MOONFLEET
US, 1955, 87 minutes, Colour.
Steward Granger, George Sanders, Joan Greenwood, Viveca Lindfors, Jon Whitely, Liliane Montevecchi, Melfor Cooper, Alan Napier, Dan Seymour, Jack Elam.
Directed by Fritz Lang.
Moonfleet is based on a popular novel of the period by J. Meade Falkner. It is a story of smugglers in the south-west of England in the 18th century. The unexpected director is Fritz Lang, celebrated director of films in Germany in the 1920s including Metropolis, who fled Nazi Germany and had a successful and long career in Hollywood.
He is working in Cinemascope and colour, the type of adventure popular at 20th Century Fox and MGM at the beginning of the Cinemascope era in the mid-50s. However, this is very much a Hollywood Britain.
Stewart Granger had appeared in many of these Hollywood epics including King Solomon’s Mines, Scaramouche, Young Bess, The Prisoner of Zenda. He is eminently suited to the role of the aristocratic smuggler. George Sanders is Lord Ashwood – a type of role he played so often on screen. Joan Greenwood has the opportunity to be a Hollywood villain as his wife. The focus of the film, however, is on young Jon Whitely, the star of The Kidnappers, a very popular film of 1954.
The film is a swashbuckling adventure, made for the big screen, colour and costumes, swordfights and romance – and a heroic death.
1. The popularity of this kind of historic adventure? The re-creation of a period, villains and heroes? The focus on a young boy and his perspective on what went on – innocent perspective?
2. Wide screen, colour, costumes and décor, the English coast, the caves and the beach, the mansions, the inns, the wealthy homes, the highways? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score?
3. The title, the reference to the village? The place of the village with smugglers, religion and the parson, the British soldiery and the castle? A place of danger? Yet a place where John wanted to live after finding Jeremy Fox?
4. The story of John Mohune, the little boy, his journey, reaching the village, the encounter with the people, the inn, his finding Jeremy Fox? The story of Jeremy and his mother? His seeing Jeremy as a friend? His being taken to his lodgings, in the night, his not being afraid – but the plan to kill him because he knew too much? In the church, the graveyard, his falling through into the cave, overhearing the plans? His being held by Felix Ratsey, the interrogation by the soldiers, his not revealing the truth? His being taken by Jeremy? The plan to go to the New World, his not wanting to go, on the beach, the soldiers? Jeremy coming to save him? An innocent boy, genial, friendly and courageous?
5. Stewart Granger and his supercilious style for Jeremy Fox? With the smugglers in the town, his masterminding the enterprise, their rebelling against him, his vicious fighting, whipping? His control? The relationship with Mrs Minton? The gypsy dancer? The men at the inn? His fighting with Hull and his dominating? His visiting Lord Ashwood, the approaches of Lady Ashwood? The proposal for the piracy? His agreement, wanting to get the diamond? The document with the Scripture quotations, his ability to interpret them, with Jon, going to the well, John going down the well and getting the diamond, almost caught by the soldiers? Jeremy Fox and his disguising himself as a soldier, on the horse and he and John escaping? In the carriage with Lord Ashwood, the kiss so that he would not be caught? His decision to leave Lord Ashwood, go back to Jon and save him? His death?
6. Lord Ashwood, aristocracy, gambling, his relationship with his wife, knowing her infidelity? The plan for piracy? The proposal to Fox, the meeting in the coach, the jewel? His being abandoned by Fox? Lady Ashwood, seductive, double-dealing?
7. Mrs Minton, her love for Jeremy Fox, her going to the police, her being shot on the beach?
8. Ratsey, loyalty to Fox, his threats to John? The other members of the gang?
9. The parson, his friendship with John, helping him? The magistrate?
10. Grace, her friendship with John, on the horse, their time together?
11. The soldiery, the military at the time, fight against smugglers? A rollicking if somewhat pessimistic historical adventure?
