The Deep Blue Sea *** (1955, Vivien Leigh, Kenneth More, Eric Portman, Emlyn Williams) – Classic Movie Review 8760

Director Anatole Litvak’s 1955 romantic drama The Deep Blue Sea is a stage-bound but generally successful and involving version of the Terence Rattigan play about the romance of a carefree, drunken wartime RAF fighter pilot called Freddie Page (Kenneth More) with Hester Collyer (Vivien Leigh), the suicidal wife of a top judge, Sir William Collyer (Emlyn Williams). But she is rescued by the intervention of a neighbour, struck-off doctor Miller (Eric Portman).

Rattigan’s quality writing of the screenplay from his own stage play and the performances shine through the deficiencies in director Litvak’s handling (he can’t fill the unsuitable CinemaScope screen for a start). More turns in one of his best performances (recreating his stage turn), Leigh casts quite a spell, and the high-calibre support boasts noteworthy playing by Williams and Portman, as well as by a clutch of vintage character players, even if they have little to do.

Also in the cast are Moira Lister, Arthur Hill, Alec McCowen, Dandy Nichols, Jimmy Hanley, Miriam Karlin, Heather Thatcher, Bill Shine, Brian Oulton, Sidney James, Gibb McLaughlin, Raymond Francis and Mandy Harper.

The Deep Blue Sea is directed by Anatole Litvak, runs 100 minutes, is made by London Film Productions, released by 20th Century Fox, is written by Terence Rattigan, based on the play by Terence Rattigan, shot in Eastmancolor by Jack Hildyard, is produced by Alexander Korda (presenter) and Anatole Litvak, and scored by Malcolm Arnold and Muir Mathieson (conductor), with Production Design by Vincent Korda.

It is remade as The Deep Blue Sea in 2011.

Vivien Leigh (1913–1967).

Vivien Leigh (1913–1967) made only 19 films. After lengthy gaps, she made only two more: The Roman Spring of Mrs Stone and Ship of Fools. She won two Oscars: for Gone with the Wind (1939) and A Streetcar Named Desire (1951).

More recalled in his biography that Leigh knew he had opposed her casting, which did not help the chemistry between them.

Marlene Dietrich supposedly turned down the Leigh role because she felt she could never be convincing as a woman who tries to gas herself because she cannot keep her lover or find other men.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8760

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