The Young Mr Pitt *** (1942, Robert Donat, Robert Morley, Phyllis Calvert, John Mills) – Classic Movie Review 7496

A well-cast Robert Donat gives a strong and fervent performance as the British premier William Pitt the Younger, who was only 24 when he became first minister in 1783 as England’s youngest Prime Minister. It possibly helped that he was son of a famous politician father. Unfortunately he finds he cannot keep his election promise of peace and prosperity as he is forced to preside over a war with Revolutionary France, affecting his health and personal life.

Director Carol Reed’s 1942 British black and white biopic The Young Mr Pitt follows him struggling against Napoleon Bonaparte (Herbert Lom) as Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat’s well-meaning screenplay struggles for helpful, supportive World War Two parallels and thus detracts from authenticity. Honourably, though, it sticks largely to business matters. If this were a Hollywood movie there would have been much more on Pitt’s love life.

Robert Morley, heading the long and interesting star support roster, grabs his opportunity to be outrageous as Charles James Fox. Also outstanding are John Mills as William Wilberforce, Phyllis Calvert as Eleanor Eden, Raymond Lovell as King George III and Albert Lieven as Talleyrand.

Also in the cast are Max Adrian, Felix Aylmer, Jean Cadell, Frank Pettingell, Austin Trevor, Kathleen Byron, Jack Watling, Ronald Shiner, John Slater, Leslie Dwyer and Sydney Tafler, with Geoffrey Atkins as William Pitt as a boy, Agnes Lauchlan as Queen Charlotte, Ian McLean as Dundas, A Bromley Davenport as Sir Evan Nepean, and John Salew as Smith.

Pitt the Younger (1759-1806) was PM between 1783 and 1801 and again between 1804 and 1806.

Herbert Lom (1917–2012).

It is the Prague-born Lom’s first British movie, after three Czech films. Herbert Lom (1917–2012) played Napoleon Bonaparte again in War and Peace (1956).

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7496

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