Okay, I know the post title is a song from a Fred Astaire movie but wasn't Vivien Leigh absolutely beautiful? This picture is one of three, all from 'Lady Hamilton' (1941), Churchill's favourite film (there's an apocryphal story that he even wrote Nelson's speech about Napoleon/Hitler) and one of the few period propaganda pieces Britain produced during WWII. Being a typically British movie it was naturally made in Hollywood by Hungarians. Director and producer Alexander Korda got into trouble with both the US censors (for making about a film about an adultress) and the US Senate (for peddling British propaganda to neutral Americans). He got round the first by cutting in a scene where Nelson admits to his father he's been a bad boy and is very sorry (but only in the US release where the film was called 'That Hamilton Woman') and evaded the second by the fact that the US declared war on Germany the day before he was due to appear before a formal hearing (thanks to the Japanese and Pearl Harbor).
All three incarnations of the lovely Ms Leigh will be on show this Saturday at the Tavistock Arts Festival Arts Market in Bedford Square 9.00am - 4.00pm and at a very affordable price. I should also have some framed prints ready (at an even more affordable price!) but lets face it, you want the original don't you? Go on treat yourself, less than £50, what's not to like? Also making its debut will be 'Johnny Frenchman' (1945) which will probably be the nearest I get to producing a typical west-country subject in that it features a fishing boat. In other news Resurgam continues its run at St Andrews Church, Plymouth until May 11th so hurry along, there's only a week to go. If you can't make it to Plymouth I can sell you a postcard at the market on Saturday (I did mention the Tavistock Arts Festival Arts Market didn't I?). And finally, just thought I'd share this on the blog as well as the Links page, the British Council is digitising it's film collection and making it available online for streaming and legal download. 80 films from the 40's and 50's available so far here British Council Film Collection I'm just staying in for a while, I may be some time.
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Dave EvansWork in progress and other stuff that happens. Archives
March 2016
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