MARIO GAUCI This is another title I inexplicably missed out on over the years (a local Sunday matinée' TV screening and a late-night Italian-subtitled broadcast on the renowned "After Hours" program come to mind) which, having watched now, I was quite enthralled with. BLANCHE FURY is a typical yet reasonably absorbing Gothic melodrama – given added luster by its dazzling color photography, inventive décor, and even the odd stylistic flourish by Frenchman Allegret – made in the wake of the famed "Gainsborough school" romantic period pieces which began with THE MAN IN GREY (1943; a viewing of which accordingly followed this one in short order, since I had already by-passed it last year on a couple of anniversaries tied with star James Mason!) though, plot-wise, the film seems to have at least as much to do with that which is virtually the template for this type of fare i.e. "Wuthering Heights". In fact, here we have Stewart Granger (who was also in THE MAN IN GREY) forced to work as a stable-boy in his own family's estate – since he is illegitimate – while the present unrelated masters have taken up their name!; of course, he is contemptuous of this situation, though he finds a surprising ally – and love interest – in a cousin of the new landlords (Valerie Hobson) who turns up on the premises ostensibly to serve as governess to the little girl that stands to inherit the lot. Of course, she instantly charms the younger man of the house (a characteristically despicable Michael Gough) and proceeds to marry him, while carrying on with her Granger affair; about to be dismissed for his none-too-submissive attitude, our disgruntled hero conspires with Hobson to get rid of all the obstacles to their running the estate (since he intends to marry her himself) – the blame of which he proposes to lay at the door of a gypsy troupe who had been causing trouble in the area and even threatened the family specifically! – but, while she concedes to the death of Gough and his father, she takes exception to Granger's ruthlessness in the matter by wanting to dispose of the little girl as well. Needless to say, by reporting him to the proper authorities, she not only confesses to her own role in the plan, taints her reputation by being branded an adulteress but, most importantly, sacrifices her own happiness; the ultimate irony is that, just as Granger is being hanged, the little girl herself expires in a riding accident – leaving Hobson all alone, with-child (Granger's offspring), and sole owner of the tragic property! In conclusion, apart from the above-mentioned THE MAN IN GREY, I have SARABAND FOR DEAD LOVERS (1948) – yet another costumer featuring Stewart Granger – scheduled for the coming days

writers_reign It seems clear that someone with clout had the good sense to import Marc Allegret to direct this over-heated Gothic wet dream and thus invest it with a touch of class. Allegret - elder brother of Yves, also a fine director and the first husband of Simone Signoret - enjoyed a long and illustrious career punctuated by titles such as Fanny (the second of the great Pagnol trilogy Marius-Fanny-Cesar), Entree des artistes, Gribouille, etc and his touch is evident in the stunning camera-work especially the early scene-setting. The leads Valerie Hobson and Stewart Granger acquit themselves well enough despite a lack of chemistry but on the other hand Hobson continually strived toward the genteel and didn't do sensual whilst Granger more or less plays himself, an arrogant, vain narcissist. No doubt it has its admirers.

Jem Odewahn Ah, BLANCE FURY...it weaves me under it's spell with every fresh viewing. While it probably is just a load of "tosh", it sucks me right in, with it's period setting, gorgeous colour, Gypsies, murder, passion and betrayal. Sounds like a Gainsborough film, doesn't it? Surprisingly, it ain't. Blanche is much more muted in tone than the Gainsborough bodice-rippers (see the fun THE WICKED LADY), and that's probably why the film didn't set the box office alight for Cineguild as was expected. Yet it's an odd, haunting little film- the photography is absolutely beautiful and Hobson and Granger give excellent performances.The film begins with three startling shots of horses galloping towards Clare Hall, the setting for much of the film. A young woman (Hobson) is on her sickbed, delirious and being tended by a doctor and a servant. The film is told in flashback, with the viewer being transported into Hobson's thoughts with some clever photography. We learn of the life of Blanche Fury- poor governess (shades of JANE EYRE)who goes to live with her rich cousin (Michael Gough) and her uncle (Walter Fitzgerald), owners of Clare Hall. She is immediately drawn to the Heathcliff-like stable-boy, the brooding Phillip Thorn (Stewart Granger).It turns out Thorn is actually (yet it is not legally binding) the true heir to the Fury estate, for he is the illegitimate son of the previous owner's affair with an Italian woman (this gives Thorn an air of exoticism, much like the Gypsies). He is kept on the estate by Fitzgerald and Gough, yet treated no better than a dog. We learn that Thorn is obsessed with his lineage, and his life's ambition (and obsession) is to claim back Clare Hall. Hobson soon becomes the bride of Gough even though she doesn't love him. And then, on her wedding night, after Gypsies set Clare Hall's barns alight, she goes to the stables to find Granger. Still clothed in her wedding gown, they passionately kiss. And that's when the romantic passions ignite...To give away too much advance knowledge of the plot is to spoil the fun. It's what I would call a minor British Gothic masterpiece, dark, tense and quite atmospheric. BLANCHE FURY was reportedly Hobson's favourite of all her film roles, and Granger does some wonderful work too. Finally given a chance to play an anti-hero/villain (he was always cast as the romantic hero to Mason's devious villain in the Gainsboroigh costume films), his arrogantly attractive style suits the character. The guy could act, and he proves it here- in a powerful courtroom sequence towards the end of the picture Hobson and Granger share a long look, and their acting is more potent and poignant than words.

dbdumonteil Is Marc Allegret a director?Or does he simply(but smartly) use others' talents?His most memorable pre-war movies are not really his.For instance ,"Fanny" owes everything to its actor,Raimu,and its writer,Marcel Pagnol:it is actually a Pagnol movie.Ditto "Entrée des Artistes" which is remarkable by Henri Jeanson's lines ("I wear my Légion d'honneur to impress the fool" ) and Louis Jouvet's acting genius.A short English period occurred just after the war -when he other French directors such as Renoir and Duvivier worked abroad during the war.Which leads us to "Blanche Fury".This movie is par excellence an effort in which Allégret uses the others' skills.Objections remain:an arguable editing ,too much ellipse (the relationship Lawrence/Blanche is botched,and the pace is often too fast and hasty :again the Blanche /Thorn love affair is believable only because of the actors' splendid performances).And the screenplay,however ,is wonderful:snatches of lady Chatterley,Jane Eyre ,the turn of the screw,My cousin Rachel,Wuthering Heights and more come to mind.Even Vincente Minelli's "home from the hill"(1960)!This is a romantic story par excellence. Heredity and fatality play a prominent part is this story of silence and fury:Thorn (a great Stewart Granger) is a bastard,but Blanche( a majestic Valerie Hobson) is akin to him,because,at the beginning of the movie,she's a governess,and only marriage can provide her with a place in the sun;but her husband is probably impotent :here the writers use a metaphor.his father wants him to show his authority over their valuable property,that is to say to be a man.At the beginning of the movie,Blanche is a go-getter,but as soon as she meets Thorn,her fate is sealed,she reacts to events ,she no longer initiates them.Ultimately,she will try to stop the impending disaster ,but what she does finally backfires on herself and turns it into a final Thorn victory.Thorn is much more complex than he appears at first sight:actually he should own the property and he sees the Fury family as impostors;his attitude with animals makes us side with him for a while.Then,when he's about to win,he treats the servants as his predecessors used to do,and we discover his love for Blanche takes a back seat to his love for the domain.Then the lovers' fate is sealed.Color treatments are visually astounding :when we go from Blanche's deathbed to a flashback at the beginning,then the final pictures,hellish glimmering red glow ;Blanche's arrival in the castle,in a snowed up,misty landscape;the barns fire ,which seems to set ablaze the darkest night.Afterwards,Allégret's career straightly goes downhill."L'amant de Lady Chatterley" which I haven't seen but which he may have intended as "Blanche Fury II" ,poor Brigitte Bardot's vehicles ("en effeuillant la marguerite') or abysmal works(a segment of the horrible made up of sketches movie "les Parisiennes") .His brother Yves was much better ("Manèges" "Dédée d'Anvers" "une si jolie petite plage" "les Orgueilleux")."Blanche Fury" deserves to be seen anyway.