Kind Lady

A film set in a London house. Mary Herries is old and rich. She lives alone. There is an art collection in her house. Paintings, furniture and silver. She has a maid and a solicitor. One day a man stands at the door. Henry Elcott is a painter. He has been waiting in the rain and is cold. She takes him in. She gives him something to eat and buys one of his paintings. He goes. Then he comes back. This time with his wife. She is ill and needs to rest. They stay a night. Then another. From there the film becomes a story of takeover. His family arrives. A mother-in-law, a brother-in-law and a child. The house fills. Mary objects. Nobody listens. The maid is dismissed. The telephone is cut. Letters are not sent. Visitors are told something: the lady is ill and not right in her mind. A doctor is called. He is told the same. Mary tries to speak. The more she explains the madder she looks. What the narrative is interested in is not theft but credibility: its idea is that a woman's word counts only as far as others permit. The paintings are sold one by one. A power of attorney is signed. She is shut in her room. There is an attempt to escape and it fails. One detail works at the end. She did something long before. The narrative showed it early and the viewer did not notice. The source is Hugh Walpole's story; the text was adapted for the stage first. The same story had been filmed in 1935; this is the second version. John Sturges made it early in his career. Maurice Evans comes from the theatre and plays the part measured. Angela Lansbury is young and in one of the villainous roles. Ethel Barrymore, Maurice Evans, Angela Lansbury and Keenan Wynn are in the cast. Who it is for: anyone who likes confined thrillers and classic studio production. Who it is not for: anyone looking for action; the narrative takes place entirely in one house and the tension rises slowly.