Moviecut—Notorious Gentleman

source: Notorious Gentleman

The Rake's Progress

Notorious (1945) by Sidney Gilliat is a great black and white romance, Rex Harrison and Lilli Palmer's performance as the stars of this film really blew me away. The camera work was excellent along with the lighting techniques used. Personally I dislike black and white films, however this film had a very modern approach to it and that was able to keep me interested throughout the length of the film. (I would still prefer to see this movie in color!) Overall, this is a great film and I would recommend it to anyone who likes black and white romances.

"How can I live among this gentle obsolescent breed of heroes, and not weep? Unicorns, almost, for they are fading into two legends in which their stupidity and chivalry are celebrated." Keith Douglas wrote of his fellow-officers in an armoured car regiment and it might apply to Kenway too. Others have said that his switch from parasite to hero is unnatural, yet in the film the whole of his career and all of his qualities- good and bad- have been shown to be fitted- and only fitted at that time- for war. His good qualities- his sympathy with the lower-class outsiders on the coffee plantation and his generosity and unaimed courage in peacetime- damage him as much as his bad ones. A superfluous man in that peace who can only fulfil himself in that war.

Seen today for the first time, some seventy years after its initial release, this movie is showing its age. Rex Harrison is invariably described as one of the finest light comedians in the business yet here he comes across as stilted and one longs to see Cary Grant in the role. On the other hand Harrison's real life wife at the time, Lili Palmer, is delightful and walks off with every scene she appears in. As written the leading role of Vivian Kenway calls for a total s**t with no redeeming features and ironically this is exactly how the real-life Harrison has been described by everyone who ever met him, being a movie, however, and a movie circa 1945, the leading role must be seen to undergo a complete volte-face thus Kenway sacrifices his life for the greater good. There's a half-decent supporting cast and it has a certain novelty value.

It is never an easy thing to watch a cad and bounder on film for 2 hours and come away feeling satisfied. But his film manages to do that because of it's wit and wonderful cast. Harrison is superb and Lili Palmer is at her very best. I had not seen this for 65 years and yet I remember it as though it was last week. One very odd goof in the film takes place in a car with Rex being driven by the character Jenny. He opens the door to get out before the car stops. He exits while the scenery goes whizzing by. One might expect to see him in a heap on the sidewalk. All in all, a lovely film with nice light touches and some very serious drama. GOOD SHOW