Nov 17, 2023
We dig into some substantial British cinema offerings in a Lilli Palmer Acteurist Oeuvre-view episode that's heavy on wartime themes: Thunder Rock (1942), a philosophical examination of the disillusionment of a leftist; dramatically illustrated in a surprising way; The Gentle Sex (1943), Leslie Howard's eccentric and affecting semi-documentary about women in the British Army; and English Without Tears (1944), Terence Rattigan and Anatole de Grunwald's examination of the transformations taking place in British society as the result of the war in the form of a romantic comedy with a slightly kinky outlook (but don't tell Aunt Edna). Lilli Palmer contributes her comedic and dramatic talents and the gravitas of her personal history to these wonderful ensemble casts.
Time Codes:
0h 00m 45s: THUNDER ROCK (1942) [dirs. Roy & John Boulting]
0h 46m 08s: THE GENTLE SEX (1943) [dir. Leslie Howard]
0h 59m 38s: ENGLISH WITHOUT TEARS (1944) [dir. Harold French]
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Reading on THUNDER ROCK from Halliwell’s Harvest by Leslie Halliwell
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* Listen to our guest episode on The Criterion Project – a discussion of Late Spring
* Marvel at our meticulously ridiculous Complete Viewing Schedule for the 2020s
* Intro Song: “Sunday” by Jean Goldkette Orchestra with the Keller Sisters (courtesy of The Internet Archive)
* Read Elise’s piece on Gangs of New York – “Making America Strange Again”
* Check out Dave’s Robert Benchley blog – an attempt to annotate and reflect upon as many of the master humorist’s 2000+ pieces as he can locate – Benchley Data: A Wayward Annotation Project!
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