One day, we're gonna have to examine the subject of movie titles. I realise it will likely be a brief study, after all, most do a decent job of conveying a movie's contents, even the stylized ones of the Golden Era, when gimmicks like Statement Titles were sometimes used ("They Made Me a Murderer"!) ("They did"?, the potential ticket buyer. "Man, I guess I'd better go find our why"!).
Well anyhow, the discussion is still worthwhile, because there's still the occasional title that makes you go "huh"? Take "Great Guy" for instance. We saw that movie the other night, and it was passable, but what the heck does "Great Guy" have to do with a crime flick involving the Bureau of Weights and Measures?
Likely it was tacked on after the production wrapped. Maybe they had a working title, maybe not, but my guess is that the producer or a studio exec had a last minute "brainstorm" : "Hey, here's a title...'Great Guy', whatcha think"?
Uhh......not much. I mean, "Laserblast"(1978) might be in the Top Ten Worst Movies Ever Made, but it at least has a title that gives some indication as to what the movie is about. Ditto "Beast of Yucca Flats", another bottom dweller made for pocket change.
So why would a major studio call their crime movie "Great Guy"? I don't know, except for my above mentioned guess. But it's why we're one day going to have to make a list of aberrant titles, just for something to talk about. As of tonight, I have another one we can add : "Meet Simon Cherry"(1949), a title I've been staring at for much of the current Summer as I've conducted my nightly Youtube searches. Due to stored data that records your viewing preferences, "Simon Cherry" has come up as a recommendation again and again, but because of the title I've never thought to watch it. I mean, "Meet Simon Cherry" sounds less like a film noir and more like a happy little British flick about a revered schoolmaster or some such. And when you add in the olde-tyme lettering used for the title card (which is displayed in the Youtube recommendation), you're thinking of something like "Little Lord Fauntleroy".
To sum up, then, "Meet Simon Cherry", as a title, does not invite thoughts of hard-boiled crime, or even, in this case, a murder mystery. So what then caused me to watch it, after all this time? Well, you know. That old, last-minute rush to the (cyber) ticket window. "I need a movie and I need it now! Whattaya got that's an hour long and uh.......doesn't suck"?
"Well sir, there's 'Meet Simon Cherry' ".
Me : "Oh, that one again, eh"?
"Yes sir. It's been playing all Summer long. I'm surprised you haven't seen it yet. In fact we've been holding it for you".
"Isn't it some Little Lord Fauntleroy knockoff"?
"Why no sir. It's about a Reverend who solves crimes".
"Ohhh.......you mean like the Crime Doctor"?
"Yes, exactly. He's very good sir, a regular Sherlock Holmes".
"Well why didn't you say so? Who the hell titles these things anyway? 'Meet Simon Cherry' ....he sounds like freakin' Mr. Chips! Oh all right......gimme a ticket".
And that is how I came to finally see the movie, after months worth of nightly reminders. Forthwith is my review.
It starts off slow, although it must be noted that the film is true to it's title. We do meet Simon Cherry (Hugh Moxey), right from the get go, at a Boy's Home where he's refereeing a boxing match in the gym. Ahh, just like Pat O'Brien in one of those Irish Priest movies of the 1930s. He stays for about five minutes then dresses in his frock coat and collar and heads off in his car, driving home through narrow country lanes. He never gets there because his car breaks down, somewhere in the middle of nowhere. A nor'easter is a-blowin' and it's getting dark outside, so after opening the hood and discovering it's overheated, he leaves the car to sit while he goes in search of the nearest house.
Of course, he comes to an isolated mansion, because that's where rich people build their homes, in the off-track boondocks. "Excuse me", he says to the old woman who answers the door, "but my car's broken down. Could you direct me to the nearest gare-ahge"? She invites him in before responding. "Oh, you're a Reverend! Let's get you out of that cold wind". Now in the foyer, he repeats his question. "Thank you very much, but I'm afraid I must be on my way. I'm looking for a gare-ahge to repair my car".
"A gare-ahge? At this time of night? I shant think you'd find one open. Here, have a seat why don't you. Let me bring you a hot cup of tea".
The Rev's a little fidgety at this point but regroups when he sees a younger gentleman descending the staircase. "Oh, hello. I say, my car's broken down up the road and I'm wondering if there's a gare-ahge in the vicinity"?
The gentleman considers this for a moment. "A gare-ahge? Why yes there is. He might be able to tow you but I doubt he'd wish to fix your car at this hour. Probably you'd have to wait until morning".
"It's settled then", says the lady. "You're staying the night". And with that, we have the set-up for our mystery (and a new record for "gare-ahges" in the process).
Ar first it looks like it's gonna be a typical Ten Little Indians. We meet The Butler (Alan Lovegrove) and The Man of the House, "Alan Colville" (Anthony Forwood), who isn't a family member but holds sway by sheer force of personality. Alan is the boyfriend the old lady's daughter "Lisa" (the stunning Zena Marshall), an invalid who lives upstairs according to The Rules of Gothic Mysteries. The other man we met earlier is "Henry Dantry" (John Bailey), another boyfriend who's in love with Lisa's sister "Monica". Alan and Henry clearly don't like each other. Their animosity then explodes when Lisa is found dead the next morning. Good thing the Rev is there to ask questions, because the men are accusing each other of murder.
We discover, through flashback scenes, in testimony given by Alan and Henry to Reverend Cherry, that once upon a time, each man was in love with the other sister, in other words, Alan was originally in love with Monica, and Henry with Lisa. Henry believes Alan stole Lisa from him. He ended up then with a sympathetic Monica, the shy sister, who felt similarly dumped by Alan. But as the Reverend continues to question them, we discover it's not all that simple. Other factors were involved in the break-up, including drunkenness and nymphomania. What began as a seemingly quaint whodunit turns frankly adult when the chickens come home to roost. It's as if the director is saying, "So, you thought this was gonna be a Father Brown Mystery, did you"? At any rate, once the plot kicks into high gear, the twists come one after the other. It's a pleasant surprise, and we still have to solve the riddle of Lisa's death. Who killed her? And how was she left bedridden in the first place? You may have to wait literally until the last minute to find out.
The moral of the story is that you can't judge a film by it's title. I enjoyed "Meet Simon Cherry" very much, though if they'd called it "The Crime Reverend" or "Reverend Detective" I probably would've watched it a lot sooner. And who knows, with a more fitting title, they might've had a franchise on their hands. It turns out that the movie was based on a BBC radio serial called "Meet the Rev" (not the greatest title either), but had the producers given some indication that he's a crime solver, the movie might've produced some sequels. As it is, there was only the one film. It does get Two Big Thumbs Up, however. Meet Simon Cherry yourself. ////
The previous night we watched "Dangerous Afternoon"(1961), a British Crime Film of a different stripe, set in a home for elderly women, all of whom happen to be former criminals. The proprietor, "Letty Frost" (Ruth Dunning) is herself an ex-jewel thief, left paralysed after falling from a wall during a "job". She's confined to a wheelchair and has since gone straight, wanting to help other women in her profession who are old and out of prison with nowhere else to go.
Old habits die hard for some of the ladies, and as the movie opens, we begin with a funny scene involving the shoplifting exploits of "Louisa Sprule" (Nora Nicholson), a kleptomaniac who steals from every store she enters. The shopkeepers all know her and are aware of her compulsion. They don't even bother to stop her, instead they simply call Miss Letty and present her with the bill.
One fan at IMDB remarked that this is a strangely plotted film, and he's correct in that Louisa's shoplifting has nothing to do with the story but serves as flavor for the film, call it quirkiness or character development or comic relief or what have you. In fact, the first half of the 62 minute movie is devoted largely to such antics, by Louisa and the other "criminal women", and while they're amusing and endearing, the viewer does wonder when a plot, if any, might develop.
Not to worry. If you don't mind the Miss Marple eccentricity, there is actually a pretty clever plot that arises at about the 30 minute mark.
Through the grapevine, Letty receives word that another potential ward has just been released from prison. But instead of preparing to welcome her, Letty is apprehensive because this woman is her former partner in crime. She blames Letty for her time in prison and is out for revenge, by way of blackmail. "You left me holding the bag and now you're going to pay. I want half interest in this establishment, and your savings, or I'm going to reveal your secret". Letty has a daughter who believes she's her Aunt. The daughter knows nothing of Letty's past, and that's the blackmail. The woman is pushing her luck, however, because beneath her virtuous veneer, Letty is tough as nails. The blackmailer might be sorry, and there might be a twist that allows Letty to get away with murder.
'Dangerous Afternoon" is character driven and has the structure of a stage play. I enjoyed it but this is the rare time that I wish a film had been longer. By the time the plot was up and running the movie was nearly over. Once again, however, the fans at IMDB love it, so give it a shot. You'll certainly enjoy the Englishness of it, and there are some good surprises in the final 20 minutes.
Two Solid Thumbs up (the fans would give it Two Bigs). ////
That's all I know for today. I hope you are having a nice afternoon. I send you Tons of Love, as always.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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