GUENOT PHILIPPE
That's the best British film I have ever seen, at least concerning those from the forties, which is a period that I am not particularly fond of. Margaret Lockwood is here absolutely outstanding, terrific as an evil woman who has nothing to envy from Gene Tierney's similar performance in LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN. A most possessive woman for sure. I saw it thirty years ago and I have it in my collection. That's a pure jewel, folks. British cinema industry is quite different from the US one. And many movies from this country remain to be discovered, even today. A real must see.
James Hitchcock
The British cinema in the 1940s was often characterised by excessive emotional restraint, "Brief Encounter" being a good example. Although it deals with an adulterous love affair, it does so in such a stiff- upper-lip way as to dissipate the emotional impact which it might otherwise have had. Gainsborough Pictures, however, were a studio which seemed to go to the opposite extreme; their films are frequently notable not for restraint but for full-blooded melodrama. "The Madonna of the Seven Moons" from 1944 is one such film, and "The Wicked Lady" from the following year is another.The film is based on a novel by Magdalen King-Hall, which in turn was based upon the life of a real historical individual, Lady Katherine Ferrers. Or perhaps I should say upon the legends which have grown up around Lady Katherine, as there is no evidence that she was actually guilty of the crimes which the popular imagination has attributed to her. The "Wicked Lady" of the title is here renamed Barbara Skelton. It has been suggested that the name was borrowed from the socialite and writer of the same name, but this seems doubtful as the real-life Barbara Skelton was not a particularly well-known figure when King- Hall's novel was published.Lady Katherine died in 1660, but the story of this film is set in the 1680s. In the opening scenes Barbara seduces and subsequently marries Sir Ralph Skelton, the fiancé of her friend Caroline. Although Sir Ralph is a wealthy landowner, however, Barbara quickly becomes bored with life as the wife of a country gentleman. Her solution to the problem of boredom, however, is a rather extreme one. A notorious highwayman named Captain Jerry Jackson is operating in the area, and this gives Barbara the idea of taking up highway robbery herself, at first to recover her gambling losses but later on simply for the sake of excitement. Eventually, Barbara meets the real Jackson when both try to hold up the same coach. Intrigued by the fact that his rival is a beautiful woman, Jackson takes Barbara as his partner, and the two become lovers.Margaret Lockwood has been described as the only sex symbol to have been created by the British cinema alone, without any help from Hollywood. (Most other British sex symbols, such as Jean Simmonds, Audrey Hepburn, Joan Collins and even Diana Dors, eventually moved to America). "The Wicked Lady" is probably the film by which she is best remembered today, and she gives a splendid performance here, both seductive and at the same time detestable. By modern standards her acting is a long way over the top, but period melodrama like this does not really call for naturalistic acting. Lovely though Margaret was, however, she has a rival for the title of "most beautiful girl in the film" in the shape of Patricia Roc who plays the naïve young Caroline. (Roc was actually 30 when the film was made, but had the sweetly innocent looks to enable her to play a 19-year-old).James Mason is not normally thought of as a "swashbuckling" actor so might not have seemed the most natural choice to play a dashing highwayman. And yet he is very good in the role, bringing to it not only great charm but also some of the world-weariness which characterised a number of his performances. Jackson knows that his career is likely to end in his death, yet fatalistically accepts this probability. He also retains a certain sense of honour- he is, for example, very unwilling to kill those whom he robs- unlike Barbara who is completely amoral and ruthless. There is also a good contribution from Griffith Jones as Ralph, a total fool where Barbara is concerned but otherwise decent and honourable.This was the most popular film in Britain in 1946. (It was released in 1945, but these were the days when only a limited number of prints were made, so it could take months for a film to be shown in all parts of the country). In America, however, it fell foul of the censors. What upset the Hays Office was not the fact that Barbara is guilty of adultery, robbery and murder. They were far more upset by the low-cut dresses worn by Barbara, Caroline and some of the other female characters, even though these would have been appropriate to the period. Eventually, a bowdlerised version, with several scenes re-shot, was released in America.Today, Gainsborough melodramas like this one can come across as very dated and more than a little camp, with their exaggerated emotion and exaggeratedly black-and-white view of the world, represented here by the contrast between the evil Barbara and the saintly Caroline. Yet, for all its faults, Lockwood is spellbinding enough to make "The Wicked Lady" compulsive viewing. 7/10
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I was looking forward to viewing this old British costume drama,after hearing a lot about it. I was a little disappointed.James Mason was my reason for seeking out this film,but he does not appear that much.His dashing highwayman is fun to watch,but he has too little screen time to make him memorable.Griffith Jones is a bore along with the other male actors except for Felix Aylmer.His turn as the bible-quoting servant is the best thing about this movie.Margaret Lockwood's wicked lady is way over the top.The whole movie is filled to the brim with melodrama and racy dialog.Some of the dialog must have been quite shocking 60 years ago.Today it is amusing,and makes a rainy afternoon pass enjoyably.
