The Key

Carol Reed's "The Key" is a forgotten film, or so it seems. It was a rare occasion when it showed up the other night on TCM. This film presents a different side of WWII that many of us are not aware of. We are given an account of England's way of rescuing ships that have been attacked at sea and the courageous men that commanded those small vessels to bring the damaged ones to safe haven. The film is based on a novel by the Dutch writer Jan de Hartog, with a screen play by Carl Foreman. The film was photographed in white and white by Oswald Morris and has an interesting music score by Malcom Arnold.

The film capitalizes on the rescue operations, which are reproduced in vivid detail by Mr. Reed and his crew. The ocean settings have a poetic look, at times. The story is set before America's entry into the war and we are introduced to David Ross, who is assigned to the rescuing team. Ross happens to know one of the captains in the operation, Chris Ford, who in turn, takes an interest in him and hands him a duplicate of the key to his flat. Little does Ross knows what awaits him there.

Trevor Howard is excellent as Capt. Ford. This actor showed an inner integrity no matter what role he played. Sophia Loren is Stella, the mysterious girl who lives in the flat and seems to bring out emotions from all the men that share the apartment. At the same time, she seems to be a jinx to all the men that she comes in contact with. Ms. Loren gives a subtle performance. William Holden, is also effective as Capt. Ross. Bernard Lee, Oskar Homolka and Kieron Moore do excellent work under Mr. Reed's direction.

"The Key" is an interesting look at the way the war was fought at sea and Mr. Reed makes a compelling account of those days.

As a master (captain) of salvage tugs I can attest to the incredible reality of the shipboard scenes. I have seen no other film that rivals the scenes shot at sea for this film. I found the film riveting for both the action at sea, and the drama ashore.

The plot develops as the characters develop. Will the ship complete her mission? Will the captain return to the apartment? Will the characters overcome the obstacles before them, both emotionally and physically?

Trevor Howard is the perfect old salt, full of bravado, yet terrified.

William Holden, the optimistic American.

Sophia Loren played the role of Stella perfectly! She is the despondent, cynical, war shocked shell in whom we are drawn to share William Holden's hope.

I was mesmerized to the end.

This excellent film comes within director Carol Reed's golden period that began with 'Odd Man Out' in 1947 and ended with 'Our Man in Havana' in 1959. Any director, even one in the same class as Reed, requires a good script to interpret and here he has a superlative screenplay by Carl Foreman based upon the novel 'Stella' by Jan de Hartog which deals with the incredible bravery of tug crews whose job it is to rescue damaged ships in a stretch of the Atlantic known as 'U-Boat Alley'.

William Holden and Trevor Howard play tugboat captains and Sophia Loren plays Stella with whom their fates are inextricably linked. She is regarded as a 'jinx' to the ill-fated men who have in their turn been given the key to her apartment. The question is will Holden's character suffer the same fate.....?

Loren gives a beautifully sympathetic and understated performance, one of her finest actually. Holden never disappoints and Howard whose film career owed a great deal to Reed, picked up a BAFTA. Mention must also be made of Oscar Homolka and Bernard Lee. The editing by Bert Bates is exemplary, especially the suspenseful battle sequences, while Malcolm Arnold's score is powerful without being overpowering. Of the two endings that Reed was obliged to shoot the one here is far less happy but far more dramatic.

An extraordinary movie in every way, from the combat scenes, which are so lifelike as virtually to constitute a documentary, to the superb acting by every single member of the cast, including each of the supporting players. But the very highest praise must go to Sophia Loren's absolutely stunning performance (not to mention her uncanny command of English at so early an age). Her quiet, dignified, and restrained interpretation of her very unusual and extremely demanding role is simply in a class by itself. I have never been able to get her graceful performance out of my mind. This is one of those movies of great merit, bewitched from the start, that simply disappear from public and critical consciousness---never to be recalled or mentioned even when, for example, the careers of Loren, Holden, or Trevor Howard are discussed. It is as if it were never made at all. A great shame.

This film tells the story about Tug Boats being utilized by England during 1941 in order to try and salvage damaged ships which were hit by German U Boats. David Ross, (William Holden) is an American assigned to one of these Tugs which are poorly armed, with guns that do not function when needed. David has not been on a tug in over ten years and meets up with an old chum named Capt. Chris Ford, (Trevor Howard) who shares an apartment with a very attractive gal named Stella, (Sophia Loren) who seems to like Tug Boat Captains as she has had many Captains who have died once she gives them a key to her apartment. The story makes a complete turn when Chris gives David a key to the apartment and that is when the trouble starts to happen. There is plenty of action, drama and romance. Great film with an outstanding story and Sophia Loren looked great at the age of 24 years. WOW