Madeleine

Inexplicably, there are some reviews of this film that are less than enthusiastic. However, if you are a real movie watcher, an appreciator of good old movies, you will find this an excellent, engrossing, well made film. A young, wealthy beautiful girl gets involved with a poor handsome caddish Frenchman. She has a very strict Victorian father who shapes her character in many ways. The attention to details in the film by the Director are excellent, especially the dancing scene that flashes to the villagers dancing- films are not made like this anymore. The Director, David Lean, was married to the lead actress in the film, Ann Todd, and you can tell that this film was made with great care. Some people say that Ann's performance was cold, yet I feel she was true to character, and that she portrayed her personality due to youth and upbringing very well. The costuming is also so stunning that it too adds to the film. As far as I am concerned this film is right up there, near to the level of the Heiress and other great films.

It should come as no surprise that the trial of MADELEINE may well have been termed "the trial of the century" in 1857's Scotland. And from this true story, David Lean has made a period romance starring ANN TODD as the scheming woman from a wealthy background who feels compelled to hide her love affair with a commoner from her disapproving father.

Madeleine defies the conventions of her stiff upper-class household and, after receiving a proper gentleman caller with her family, retreats to her private room where she has an assignation with a lover who is not a man of means. The shadowy interiors suggest the menace to come, as her father urges her to take a suitable suitor in marriage as soon as possible.

What hurts the story is the familiarity of it all--a woman of substance wanting to break out of the social boundaries of convention. And unfortunately, there is nothing novel or different about this version of such a tale to make it of more than routine interest, despite the David Lean touch. What it really needed was Alfred Hitchcock's guiding hand.

All of the technical ingredients are fine but the script is ultimately a disappointment and tends to be dull in spots. Furthermore, Ann Todd's Madeleine is not a very arresting character. This has to be considered one of David Lean's less effective films. The story is as emotionally cold as Madeleine herself and her demure behavior with her father seems more like a pose than anything else, one that he should easily be able to see through. Her arrest for murder in the poisoning of her lover is handled with too many frigid close-ups of Todd's face and no real explanation of what happened.

It's certainly not a "must see" film by the renowned directed Lean.

Best performance in the entire film: ANDRE MORELL as the defense counselor who gives the most stirring and satisfying speech in the courtroom as to why Madeleine should be found innocent of the circumstantial evidence.

The greatest directors are entitled to the occasional misfire and this would appear to be one of David Lean's. He was persuaded to do it by his wife Ann Todd who had played the part of alleged poisoner Madeleine Smith on stage a few years earlier. Ironically nothing of the play would remain and the film would become an original screenplay. Difficult to put ones finger on why 'nothing seemed to fit', to use Lean's own words. Even allowing for Ann Todd's customary 'temperament' this was by all accounts a far from happy experience and it certainly shows. I think that Todd is excellent in the role and her final, enigmatic look to the camera after the jury has found the charges against her 'not proven' is masterful. Ivan Desny is very good as the vain social climber but it is difficult to warm to him so that his demise fails to excite our sympathy. Apparently Gerard Philipe was considered for the role. What a tantalising prospect! Notable performances by Leslie Banks as her unbending father and by Andre Morell as the defending counsel in the stupendous trial scenes whose oratory and impassioned pleas put sufficient doubts in the jurors' minds to enable Madeleine to escape the executioner. Norman Wooland is okay as faithful Mr. Minnoch but as an actor lacks that certain 'something'. This is by no means a 'bad' film and there are very effective moments but it simply lacks that elusive and magic alchemy by which everything comes together. Lean put the blame fairly and squarely on the writing. The film was both a critical and commercial failure and Lean was not to be so harshly judged until 'Ryan's Daughter' twenty years later.

"Madeleine" is possibly David Lean's most underrated film, perhaps because of its slow pace and the miscasting of Lean's wife Ann Todd in the title role, (though I think she makes a fair stab at the part). Based on fact, it's the story of Madeleine Smith who stood trial for the murder of her lover in Victorian Glasgow. As her French seducer, Ivan Desny is excellent, as is Leslie Banks as her stern father and the film looks wonderful thanks to Guy Green's gorgeous black and white photography and John Bryan's set designs while Lean's direction is as impeccable as ever. If the film has a fault it's a certain stiffness in the telling. Not much seen nowadays but essential Lean nevertheless.

In 1850s Glasgow, beautifully-dressed Ann Todd (as Madeleine) and her family move into an immaculately-furnished, upper-classy new home. Still fetching in her 40s, Ms. Todd attracts her share of male admirers, most significantly handsome young Ivan Desny (as Emile L'Anglier). However, Todd's appearances-conscious father Leslie Banks (as James Smith) would rather his daughter marry suitable Norman Wooland (as William Minnoch). Eventually, a lover is poisoned and Todd stands accused. While Todd looks beautiful under duress, Andre Morell and Barry Jones passionately argue it out in court...

This is based on a true story; Todd's character is probably supposed to be much younger, but the age difference works well, adding another dimension to her unacceptable affair. Todd delivers a Garbo-like performance. Coincidently, Greta Garbo was concurrently preparing the un-produced "Lover and Friend" (1950) with noted Todd co-star James Mason; Garbo camera tests by James Wong Howe and William Daniels by resemble some shots of Todd in this film. "Madeleine" is lacking in narrative, but the direction by David Lean and photography by Guy Green make it worth viewing.

******* Madeleine (2/14/50) David Lean ~ Ann Todd, Norman Wooland, Ivan Desny, Leslie Banks