User Reviews

'Carnival' is a 1946 melodrama from Rank/Two Cities which is compelling and memorable in parts but, overall, does not quite manage to attain the status of a great movie. A solidly old-fashioned filming of Compton Mackenzie's 1912 best-seller of the same name, the movie details the life of the beautiful dancer Jenny Pearl (Sally Gray).

Born into a relatively humble family, she strains against her less than opulent surroundings but also is aware of her responsibilities towards her sister and parents. The movie is quite successful in conveying the harsh and unforgiving nature of mundane existence in the poorer areas of London that frays lives and so tears at and conflicts Jenny's heart. Upon the death of her mother, she is ultimately trapped into a loveless marriage with a hardy, unsympathetic Cornish farmer named Trewhella (Bernard Miles). She relinquishes her burgeoning dancing success and the attentions of her male admirers in order to safeguard her sister's future well-being. Jenny and her sister, played by Hazel Court, then move to the Trewhella's coastal farm in Cornwall.

This transplantation heralds the most inspired and evocative scenes in the movie. There are several breathtakingly striking scenes on the towering cliff faces overlooking the sea. A dark, menacingly unwelcome atmosphere is also effectively created at the remote farmhouse into which Jenny and her sister come. The visit of a friend of Jenny's and subsequent arrival of her erstwhile lover Maurice (Michael Wilding) sparks a culture clash as the unloved, hard-working and God-fearing Trewhella is spurred into dreadful and impassioned action against his unloving wife who is not at one with the country way of life.

'Carnival' is a movie that will stick in my mind due to the starkly impressive coastal cinematography by Guy Green and the brooding performance of Bernard Miles as Trewhella. Watching him on screen evoked memories of the malevolent contribution turned in by Duncan Macrae in 1947's 'The Brothers'. 'Carnival' is certainly a well-detailed and occasionally gripping movie with many interesting facets to it.

That seems to be the motive of the troubled heroine played here by Sally Gray, the illegitimate daughter of Catherine Lacey and Stanley Holloway who is desired for adoption for three monsterous great aunts and kept with her natural parents when they decide to marry. Told by her mother as a young girl that she has the potential to become a much desired stage star, she does just that, becoming a popular young ballerina and the object of much affection. Brought up to act like a great lady, she's also strong willed, selfish and uppity, the hallmark of many a classic soap opera diva, but happiness is not to be hers. An ill-fated romance with the dashing but struggling artist Michael Wilding leads her into an extremely unhappy marriage with visiting farmer Bernard Miles whose religious fiend of a mother (Nancy Price) badgers him to become insanely possessive and judgmental towards everything that Gray does.

There's much left to be assumed about the leading character, seemingly a sweet little girl but oh so haughty when she grows up, filled with resentment to anything lower class and determined to hit the top and erase her past as much as she can. It's a great acting exercise for the gorgeous Sally Gray who is as regal as a young lady can be, but nothing in the script indicates that her long suffering mother raised her to rise above her station. Some of the performances are quite dark (Miles), over the top (Price) or so low key (Wilding) that you barely notice them. Jean Kent is quite good as Gray's best friend, an interloper who infiltrates her way onto a private dinner between Wilding and Gray. The film starts off darkly, lightens up a bit, then goes way off the beam in the last few reels. Still, the photography and musical score are haunting and the other production values first rate, so it's hard to completely find fault with the film as a whole.

The first thing to say is that Sally Gray is totally miscast in the lead. How did she get that cut glass accent and airs and graces living in a working class background.

Then she marries unassuming Bernard Miles and goes off with him to Cornwall. Miles then goes wildly over the top in a totally batty climax. Its entertaining in a curious way,but not memorable.

This splendid film creates a fairy tale world of backstage cattiness and magical movements of the corps de ballet spinning it's web of dreams at the Orient Theatre. Jenny Pearl is the flower and pet of the dancing troupe but as portrayed by Sally Grey, smart enough to know that the bubble can burst at any moment. At home she is constantly reminded by her mother that beauty is only skin deep. Portrayed by Catherine Lacey, a very under-rated character actress, she puts a lot of dimension into her part - initially seen as a young mother with plenty of pride, she is not going to allow her pious mouthed relatives to take the infant Jenny or to put down her alcohol soaked husband (terrifically played by Stanley Holloway). As time goes on she becomes a shrew, jealous of her daughter's beauty and always needing praise "I was pretty once".

Based on one of a series of novels Compton Mackenzie wrote in a semi autobiographical tone about growing up amid theatrical doings in Edwardian London, Maurice Avery had made his first appearance as a friend of Michael Fane's in "Sinister Street". As played by Michael Wilding it's his caddishness and playing with people's feelings that bring about the tragedy. With Avery, Jenny experiences love but his artistic "marriage is only chains and shackles" philosophy is at odds with her very respectable upbringing. When he takes off for Paris without informing her she impulsively marries a dour farmer who is lodging at her parents. In London he seems wide eyed and steady, but in his own Cornwall, he is a religious fanatic ruled by his dominating and bible quoting mother. Part of the attraction of Trewhella (Bernard Miles) is that he is more than happy to bring Mary, her young sister, crippled as a child.

Hazel Court who must have been still a teenager, gives a very nuanced performance as Mary, originally taciturn, having been bought up with her mother's "looks fade" philosophy, then as a staunch supporter of Jenny - she has a couple of fiery speeches, definitely the best performance in the film. Another "Rank's Charm School" graduates is Jean Kent - she plays a fellow dancer Irene Dale - she only has a couple of scenes but her beauty and vindictiveness give her rememberance!!