THEY MET IN THE DARK
UK, 1943, 90 minutes, Black-and-white.
James Mason, Joyce Howard, Tom Walls, Phyllis Stanley, Edward Rigby, Ronald Ward, David Farrar, Karel Stepanek, Finlay Currie.
Directed by Karel Lamarck.
This is a melodrama for the war effort, Britain, 1943.
It is an espionage story, merchant Navy boats being blown up by the Germans, mystery about their knowledge of sailing orders, court-martials and dismissals. The film offers an opportunity in its first eight minutes to see James Mason with a beard (a rather unlikely beard). He is the dashing hero of the film, going on to investigate how the Germans had the information, tracking down a woman working in a beauty parlour (Patricia Medina before she went to the US), finding her murdered in a country mansion. He also encounters a young woman, Laura (Joyce Howard) who has come from Canada to see her uncles and encounters the dead body.
In some ways, the screenplay is like a screwball comedy of the 30s with the ups and down adventures of the young man and young woman. Because he keeps tracking her and helping her in difficult situations, especially as they get closer to the fifth column the screenplay something like a minor Hitchcock drama of the time.
The spiders operate from a theatre background, playing in clubs, especially in Blackpool. Eventually, they are unmasked during a club performance.
British character actors in support including Tom Walls as the sinister -looking villain, Edward Rigby as James Mason’s assistant, David Farrar as a Navy official, Finlay Currie as the captain of the ship.
1. Espionage thriller from the 1940s? The atmosphere in Britain? The Nazi menace? Fifth column? And the atmosphere of the thriller with the touch of romance?
2. Britian 1943, the city, the Navy, action at sea, court-martials? Clubs, theatre? The Blackpool atmosphere? The mansion outside the city? The musical score? The patriotic song and performance?
3. The opening, the capture, the U-boat, disaster? The court-martial, Lippinscott as prosecutor, the captain unable to explain the situation? Richard and his presence, the other men?
4. Richard, some minutes with James Mason with the beard! Tracking down his contacts, Mary and her job, arranging to meet Richard, the mansion outside the city, her death?
The information and the card for the theatre?
5. Laura, her personality, from Canada, arrival, discovering the body, fearful, staying the night? Going to the police? Accusing Richard? The return to the mansion, the disappearance of the body? The police suspicions? Richard and his wanting to get information from her?
6. The romantic comedy touches, Richard and his following Laura, her going to the theatre, for the audition, meeting the other members of the company, further tangles with the police? Richard and his continually turning up, her losing her purse, his payment for tickets, magazines? The like-dislike attitudes?
7. The group, the magician and his skills, the entrepreneur, the associates? The audition, involving Lily? Her song? The audience learning more about the group, the musical notes, the musician playing them, the code? Getting the information and transferring it? The personalities?
8. The magician, with the Laura, her agreement to participate comedy, pulling out? Finally following him, in the back of the car? To the mansion? His digging?
9. Lipinscott, his hostility to Richard, in public, in the room, the fact that he was detecting, the explanation to Richard? Their putting things together? Their being in the club, the performance, the glass of beer, Richard volunteering, the experts decoding the notes, Richard and the expose?
10. The police, going to the mansion, discovering the body of Mary? The breaking of the ring?
11. And a romantic ending for the war audiences?
