Overrated and overhyped

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Crappy film

Producer: Herbert Wilcox. An Associated British Film. Released but not copyrighted in the U.S.A. by M-G-M, January 1949. New York opening at the Elysee: 4 August 1948. (The New York critics were savage). U.K. release through Associated British-Pathé: September 1946. Australian release through British Empire Films: 12 June 1947. 9,528 feet. 106 minutes. The full-length version was released only in Australia. Cut to 102 minutes in the U.K., 88 minutes in the U.S.A. (Voted Best Film of 1946 in the Daily Mail annual poll). Alternative U.S. title: THEY MET AT MIDNIGHT. SYNOPSIS: Separated, believed dead, from her husband, the faithful wife returns home after a few years to find her beloved not only remarried but also a father. NOTES: The film easily overcame extremely negative reviews ("Slow, heavy-footed and overlong," even from kind-hearted F. Maurice Speed, noted for his tendency to bend over backwards to say something nice about even the most boring and inconsequential releases of the year), to bounce in at number three at the British box-office for 1946. Number three, mind you! Unbelievable!COMMENT: I am reviewing the full-length version! A British remake of Garson Kanin's "My Favorite Wife" (1940) only this time treated as a drama rather than a comedy and with much more footage on the preliminaries (so much so that the film ends thirty minutes after "My Favorite Wife" begins) and the desert island episode. As a result, the film seems more akin to a dramatic re-make of J.M. Barrie's "Admirable Crichton" or an equally somber dramatic precursor to Noel Langley's "Our Girl Friday".True, Herbert Wilcox's plodding direction is more suited to drama than comedy, but the pace is so slow here that it will bore all but Miss Neagle's most fervent fans to tears. In Wilcox's hands, the plot (when finally we come to it) seems impossibly contrived and silly. Though Miss Neagle battles on gamely, it is as difficult to believe in her characterization as in the impossible Michael Wilding or the even more incredible Michael Laurence (he gives it a good try but a part like that would nip even an Olivier's career in the bud).The support characters have nothing to recommend them either, though with true British pluck, people like A.E. Matthews give them a whirl.The lighting photography is also not all that might be desired — sometimes it is flattering to the players, sometimes it is not. Sometimes it lights the sets effectively, at other times the light falls in such a way as to pinpoint phony backdrops.To make matters worse the film ends with a "message", though due to its funereal pace it is unlikely many viewers will last the distance.Production values are not over-extensive and though some well-known songs are used in the score, they are presented in a most perfunctory and undistinguished manner, with the exception of a long-drawn-out boogie version of Beethoven which, despite the initial promise of its choreography, soon out-stays its welcome.

SOME PLOT SPOILER HEREIN, BUT NO GIVEAWAY OF THE ENDING. A chance meeting in war-torn Piccadilly, connects a well born Marine and an ex-hoofer Wren. They marry in haste, clearly meant for each other. War separates them, and she is missing, believed drowned, when her ship is torpedoed by the Jerries. She ends up on a desert island with some chirpy lower-classes and a creepy Canadian, who tries to move in on her. Meanwhile, back in Blighty, the marine plunges into grief (in an understated British way), but perks up, when he meets a jolly Yank gel, whom he marries. Meanwhile the Wren and her pals are rescued and she dashes back to the Marine's country seat, and...I shan't spoil the rest for you. Despite its descent from light drama into glum (and rather drawn-out) melodrama, this is a likable film, very prettily shot by Max Greene, and well directed by Ms Neagle's hubby, Herbert Wilcox. Michael Wilding is particularly good as the chap. (Apparently neither Rex Harrison nor John Mills were available for the part, so Wilding got it, and a good job too.) He has a delightful lightness of touch, with strong emotions burning quietly beneath. His lover, the slightly stodgier, scrupulously gracious Wren, Anna Neagle always reminds me of the nice girl at school, with whom one can't really find fault, but wishes had more oomph. Wilding brings out the best in her, and their scenes together really sparkle. It's a shame they spend so much of the film apart. There's an occasionally witty script from N. Phipps, a peculiar dance number, and very good work from the supporting cast, but a curious bit of casting in Michael Laurence as a distinctly creepy Canadian, who keeps up a constant, tense assault on our Anna. I wonder if the drama might have worked a bit better if he were genuinely likable, but not quite as likable as Mr Wilding. As it is, he's simply creepy, and we (the audience) don't want him to get a look-in. I originally saw this old hit, on the TV in Spain, in 1966, dubbed into Spanish. It works better in English, mainly for Michael Wilding's subtle style with a line, funny romantic or sad; and Brenda Bruce's very likable and emotionally truthful second-fiddle to Ms Neagle.

Diana (Anna Neagle) and Alan (Michael Wilding) are thrown together into a whirlwind romance after a chance encounter in Piccadilly. They marry before Diana is posted overseas where her ship is torpedoed and all are presumed dead. Alan comes to term with his loss before marrying again and producing a son. However, Diana is one of a few survivors and is living on an uninhabited island. What will happen when she returns home? This is a wartime romance which is quite good. One criticism, though - why on earth have two of the main female leads - Anna Neagle and Brenda Bruce (who plays Sally Benton) - look exactly the same as each other? Neagle performs a curious dance at the beginning of the film, a mish-mash of God knows what. I think it's better suited to a horror-film dream sequence. Anyhow, the film involves you on an emotional level and brings up difficult issues. You may have a cry or two. Roger Moore has an uncredited role according to the credits, but I guarantee that you wont see him. If you want a tragic, wartime romance story, then this film fits the bill.

Anna Neagle plays a WREN (equivalent of the American WAVE) who bumps into a recovering (he was at Dunkirk) Michael Wilding in Piccadilly, London during an air raid.Fortunately Michael has a flat nearby and Anna is convinced for safety it is better to spend the night there.After a whirlwind romance they marry but Anna has been on a secret radio course (cannot tell Michael - wartime discipline) and is bound for the Far East (Singapore).Before this Anna has a chance to show off her dancing pedigree and dances to a strange blend of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" and 1940s swing music.At her naval college she makes friends with a Canadian sailor who fancies her.Unfortunately her ship is torpedoed and Anna, along with her Canadian boyfriend, best girl friend (Brenda Bruce) and a few survivors, are shipwrecked on an uninhabited island.They decide to make a bid for survival and are rescued in the nick of time by an American ship before the sun, exhaustion and thirst can overtake them all.Back in New York and after a decent hairdo, proper clothes, food etc. the survivors make their own way back home courtesy of our American allies.As they have all been missing for so long they have all been legally presumed lost and meanwhile Michael has made friends with then married an attractive American WAVE who has been picnicking along with some other U.S. personnel, outside Michael's grand country house.The WAVE loves England.She and Michael now have a son half English and half American.A bombshell is about to land on this idyll.Under English law at the time a child born out of wedlock cannot assume legal rights of inheritance and Anna is on the way back to reunite with Michael.She meets her American counterpart and the baby she had and when she realises they are married she flees in search of Michael.Michael is giving a recital on piano of "Piccadilly" to the troops and when he has finished Anna makes herself known.I will not divulge more and invite readers to seek out how the film ends as it is surprising.This is another wonderful film from the Neagle/Wilding partnership which they produced under Herbert Wilcox.If you have seen some of their other films, this is well up to standard.I rated it 7/10