Film Review
Having drawn the favourable attention of the critics with his first two
films,
Shooting Stars (1927)
and
Underground (1928),
Anthony Asquith made what is widely considered his first masterpiece,
although this film's success was compromised by the transition from
silent to sound cinema. Showing the influence of both the
German expressionists and Soviet innovators Pudovkin and Eisenstein in
its stylised lighting and use of montage,
A Cottage on Dartmoor is one of the
most striking British films of the silent era, surpassing even the
early achievements of Asquith's nearest rival, Alfred Hitchcock.
That this film had much less of an impact than it clearly merits was
entirely down to the public's waning interest in silent cinema.
Even as early as 1929, audiences had signed themselves up to the sound
revolution and those films which included recorded dialogue had a
distinct commercial advantage over those that did not. This explains why
Hitchcock's
Blackmail, released the same
year, was a critical and popular success, whilst Asquith's film, a
superior piece of cinema, fared poorly in comparison.
A Cottage on Dartmoor was actually
filmed using the new Klangfilm Tobis sound-on-film system, although
only one short section of dialogue was recorded for the film (alas, the
sound recording no longer exists).
There is further irony in the fact that
A Cottage on Dartmoor has a
distinctly Hitchcockian feel to it. The use of the subjective
camera to convey the interior moods of the protagonists, the use of
montage, cross-cutting and rapid-fire short cuts to build tension and
bleed emotion into the drama, the inclusion of comedy to relieve
tension periodically - these are all techniques that Hitchcock would
employ in his films to great effect. With this film, Asquith may
have provided the inspiration for Hitchcock's most memorable British
films,
The Man Who Knew Too Much
(1934) and
The 39 Steps (1935).
Asquith himself was almost certainly influenced by Hitchcock's
The
Lodger (1927), as can be seen from the similarity between
Uno Henning's intense brooding presence in his film and Ivor Novello's
portrayal of a suspected serial killer in
The Lodger - both films are chilling studies in psychosis and fear
that have the power to traumatise an audience.
A Cottage on Dartmoor is not
only stylistically brilliant, it is also ahead of its time
thematically. Here we see the
origins of the modern thriller, most vividly in the nerve-wracking
sequence which leads up to Joe's murderous attack on his romantic
rival. Notice how, in a stunning use of montage, Asquith slowly
ratchets up the tension, beginning with Joe sharpening his cut-throat
razor as the girl workers around him make fun of Sally's unexpected
engagement. We know how it is going to end but Asquith drags out
the scene for all it is worth. As the unsuspecting Hans takes his
seat and is cosseted by Sally, we feel Joe's jealousy slowly building
to a crescendo. Then, when the release comes, it is with a frenzy
powerful enough to knock you out of your seat. A rope
snaps. A fleeting shot of guns going off. A blinding flash
of red. And the deed is done. You would be hard pressed to
find anything as viscerally tormenting as this in any of today's slasher
movies.
Anthony Asquith went on to make many great films after this in the
sound era. His
Pygmalion (1938) and
The Importance of Being Earnest
(1952) are much-loved classics of British cinema, whilst his
adaptations of various Terence Rattigan plays (
The Winslow Boy (1948), etc.) are
effective, even cruel, satires of the British upper classes. Yet,
despite these many achievements, Asquith's creativity and daring would
seldom attain the dizzying heights that are manifested in
A Cottage on Dartmoor, which must
surely be rated his most imaginatively realised and compelling film.
© James Travers 2010
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Next Anthony Asquith film:
Pygmalion (1938)
Film Synopsis
One night, a convict escapes from Dartmoor prison and races across open
countryside towards a remote farm cottage. Unaware of the trouble
that is coming her way, the young woman inside this solitary building
is putting her child to bed. The man enters the cottage and
confronts the woman, who realises in an instant what is to be her
fate. Some years ago, the same woman, Sally, worked as a
manicurist in a barber's shop. The man, a barber's
assistant named Joe, was smitten
with her and finally summoned up the courage to invite her out.
Joe is sure that Sally loves him, but then he sees her flirting with
one of their customers, Harry. The latter, a wealthy farmer,
invites Sally out to the cinema. Inwardly seething with jealousy,
Joe follows the two lovebirds to the picture house and is consumed by
dark thoughts as he watches them enjoy the evening's
entertainment. The next day, Joe notices a ring on Sally's
finger. It is more than he can endure. When Harry comes in
for his morning shave, Joe's murderous thoughts drive him over the
edge...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.