THE CINEMA
"I Met a Murderer" and "Titans of the Deep." At the Marble Arch Pavilion.
THAT I Met a Murderer has a number of defects does not mean that it is not worthy of serious consideration. It is the work of three people—Roy Kellino, a noted British cameraman, and his wife (née Ostrer), who carries the main acting honours jointly with James Mason. It must have cost incredibly little, for it was filmed entirely out of doors, and much of the dialogue was post-synchronised. The story is thrilling and ingenious. A farmer murders his wife, driven to desperation by her nagging and her cruelty. He tries to reach Plymouth in order to escape abroad. On his way he meets a female crime-novelist with a motor-caravan. She recognises him, but, in order to obtain material for a new novel, befriends him without revealing her knowledge. Then, of course, they fall in love ; and, finally, pursued to the coast, the man, like a wounded stag, swims out to sea and is drowned.
Set against the freshness of the countryside and its pursuits there was no reason why this should not have made as good an entertainment as Hitchcock's Young and Innocent ; there are, indeed, signs that the director had in mind something deeper, more moving, and more tragic. Why, then, in spite of the superb photography and the fool-proof suspense-values, does this film fail to make the grade? In answering these questions, it would be dangerous to take up a too superior standpoint ; for the director's sincerity and ability preclude anything savouring, however remotely, of cynicism.
One may guess then that the first reason, and the most important, is inexperience. Kellino, responsible for camera as well as direction, found, not unnaturally, his interests divided—and the dramatic values suffered accordingly. Much of the film lingers too long on good-looking scenery—with or without the hero and heroine ; and, once the murder has been committed, the development is much too leisurely. There is also at times a hint of amateurishness in the acting, and, again, part, at least, of this defect must be laid on the directorial doorstep. Finally, and arising from the aforesaid criticisms, the director did not perhaps fully appreciate that it is one thing to have a good thing in the script and another to make the point on celluloid. Two examples will make this clear. First, there is an excellent idea in the sequence where the pursued man gets mixed up in a fox-hunt. At first the appearance of fox and huntsmen seems like a piece of imagery from a Russian film ; but, at the point where the realities should be established, the director's touch falters, and the excitement fizzles out. The idea is there, but in shooting and cutting the inter-relationship of the two pursuits (finally fused into one) is not properly presented. Second, there is a moment of great dramatic implication towards the end of the film ; the pursued turns the tables on one of his pursuers, and has him at his mercy. The man is a hunchback. The quarry gazes into his eyes—while other pursuers appear on the hori- zon, and then spares him. One can see the emotional objects of this incident—but, again, through indecisive handling, it is only the faint shadow of the emotion that we perceive. But, despite, all this, it must be emphasised that I Met a Murderer is a refreshing change from the usual cinematic fare, and is emphatically a film to be seen. It is to be honed, too, that its makers will not rest on their laurels. A second film, shorter and with a less ambitious theme, might well demolish the foregoing criticisms.
Titans of the Deep is a film about Dr. lk.ebe's deep-sea explorations in his bathysphere ; but it is unfortunately im- possible to take it seriously from the scientific point of view. For one thing, it appears that whenever Dr. Beebe or any of his colleagues (who include some very good-looking female research-workers) enter the water, they are at once involved in danger or combat arising from the activities of shark, barra- cuda, octopus, sword-fish, or what-have-you. Deep-sea ex- ploration may of course be like that ; but the general tone of the film suggests an attempt to thrill rather than inform, and one's interest wanes rather than increases while the denizens of the deep perform for our benefit like animals in a circus.
BASIL WRIGHT.
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