Her Last Affaire

BFI NFTVA-TIK DATORREN KOPIA/COPY FROM BFI NFTVA/COPIA PROCEDENTE DE BFI NFTVA

The secretary to a leading politician wants to marry his daughter, Jody, but first has to clear his own name, since his father died with a tarnished reputation. He devises an elaborate plan to persuade the politician's wife to provide evidence of his father's good name, but she dies unexpectedly, due to a mistake in dispensing her medicine, and the secretary falls under suspicion. In the end, her confession clearing his father is discovered and he is free to marry Jody. Her Last Affaire, a blackmail melodrama from 1935, gave a further chance for Googie Withers to shine, as a comic maid in a part originally played on stage by Gracie Fields. Here the narrative is taut (as well it might be with script and editing by the future producer Ian Dalrymple) and the lighting again splendidly atmospheric, although the material remains firmly grounded in the West end thriller tradition. Only some scenes organized around an antique wooden staircase in a country inn look forward to the powerful symbolism of later Archers' décor. Ian Christie (Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger: Arrows of Desire)

YEAR   1935 PRODUCTION   Simon Rowson, Geoffrey Rowson New Ideal Productions Ltd. DIRECTOR   Michael Powell SCREENPLAY   Ian Dalrymple PHOTOGRAPHY   Leslie Rowson EDITION   Ian Dalrymple CAST   Hugh Williams (Alan Heriot), Francis L. Sullivan (Sir Julian Weyre), Viola Keats (Lady Avril Weyre), Sophie Stewart (Jody Weyre), John Laurie (Robb), Googie Withers (Effie) RUNNING TIME   78 m.

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