Film Review
During his long and productive career as a filmmaker, Arthur Lubin
never earned the critical acclaim that he deserved, although his films,
mostly low budget B-movies, were often very popular and directed with
great flair. His diverse oeuvre includes film noir dramas such as
Gangs of Chicago (1940),
thrillers such as
Who Killed Aunt
Maggie? (1940) and several entertaining Abbott and Costello
comedies. His biggest hit was his 1943 version of the
Phantom of the Opera, now
considered a classic in the horror genre.
Footsteps in the Fog is one of
Lubin's lesser known films, one of the few films he made in England,
and arguably one of his finer achievements. Based on W.W.
Jacobs's novella
The Interruption,
the film combines Hitchcockian suspense with a hint of Sirkian
melodrama, an implausible concoction that works surprisingly
well. Lubin borrows some of the familiar film noir motifs (high
contrast lighting and odd camera angles) to build tension, whilst the
art department comes up with a remarkably authentic representation of
Edwardian England.
The film marks the fourth and final pairing of Stewart Granger and Jean
Simmons, at the time one of the silver screen's most famous
couples. Married in 1950 (but divorced a decade later), they had
previously starred opposite one another in
Adam and Evelyne (1949),
Caesar and Cleopatra (1945) and
Young Bess (1953). That the
passion had gone out of their marriage is apparent from their
distinctly cool on-screen rapport on this film, although both actors
still manage to turn in an exemplary performance.
Granger is at his best when he plays calculating evil and here is
utterly vile, to the extent that Simmons, well cast as the conniving femme
fatale, appears as the blameless innocent. So convincing are
their performances that you can't help wondering whether this might
possibly be a case of art mirroring real life a little too closely. The contributions of
these two stars are suitably complemented by an excellent supporting
cast which includes such distinguished British actors as Bill Travers -
better known as Virginia McKenna's other half in
Born Free (1966) - and William
Hartnell - who would achieve stardom as the first Dr Who. With
its astutely cynical portrayal of human nature and torturously suspenseful plot,
Footsteps in the Fog is a dark yet
compelling work that deserves to be more widely appreciated.
© James Travers 2009
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Film Synopsis
London, in the early 1900s. When she discovers that her
employer, Stephen Lowry, poisoned his wife, housemaid Lily Watkins soon
turns the situation to her advantage. She blackmails Lowry into
making her his housekeeper and dismissing the other servants, although
her motive is not malice but love. She worships her master and
dares to imagine that he might one day love her. But Lowry's
feelings towards Lily are far from tender. Seeing her as a
threat, he decides to kill her. One foggy evening, he follows her
out into the street and strikes her with his walking stick.
However, it is not Miss Watkins he kills but an innocent woman.
On the testimony of two men who witnessed the attack, Lowry is arrested
and tried, but acquitted on false evidence provided by Lily. To
show his gratitude, Lowry tells Lily that he intends to marry her and
start a new life with her in America. In fact, he has already
made up his mind to marry Elizabeth Travers, the daughter of his
business partner. He must now rid himself of Lily once and
for all - but how...?
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.