I'm getting to be a soft marker with these 50s British movies, I think. Few people have anything positive to say about this - Michael Powell is scathing in his memoirs... but then, he and Emeric Pressburger had just broken up.
It's not that well directed. The studio setting is very studio-y. The nationalities of the characters vary wildly, even within the same family. Belinda Lee's family is meant to be Italian but it is kind of a UN.
It's an interesting companion piece with A Kid for Two Farthings which was also about a specific place (in that case the East End) and had a hot blonde (Lee) but was an ensemble piece.
I like Pressburger's writing and this had a feel of community. I enjoyed Lee and John Gregson in the leads. I acknowledge that their love story is dodgy - he's a womaniser, she falls in love like a tonne of bricks, is a doormat. But I went with it in part because Gregson always comes across so affably and sensibly, the womanising irresponsible aspect of his personality seems like an act (I'm aware this is rationalising). I also went with it because Lee's characters's arc has fascinating parallels to Lee's own life... she's with a guy who is fine but a bit dull then falls head over heels for this more passionate person. Lee would do that only a year later.
It's toy town but it's sweet and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Could make an ideal musical.
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