Notte senza stelle

Adapted from his own novel by Winston Graham - best known for 'Poldark' and 'Marnie' - I'll try not to reveal too much about the plot of this film, other than to say that there's an awful lot of it.

British audiences still living with rationing in postwar austerity Britain would have welcomed this opportunity to wallow for an hour and a half in the lap of luxury in the South of France, although much of the action takes place at night and is directed and lit for atmosphere rather than plush. The French themselves are as usual depicted as a pretty creepy and untrustworthy bunch, and even in a 'sympathetic' role like this David Farrar exudes his usual saturnine menace. All in all, good morbid fun.

I have long thought David Farrar was more distinguished for being tall, dark, handsome and having a mellifluous voice, but he shows some real ability in this movie. He's almost blind because of a wartime injury, and living in depressed exile in southern France, when he runs into Nadia Gray. She's engaged to be married, but when he goes to confront the fiancé, he finds a corpse... then the corpse vanishes, as does a cafe.

It's written by Winston Graham from his novel -- he's better known for writing the Poldark series -- and well directed by Anthony Pelissier in his short but distinguished career in the movies. While at times it seems as if the symbolic meanings of things stick through the plot -- blindness being a metaphor for this and that -- it winds up being a highly satisfying piece of cinema.

Like many Pinewood Studios movies of this era, the cinematography runs like a stage play and this leaves the spotlight firmly on the actors. Both Nadia Gray and David Farrar play their roles adequately though rather wooden. I like the way that casting works in this period. Even before they open their mouths you can tell they are up to no good and this is particularly so for Maurice Teynar as the evil brother. Great touches when the blind Farrar stumbles around Chaval's dark appartment and each area he comes too lights up as if through his senses. Budgets were obviously short on the burning taxi in the valley which looks like someone was holding a lighter to the set! Still worth a view on late night TV.

Night Without Stars is directed by Anthony Pelissier and adapted to screenplay by Winston Graham from his own novel of the same name. It stars David Farrar, Nadia Gray, Maurice Teynac, Gerard Landry and June Clyde. Music is by William Alwyn and cinematography by Guy Green.

Story is set in post war France and finds Farrar as Giles Gordon, a British lawyer who has been left partially blinded by the war. Upon meeting shop assistant Alix Delaisse (Gray), he falls in love with her but soon finds she has ties to the resistance and that another suitor doesn't welcome his arrival on the scene. Soon enough Giles find himself amongst blackmailers, forgers and murderers, his life is in danger and Alix has disappeared.

The hook here is that Giles seeks out an operation to correct his sight issue and then sets about unravelling the mysteries, still pretending that he is nearly blind! The plot has a delicious slice of incredulity about it, and with the screenplay being quite literate, it rolls out as a match made in cinematic heaven. Pelissier (The Rocking Horse Winner) and Green (Great Expectations/Oliver Twist) deal firmly in chiaroscuro photography, bathing a good portion of the film in noirish visuals.

Atmosphere is a big thing in a story of this kind and Night Without Stars has it in abundance. Add in some sensuality and a quite brilliant performance by Farrar and you are good to go for a great winter's night in by the fire. 8/10

Nothing new.After David Farrar regains his sight he discovers that nothing is the same as when he was blind.Farrar was an all purpose leading man who needed a good director to ensure he did not become too wooden.