Terence Rattigan, once the toast of London's West End, fell very much out of favor when a new generation of playwrights made his plays seem antiquated and irrelevant. It took David Mamet's excellent filming of the "Winslow Boy" to remind us, that at his best, Rattigan was an exceptionally fine dramatist. Having much enjoyed the movie, I was curious to see the 1948 version directed by Anthony Asquith, who worked on a number of occasions with Rattigan.
It's an exceptional film from all accounts. Asquith's adaptations of theater works for the screen are excellent. Without opening them out too extensively they manage to avoid being stage bound, (Pygmalion, Browning Version, Importance of Being Earnest).
Being already familiar with the storyline, I simply sat back and savored the wonderful performances, and what performances they are. Cedric Hardwicke as the father lacks the softness of Nigel Hawthorne's portrayal and yet that's what precisely makes it ultimately more moving. Robert Donat overflows with charisma and Margaret Leighton plays her very first screen appearance with much intelligence and total aplomb.
The best of British
