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Cavalcanti and Ernst Lindgren's survey of realism and documentary, Film and Reality (1942) uses Love From A Stranger (d. Rowland V. Lee, 1937) as an example
of films which are overburdened with dialogue, lacking in 'realism' and acted
and directed in a heavily theatrical manner. In truth, they could have picked
many of the dozens of stage adaptations that proliferated in 1930s British
cinema. It is certainly true for critics of Michael Powell's The Night of the
Party, unquestionably the least distinguished of the quartet of films he made at
Gaumont-British.
The first of these to be released was The Fire Raisers (1933), but Night of
the Party was actually started first. According to Powell, its release was
delayed because it was under-length, and so he shot three days of extra scenes after completing Fire Raisers. Based on a play with the prototypical title 'Murder Party' (which was used for the American release instead), this is a
whodunit in which a party game turns fatal after the lights go out. Needless to say, all of the guests have good reasons for hating the victim.
Almost completely studio-bound, the majority of the action is confined to
only six sets. To offset this, Powell and cinematographer Glen MacWilliams use
many compositions privileging mirrors in an effort to make the dialogue scenes
more visually varied and dynamic. The crucial party sequence is well-staged and
fluidly filmed and the scenes set in darkness for the game are atmospherically
photographed. Powell later called it "a bad film from a bad script, from a very
poor play and not very successful". It does, however, feature a gleefully impish
performance by Ernest Thesiger, who gets all the best dialogue (asked to turn a
noisy record off, he bemoans that "these dance tunes want louder needles if one
is to taste real misery"). The film also represented several important 'firsts'
for Powell: the first of four films Leslie Banks made for him and the first of
five with Ian Hunter. Most importantly, though, it was here that he had his
first contact with art director Alfred Junge, later a crucial member of his
Archers team.
Sergio Angelini
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1. Chiddiatt prepares (3:11)
