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The Outsider (1939)
Sanders steals the show
I must admit that the only reason I watched this movie was because of George Sanders. And indeed, his performance alone is a good enough reason to watch it.
Sanders portrays Ragatzy, an osteopath who uses controversial methods to cure his patients. Ragatzy, a self-professed "outsider" (hence the title) wants to be recognised and decides the best way to achieve fame and success is to cure someone famous. He secures an interview with Lally Sturdee, a young, attractive, disabled music composer who is also the daughter of a surgeon. Fed up of always being on the outside looking in, Lally decides to put faith in Ragatzy and his questionable methods. Lally hopes that if she can walk, the man she loves will marry her. As her health lies in the hands of Ragatzy, he finds himself falling in love with her.
For the most part, the movie is good. It takes a while to get into – it only seems to be interesting once Lally and Ragatzy meet, which is a good half-hour into the film. The script is good and has a few great one-liners. Mary Maguire was okay – her performance seemed a little wooden at times, but she occasionally invested some emotion into her acting. George Sanders was the highlight of the film. Long before he found himself typecast as the infamous cad, George here portrays a cocky, self-assured, almost arrogant man who is not without some endearing and likable qualities.
The last ten minutes or so of the film feels a bit silly – I won't give away the ending, but basically the director uses some weird camera angles and the pacing feels shoddy.
Did I love this movie? Frankly, no, although I did enjoy it. Would I watch it again? Well, why not. I'd recommend this film to fans of George Sanders who want to see him play against type in an early leading role performance.
My rating: 6.5/10 (rounded up to 7 for IMDb)
The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945)
Weak ending lets down interesting film
The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry was different to what I had been expecting. I was expecting a cushy little number about a family life which becomes disrupted. However, the film was edgier and much more daring than I initially anticipated.
The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry tells the story of Harry, a middle-aged man who lives with his two sisters: the good-natured widow Hester, and the young, beautiful but unstable Lettie, who is self-centred, possessive and a hypochondriac. Harry begins seeing a co-worker and becomes engaged to her, and it soon becomes clear just how possessive of her brother Lettie exactly is...
The film explores the idea of dependency and dares to hint at the idea of incest between Harry and Lettie, something which would be shocking today, never mind in the 40s. Harry and Lettie's strange relationship will surely intrigue viewers and keep them captivated till the very end. The movie takes a few twists and turns - some predictable, others genuinely shocking, before drawing to a rather dull, cliché conclusion. Unfortunately, the movie, which held solid potential all the way through, is let down by a bad ending. It's not that the ending is bad as much as it is hurried and vague. I had to re-watch the last three minutes to fully understand what was happening. With a little more time and thought in the script, I'm sure a better ending could have been added.
All the actors involved were simply wonderful. People who are familiar with George Sanders' work are in for a pleasant surprise as he portrays a rare protagonist role. He's excellent in it, too - sympathetic, comfortable and believable. Geraldine Fitzgerald is captivating and alluring as Lettie, giving her character a dangerous edge. Ella Raines gives a great performance as Harry's new girlfriend. Moyna Macgill and Sara Allgood are also very good in their roles and offer solid support for a brilliant lead cast.
I just wish the ending was as gripping and daring as the rest of the film. However, I suppose we can't expect too much from an 80 minute B movie from the 40s. Perhaps if the film were to be remade today, it would be rewarded with a much more fitting ending.