THUNDER ROCK
UK, 1943, 112 minutes, Black and white.
Michael Redgrave, Barbara Mullen, James Mason, Lilli Palmer, Finlay Currie, Frederick Valk, Frederick Cooper, Miles Malleson.
Directed by Roy Boulting.
Thunder Rock is a war effort propaganda feature from the middle of World War Two. It came out at the same time as Pimpernel Smith, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp. In fact, though the film was made by the Boulting Brothers (Brighton Rock, I’m All Right, Jack), it is much more similar in tone to the work of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. The film was based on a play by Robert Ardrey (The Territorial Imperative).
The film focuses on a journalist who has become disillusioned with people’s indifference during the 1930s, ignoring the rise of fascism. After the publication of his book, his being derided by fellow journalists, he retreats to care for a lighthouse in the Great Lakes. He is visited by his supervisor and by a friend (James Mason). He explains that he has peopled his imagination with characters from a shipwreck of almost a hundred years earlier which is commemorated in the lighthouse. The characters come alive – and serve as a conscience for the journalist, their commenting on their lives, their running away from issues, the necessity for him to practise what he preaches to them and take a stand.
The film includes footage of Hitler, has episodes in Italy and the time of Mussolini, shows people not turning up to speeches warning against the dangers of fascism, idly watching newsreels in the cinema but preferring cartoons.
The film is quite stagy – and somewhat rhetorical in its dialogue for contemporary tastes. The film is a morality play with the characters generally coming to life in the lighthouse itself, though there are some scenes towards the end on the boat before its fatal disaster.
Michael Redgrave brings great dignity to the central role and he is well supported by Finlay Currie as the captain of the ship. The film was also an early starring vehicle for Lilli Palmer.
1.The impact of the film in its time? War propaganda? British morale-boosting? In subsequent decades? Now?
2.The black and white photography, the studio sets – but the evocation of the lighthouse and its isolation? The atmospheric musical score?
3.The film based on a play, the transfer to the screen? Staginess, the rhetoric of the dialogue? The tableau of the characters and their interactions on the stage of the lighthouse?
4.The opening sequences, the office, the British cast trying to do American accents? Responsibility, ambitions? The information about David Charleston? His not cashing his cheques, his isolation? The inspector and his comment on Charleston and his perfect record at the lighthouse? Flying to the lighthouse, Streeter as the pilot, his past friendship with Charleston, their discussion, clashes, the flashbacks in which Charleston saved Streeter, especially in Italy with his aggression towards the fascists and insult to Mussolini? Streeter’s financial debts and giving him the money? Streeter going to the war in China? Charleston remaining on the lighthouse?
5.Charleston and Michael Redgrave’s screen presence, character? The flashbacks explaining his past, his success as a journalist, covering crises, in Africa, in Italy, in Germany – and his observing Hitler’s rallies? His writings, reports from around the world? His writing his book – and seeing that darkness was falling on Europe? His growing disillusionment with people and their alertness to fascism, the complacency of the British? His speech and very few in the audience, not buying his book? His going to the theatre, watching the newsreel, the audience and sleeping, kissing, eating sweets, laughing at the cartoons? His anger and his decision to isolate himself?
6.Charleston in the lighthouse, ivory tower, withdrawing? Streeter reading the inscription about the shipwreck? Charleston’s explanation about his imagination, bringing six of the characters to life? The credibility of this story, of its being visualised?
7.The morality play, Charleston in the lighthouse, conversing with the characters who exist only in his mind? The psychological dimension of fictitious characters being part of the creator?
8.The captain, his wise comment, his acting as a master of ceremonies in the interplay between Charleston and the characters? His wise comments, his interaction with the people? The memories of what actually happened, the tragedy? The build-up to the finale, Charleston and his confrontation of the truth, telling the people that they were about to die? The captain and his hesitation?
9.The characters themselves, Miss Kirby, her prim style, her running way from London, her experience? Her interactions with the others in the group?
10.Ted Briggs, his pregnant wife, wanting the doctor to help, the difficult birth, his wife’s death, his grief? The background to his life in England, his work, his many children, their deaths, people attacking him for having so many children and not caring for them? His wanting to start a new life? His anger at the doctor for failing?
11.The Kurtz family, the background of their elegant life in Vienna, society? Dr Kurtz and his experiments, trying to develop anaesthetic, failing? Deaths and the people turning against him, stoning the family? Their escape to America? The personality of Dr Kurtz, his strong speeches to Charleston? Charleston trying to persuade him that he should have persevered, not run away – and at the same time Darwin, Pasteur and Abraham Lincoln were developing ideas that would change the world within a short time? Kurtz and his response to Charleston urging him to do the same? Mrs Kurtz, her dignity, her memories, her love for her husband, daughter, having to face a new life? Melanie, young, her attraction towards Charleston, her bewilderment at what was going on, gradually realising the truth, her final words of encouragement to Charleston?
12.Charleston, his conscience, disillusionment and running away, the encounter with the characters, their jolting his conscience, making him practise what he preached, realising that human nature had the capacity to change the world?
