Conspiracy of Hearts *** (1960, Lilli Palmer, Sylvia Syms, Yvonne Mitchell) – Classic Movie Review 10,118

‘Mother of God: I’ve killed a nun!’

Catholic nuns hide refugee Jewish children from the Nazis in World War Two wartime northern Italy, then risk their lives to help them escape to Palestine, in the familiar but tense, heartwarming and gripping 1960 British black and white drama film Conspiracy of Hearts, capably directed by Ralph Thomas.

Lilli Palmer as Mother Katharine, Sylvia Syms as Sister Mitya and Yvonne Mitchell as Sister Gerta are notable as the Sisters of Mercy. Standing out among the men, Ronald Lewis plays Major Spoletti, the Italian commander who turns a blind eye, Albert Lieven plays Colonel Horsten, the German officer in charge, and Peter Arne plays the sadistic lieutenant Lt. Schmidt.

Conspiracy of Hearts, written by Robert Presnell Jr and based on a story by Adrian Scott (under the front Dale Pitt), has some edge and a sense of danger, and is much less treacly and more effective than might be expected. It’s only a movie, but the nuns are wearing make-up.

The film was originally a teleplay credited to Dale Pitt, acting as a front for Adrian Scott. It aired in 1956 as an episode of Goodyear Playhouse, directed by Robert Mulligan.

Adrian Scott was one of the Hollywood Ten who refused to name names before the House Un-American Actitivies Committee in 1947. He was sentenced to a year in prison and fined $1,000, and blacklisted in 1950s. His friend and colleague Edward Dmytryk recanted his communist past and was re-employed by Hollywood. Testifying before the HUAC in 1951, he claimed that Scott as producer had pressured him to put communist propaganda into his films.

Dalton Trumbo also contributed to the script during his blacklist period. It was also reported that Robert Presnell Jr was a front for Trumbo.

It was shot on location in Italy and at Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England. The production thanked the Consiglio Superiore della Belle Arte, Italy, and the Holy Order of Cistercian Brothers at La Certosa di Firenze monastery at Galuzzo near Florence for their help and facilities.

On the other hand, Ronald Lewis was known as an aggressive, unstable man, with a history of violence towards others, including women and the actor John Fraser. He committed suicide by drug overdose in January 1982 in Pimlico, London.

Producer Betty E Box said The Rank Organisation did not want her to make the film, saying: ‘It’s religion, it’s nuns, it’s wartime. Who wants to know?’. But they allowed her to make it in return for agreeing to make another Doctor film, Doctor in Love (1960).

The film was a hit, though Doctor in Love (1960) was even more popular.

Also in the cast are Nora Swinburne, Megs Jenkins, Michael Goodliffe, David Kossoff, Jenny Laird, George Coulouris, Phyllis Neilson-Terry, Rebecca Dignam, Maureen Pryor, Robert Rietty, Giulio Marchetti and Enzo Fiermonte.

Conspiracy of Hearts is directed by Ralph Thomas, runs 113 minutes, is made by The Rank Organisation, is released by Rank Film Distributors (1960) (UK) and Paramount Pictures (1960) (US), is written by Robert Presnell Jr, based on a story by Adrian Scott, is shot in black and white by Ernest Steward, is produced by Earl St John (executive producer) and Betty E Box, is scored by Angelo Francesco Lavagnino, with production designs by Alex Vetchinsky.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,118

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