MovieChat Forums > Dark Victory (1939) Discussion > I never would have guessed that...

I never would have guessed that...

posted 15 years ago by abbeyroad69-1
5 replies | jump to latest

Now the last thing I expected was for the compassionate, sophisticated and urbane George Brent (aka George Nolan), who played Dr Steele, to be an IRA terrorist. Some things just take you by surprise don't they? All kinds of degenerates, wackos and misfits seem to make it in the movies....even back then. Mind you I am biased, seeing as I fought against those scum in the 1980's.

Great film though. I thought Davis was compelling and the heartbreaking final scenes where she "cleared the decks" to die alone was very powerful. Anyone who has lost someone they loved will have been moved by the final pastiche.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] joystar5879 13 years ago

Absolutely! George Brent was DEFINITELY IRA. I have heard tales that he and Colin Clive did NOT get along when making THE RIGHT TO LIVE at WB in 1935. Mr. Brent resented being acted into the woodwork by a "character" player, and Mr. Clive, whose family was British Army for almost 200 years, probably had no fondness for the IRA. I know he had several Uncles in the Army at the time of The Easter Uprising, so he might have had relatives serving in Ireland.

Whatever it was, it must have been a real pip...Cause Brent was extremely snarky about Colin Clive almost 40 years after Clive's death...

[–] madetwolast 13 years ago

He was an Actor. He played parts - and quite well.
His real life was apparently entirely different than his screen persona. That's what makes an actor good: fooling the public into thinking they're something they're not.
:-) :-) :-)

[–] dmnemaine 13 years ago

I guess someone who thinks that their people should be governing themselves rather than being controlled by someone else is a "terrorist" and "scum".

[–] gribfritz2 13 years ago

Actually, using terror as a weapon to achieve your objectives makes you a terrorist, regardless of who agrees or disagrees with the objective. Having said that, this topic is extremely tangential to this movie. Aren't there better things to discuss?