THE GREEN SCARF
UK, 1954, 96 minutes, Black-and-white.
Michael Redgrave, Ann Todd, Leo Genn, Kieron Moore, Richard O' Sullivan, Jane Lamb, Michael Medwin, Jane Henderson.
Directed by George Moore O' Ferrell.
The Green Scarf is a courtroom drama from the 1950s. It was directed by George Moore O’ Ferrell who had just directed Graham Greene’s The Heart of the Matter. Unusually, for a British film, it has a French setting, a French court room.
Michael Redgrave, somewhat disguised behind a large beard, aged and stooped, is a top lawyer who takes on the case of a man who is deaf, mute and blind. He has been accused of murder on a transatlantic liner and has confessed. The man is played by Irish actor, Kieron Moore. His wife is played by Ann Todd.
The lawyer does not believe the accused is guilty, eliciting some emotional and physical response from him, caring for him in the prison, interviewing his wife who seems reluctant to come to the court. He also in interviews the man’s mother about her difficulties in communicating with her son.
A large part of the film is the court case itself with many prosecution witnesses including an American senator and the purser on the ship. Eventually, the accused’s wife does come and testify. It appears he had thought she was guilty and wanted to take the blame and she thinking he was guilty.
Leo Genn appears as a religious brother from an Institute which educates the blind. He has a strong bond with the accused as well as his wife who, as a little girl, was a means of the young boy’s communicating. There are flashbacks for these scenes.
Speeches from Michael Redgrave, speculation as to who the murderer might be, communications with the US and information – and the unmasking of the purser, played by Michael Medwin, who has a vendetta against the accused’s wife.
1. The impact of the film as personal drama? Portrait of a person with disabilities? Murder mystery? Court case?
2. The French setting, the court, the flashbacks to family and institutions? The flashbacks to the United States, the tour? The action taking place in legal rooms and, especially, the court? The musical score?
3. The title, Jacques, his blindness, his feeling about colours? His wife’s scarf? The advocate’s testing Jacques, and in court? His reaction? Its place in the murder, taken from Solange, placed at the murder site, Jacques removing it? As evidence in the court?
4. The introduction to Deliot, Michael Redgrave and his beard, accent, stoop, age, manner? The investigations? His assistant? Going to the prison, the interview with Jacques, the initial attack, the communication, providing food, some comfort and communication? His taking on the case? His intuitions? His meeting with Solange, the discussions about the past, the tour of America, the murder? Her beliefs? His search for evidence? The communication with the United States, information, the cheque?
5. Jacques, his mother, her bewilderment at his disabilities, his isolation, the friendship with Solange, the doll, signs? The introduction to Brother Rodelic? His kindness, taking Jacques to the Institute, Solange and her visits, wary of his mother, later embracing? Classes, with the boys, learning, ingenious? The visit from Solange, her continuing to help, the buildup to the marriage? The ceremony? His writing, the success of his book, the tour of the United States? The talks, his exhilaration? Solange, John Bell and his attentions, the affair, her feelings of guilt, wanting to break off? His presence on the ship? His death, Jacques thinking that Solange had done the murder, she thinking it was Jacques? following her with the perfume, prepared to be guilty, getting rid of the evidence?
6. The witnesses, from the ship, the person, discovering the body? The irony that he was Phyllis Brooks husband, his jealousy, taking the scarf, the murder? In the court, the final accusation?
7. The senator, the story of his son, relationships, in the court?
8. Brother Rodelic, genial, his testimony in the court, witness, the flashbacks?
9. The prosecution, the accusations? The judge presiding?
10. The character of Deliot, as a lawyer, his taking the case, his arguments, not sure of the criminal, his speeches in the court, the final accusation with the information from America?
11. The delineation of the characters and their interactions, the murder mystery, the court case?
