YELLOW CANARY
UK, 1943, 95 minutes, Black and white.
Anna Neagle, Richard Greene, Albert Lieven, Nova Pilbeam, Marjorie Fielding, Margaret Rutherford.
Directed by Herbert Wilcox.
Yellow Canary is a piece of wartime propaganda for the UK. It is set in 1940, focuses on the Blitz, the prevalence of spies in the United Kingdom – as well as cells in Canada.
Anna Neagle, working for Herbert Wilcox as she did in most of her films – and marrying him – is a self-possessed woman who is looked down on as sympathetic to the Nazis. It emerges, of course, that she is an undercover agent. Richard Greene is from the navy, assigned to look after her. Albert Lieven is a seemingly sympathetic Pole but who is, in fact, a Nazi. Margaret Rutherford has a supporting role as a Margaret Rutherford-style passenger on the ship going to Canada.
Anna Neagle had portrayed flighty musical roles in the 1930s like Nell Gwyn, became serious with Victoria the Great and Sixty Glorious Years as the queen. In the later 40s, she teamed with Michael Wilding in a series of very popular films including Spring in Park Lane, The Courtneys of Curzon Street, Maytime in Mayfair. She continued making films like this into the 1950s and then retired, although she had a long stage career before her death. Herbert Wilcox directed films with Anna Neagle for over twenty-five years.
1.The popularity of this kind of war film? Released in 1943? Its contribution to the war effort?
2.Black and white photography, London, the ship, Canada? Atmospheric? The musical score?
3.The title, the symbol of the yellow canary sent to Sally? Used later? Creating an atmosphere of prejudice against her?
4.The opening, the Blitz, Sally shining the torch – and audiences suspicious of her? The later revelation that she was giving a false signal? Executing the spy? Saving the royal family?
5.Anna Neagle as Sally, her bearing, her going to the restaurant, defying public opinion? People talking about her? Her friends? The dancing? Her going home, the response of her parents? Betty and her hostility? Her mission to go to Canada? Everybody thinking that she was sympathetic to the Nazis, her past meeting with Ribbentrop, going to Germany?
6.Garrick, his commission, looking after Sally? On the boat, his ever-presence, the clashes between them?
7.The contrast with Jan Orlock? Amongst the crew, sympathetic, the attraction to Sally? Her attraction towards him? The incidents on the ship? The contrast with Garrick? The attack by the Germans, boarding the ship? Jan and his German? Sally’s reaction? Garrick’s reaction? The boat not being destroyed? The reaction of the captain? Going on to Canada?
8.The wharf, people boarding, Mrs Towcester? Margaret Rutherford and her style? On board, chatter? Suspicions of Sally? Her arrival in Canada?
9.Jan, talking about his mother, the experiences in Poland? The reality of his mother, her illness, his family, the meeting with Sally, the mother being sympathetic?
10.Canada, the hotel, the staff? Looking after Sally? Her reaction to the Orlock family? The revelation of the truth about the family, the cell, the network at the hotel? The meeting, the plan, the ship and the convoy, the explosives, destroying the infrastructure in Canada?
11.Sally, the lights going out, her getting the phone, giving the information, the threat from the Orlocks? Her safety after being shot? Garrick and the rescue? Her heroism? Morale-boosting?
12.Her return, in uniform, the reconciliation with Betty, with the family, Garrick’s arrival, the marriage? And the happy ending – with her mother quoting Pygmalion about the war and the effort and the British, “Not bloody likely!”
