Femme en péril

Ethel Barrymore, ("The Spiral Staircase"'46), gave one of her greatest performances as an old lady captured in her home with all her favorites treasures along with other film greats like:- Maurice Evans,("Beneath the Planet of the Apes"'s '70, Angela Lansbury,(Mrs. Edwards) "Murder She Wrote",'03 and Keenan Wynn, son of Ed Wynn the veteran comedian of the '30's and 40's. Every film that Ethel Barrymore ever appeared in was a great success because of her great family of actors, John, Lionel and presently Drew.

The "Kind Lady" in question is Ethel Barrymore. She isn't so much kind as vain and very foolish, allowing thief, con-man and potential murderer Maurice Evans into her home. This began life as a short story by Hugh Walpole, before being adapted for the stage by Edward Chodorov and having been previously filmed in 1935 with Aline MacMahon and Basil Rathbone. This version was directed, (very well), by John Sturges in 1951 and as well as Barrymore and Evans the excellent cast also includes Angela Lansbury, Keenan Wynn, John Williams and Betsy Blair. However, the real stars of the picture are the house where all the action takes place, (Cedric Gibbons was one of the art directors), and the luminous black and white cinematography of Joseph Ruttenberg. Not quite a small gem, perhaps, but very good indeed.

Rich art collector Mary Herries (Ethel Barrymore) finds artist vet Henry Abbott (Maurice Evans) drawing on her doorstep. She kindly takes him inside. He and his family work to insinuate into her life. Her kindness is turned against her. This is the first half of Parasite. There are unlikely turns in the story. They would never let her downstairs and allow her to talk to the French art expert or the banker. I think killing Rose is a mistake. Once they kill one person, it doesn't matter if they kill more people. It would be more tense and with more potential of escape if Rose is simply kept captive. This is a good descend and a bumpy ride to the finish.

"Kind Lady" is a disturbing, little film that doesn't seem to be very well known. Ethel Barrymore (did she ever give a bad performance?) of course plays the kind, rich art patron who is generous with her wealth. She lives in a lavish, antique infested house where famous paintings adorn the walls like wallpaper. Being duped by a con-man, he and his posse, slowly weave themselves into the kind lady's life until suddenly, (after it's too late of course) she realizes what is going on but by then, she has become their prisoner. Slowly and deliberately, the start selling off her beautiful antiques and paintings for personal gain, while telling her caller's that she is ill and mentally unstable. Reminiscent of "Gaslight," you quickly relate to Mary and her plight. Of course there are the heart pounding attempts when she tries to get away, only to be caught. A well made movie that deserves to be more popular than it is.

Understated acting makes this production a gem. In the present world movie making is so slipshod as far as plots are concerned; however, I highly recommend this movie - the 1951 version - to anyone who loves old movies. Isn't Ethel Barrymore wonderful? and Maurice Evans is scary. Did anyone pick up on the fact that Rose's sister, Mrs. Harkley, is actually Angela Lansbury's mother, Moyna MacGill? I heartily recommend this wonderful movie.

I saw this black-and-white chiller on tv when I was a boy, some 35 years ago. Yet I recall scenes from it as though I saw it only last week. Imagine a group of seemingly well-bred people, patrons of the arts, befriending you--but then locking you in your house as they move in, and then hearing them tell visitors that you are delusional and being cared for by them. The scene in which the elderly victim is continually taunted while being forced to pose for the painting of her portrait--a rendering that, when completed, is seen to have grotesquely distorted her likeness to resemble that of a haggard, insane woman--is particularly spine-chilling. Without exaggeration, this is a gripping drama whose suspense few (if indeed any) can match. I only hope that someday it appears on video, so that I can purchase it for my library.

Maurice Evans has a field day as a supposed artist who tricks his way into the home of dowager Ethel Barrymore and then with the aid of Keenan Wynn and Angela Lansbury, hold her hostage in her own home. They try to make others believe that Barrymore has gone insane and proceed to sell her belongings along with the house. George Sanders would have had great fun in the Evans part but the latter is convincing as the vicious con artist. Betsy Blair is appealing in the small role of his disturbed wife. Wynn and Lansbury have what it take as the evil co-conspirators. The trio almost pull it off but we know that they will not. Utterly engaging and exciting.