Whirlpool ** (1959, Juliette Greco, O W Fischer, William Sylvester, Marius Goring, Muriel Pavlow) – Classic Movie Review 12,140

Muriel Pavlow on set in 1945.

The Rank Organisation go down the Rhine with Juliette Gréco for the picturesque 1959 British crime drama film Whirlpool.

Director Lewis Allen’s picturesque 1959 British crime drama Whirlpool for the Rank Organisation stars Juliette Gréco, O W Fischer, William Sylvester, Marius Goring, and Muriel Pavlow.

After her partner-in-crime boyfriend Herman (William Sylvester) commits a murder, the beautiful Lora (Juliette Gréco) heads off on a stowaway river trip down the Rhine on a small cargo boat captained by Rolf (O W Fischer). On the way through Germany, the crew of three, Georg (Marius Goring), Dina (Muriel Pavlow) and Braun (Peter Illing), accept her, while Rolf (Fischer) gets romantic, but the boyfriend turns up pursued by the police.

The beautiful Gréco gets to pout a great deal and even to sing the theme song Whirlpool (composed by Ron Goodwin, lyrics by Marcel Stellman), the Rhine river views are gorgeous in Geoffrey Unsworth’s fine cinematography, and Ron Goodwin’s score is outstanding. But otherwise this strange, picaresque melodrama has little to recommend it.

Lawrence P Bachmann’s screenplay is based on his novel The Lorelei.

Also in the cast are Richard Palmer, Peter Illing, Geoffrey Bayldon, and Harold Kasket.

It is shot at Pinewood Studios and on location in the Rhineland including Koblenz and Cologne.

Ron Goodwin’s score established his reputation as an important go-to film composer.

Austrian actor O W Fischer is dubbed by Tim Turner.

It was released on 6 April 1959.

Whirlpool is directed by Lewis Allen, runs 95 minutes, is made by Rank Organisation, is released by Rank Film Distributors, is written by Lawrence P Bachmann and Marcel Stellman (writer uncredited), based on the novel The Lorelei by Lawrence P Bachmann, is shot by Geoffrey Unsworth, is produced by Earl St John (executive producer) and George Pitcher, and is scored by Ron Goodwin. The sets are designed by Jack Maxsted.

The cast are Juliette Gréco as Lora, O W Fischer as Rolph, Muriel Pavlow as Dina, Marius Goring as Georg, William Sylvester as Herman, Richard Palmer as Derek, Peter Illing as Braun, Geoffrey Bayldon as Wendel, Lily Kann as Mrs. Steen, Harold Kasket as Stiebel, Victor Brooks as Riverman, George Mikell as German Policeman, and Jack Sharp as Barge Man.

Juliette Gréco died on 23 September 2020 at the age of 93.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,140

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