, Jimmy and care? The friendship with Francis? Lily sad, feeling she could not adequately help her son, the discussion with Frances and her husband, offering the baby, no formalities, the style of the 1940s – the later judicial comments about not having the situation documented?

5. Frances, having lost her child, the birthday of A;ril 1st shared with Jimmy? Her husband and concern? Her longing for a child, working with the children?

6. The years passing, Jimmy turning eight, the birthday party, his being well educated, brought up well?

7. Llly, her life, work, the friendship with Gwen, with George? Persuading her to go to the holiday camp? Meeting Bill? The encounters, her not wanting to take the relationship? Yet his perseverance, showing her the shop? Her honesty about herself? The marriage?

8. Gwen and George, the marriage, the children, playing cards, the bickering?

9. Lily wanting to get Jimmy back, the discussions with Bill, his being wary, but agreeing? The visit to the mansion, confronting Frances, Frances upset?

10. Going to the magistrate, the magistrate and his comments, the benefit to the birth mother?

11. Bringing Jimmy to the shop, his upset at leaving? Riding the bike and Lily fussing about dirt? His being bullied about his accent? In the house, the details of his room, toys, polite to Bill and Lily? Running away?

12. His going home, Frances and her husband returning? The contact with Lily? The visit, taking Jimmy back to Frances?

13. The resolution, Frances and her husband, Jimmy and his acknowledgement of his mother and father? Lily and Bill and having a baby in their own?