*
Directors: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Cast: Wendy Hiller, Roger Livesey, Pamela Brown, Finlay Currie, George Carney, Nancy Price, Catherine Lacey
Originally beyond thrilled to find a love story that takes place in Hebrides of Scotland, I find myself horribly, horribly disappointed by the atrocity that is this film. It's the story of a determined middle-class Englishwoman who has lined herself up to marry one of the wealthiest men in Europe, who happens to be residing on the island of Kilorin off of Scotland's mainland. To begin with, the film is black and white, and it is a shoddy black and white at that. I can't hate on the year 1945 for its lack of technology... but I can express my great disappointment in not seeing the gorgeous rolling highlands like I remember them in my mind.
We watch as the woman makes the long journey and meets a sailor who is going to take her the last leg of her trip, across the short stint of sea to the island. The weather, however, takes a horrible turn for the worse, and she is stuck just a 20 minute boat-ride away from her future husband. This is where the love story is supposed to develop. Alas, both of the characters are completely ridiculous, boring, and under-developed. And the "handsome Scottish sailor" is ENGLISH with a posh accent... and is named TORQUIL! How absolutely wrong!
The film takes a silly, tourist gaze at Scotland-- highlighting all of the not-so-important Scottish traditions in a "aww isn't that dear," condescending way.
Also, a lot of it dragged with dialogue and fill-in legends and dorky Torquil prancing about in a kilt that doesn't suit him.
Total disappointment.
But I'm probably biased...
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