What a great film.


I'm always surprised to find these sites for so many of the great old movies all but unvisited, with no ongoing discussions about the film. The Court Jester, and Miracle of Morgan's Creek, were two other examples of great films with a blank message board when I checked them out. I find it kind of sad, really.

In any case, I found this film to be quite an emotional roller coaster ride, bouyed by an excellent portrayal by Horst Buchholtz and one of the greatest juvenile performances in history by Hayley Mills. She is dazzling! Her performance never seems forced, is never over the top, but seems utterly realistic--in turns charming and heartbreaking. The only child performance I can think of, off the top of my head, that equals it is Keisha Castle-Hughes' in Whale Rider.

If you haven't seen this film, it is well worth going out of your way to find. If you have seen it--how about a comment? Cheerio!

"I'm a lover of beauty--and a beauty of a lover!"--The Court Jester

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It's indeed a great picture. I saw it for the first time in the TV when I was a kid. Since then I have watched it several times. I bought the DVD last year, and though it's a bare-bones, though full-price release (No restored picture, no widescreen, no subtitles, no biographies, no extras....)It worth every cent, because the movie it's so good and so powerful. A truly "round" film: story, caracters, perfomances, direction, music. Lee Thompson was perhaps one of the most underrated directors of his time. I hope new generations should be able to appreciate his work, and by the way, this wonderful picture.

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Could not, obviously, agree more with your comments regarding the film. As regards Mr. Lee Thompson, well, of the films I know about, it would seem that he would occasionally direct a really fine film, such as this present one, or Cape Fear for another example. However, looking over the list of his movies it would seem he directed more than his share of shlock, as evidenced with his contributions to the Planet of the Apes sequels, and his pairings with Charles Bronson. Clearly, he possessed some positive tools, but for what ever reason, they just as clearly were not always in evidence.

"Nothing in this world is more surprising than the attack without mercy!"--Little Big Man

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Regarding J.Lee Thompson's filmography and how it contains more than a fair share of schlock, I too was of the opinion that he wasn't much to write home about as a director. However, lately I've seen quite a few of his earlier work and have come to realise that in later years he really went off the boil. But at the start of his career he made some very fine films.

Yield to the Night is a striking anti-capital punishment movie.

Ice-Cold in Alex is a war movie classic.

North West Frontier (or Flame Over India) is a hidden gem with some passages in it that are worthy of Wages of Fear.

And let's not forget he had a Best Director Oscar nomination for The Guns of Navarone which still holds up remarkably well after all these years.

But yeah, the Charles Bronson collaborations were all in the main fairly crap.

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I'll have to check on Yield to the Night--being anti-DP myself, and Flame Over India sound intriguing. In spite of the schlock, the presence of Tiger Bay and Cape Fear (and as you point out Guns of Navarone was decent, though I'm not a big fan of same) indicates he is worthy of a more detailed look.

Cheerio!

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

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Possible SPOILER WARNING!

It was a very good movie. What was wierd was that you felt like the murder victim got what she deserved and you wanted the murderer to escape. And Haley's father John who was the detective given the chase made you actually disliked him when he risked Haley's life on the boat to catch the murderer who actually was only caught because he saved Haley. Probably in today's time they would have let him escape but that was in 1959 when all criminals in movies had to be punished.

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Clearly, the film is very manipulative in the way it makes us care for the "murderer" and makes us root for his escape (of course, the fact that he clearly never intended to kill her made it easier to identify with him). If the performances of Mr. Bucholtz and Miss Mills hadn't been SO strong, I might have resented the manipulation, but they are so convincing, they sell the story, hook, line, and sinker.

For me personally, though it's clear the victim hardly "deserved" to be murdered--she certainly warrented a grand comeuppence.

Cheerio!

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

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Good point twm. I bet if they ever made a remake they might let him escape. In fact the Mills character might actually have him but on purpose drop him into the ocean and let him escape.

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Let's hope no such remake is in the offing.

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

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"Clearly, the film is very manipulative in the way it makes us care for the "murderer"..."

Yeah, the whole business of casting an unappealing gypsy woman as his lover and having her act like a total bitch from the moment we see her, just serves to justify his murder of her. It's all a bit naughty.


"...of course, the fact that he clearly never intended to kill her made it easier to identify with him."

How did he not mean to kill her? He pointed a gun at her and pulled the trigger 7 times.


"Rape is no laughing matter. Unless you're raping a clown."

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Hmmm. One of our memories is faulty. I wouldn't put any money down on whose it is. My memory is of one shot.

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

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Hi again. I just re-checked it. He definately fired multiple shots. He didn't kill her accidentally or in self defence.



"Rape is no laughing matter. Unless you're raping a clown."

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SPOILERS

He does fire more than one shot, but the gun is her's and she was threatening to shoot him. He had come home to ask her to marry him as well, so it wasnt cold-blooded either - it is Gillie's toy bomb that goes off once.

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You are both correct twm. When shown on television the shooting was edited to only one shot. When I got the dvd I was shocked to discover he fires the gun multiple times. In the tv print the shooting plays more like an accident than an act of rage, whereas the original version is clearly an act of rage. Changed his character for me in a very distinct way.

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Really???? I'm aghast that they would change the film so substantially. But thanks, that would explain why my memory of it was so different.

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

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I thought attitudes might have modernised in 50-odd years but apparently not. Korchinsky thinks that by paying Anya's rent, he has ownership of her and she should be ready for him whenever he feels like showing up. I think she's perfectly entitled to tell him that she's not an animal to be kept in a cage.
I had an aunt murdered in similar circumstances. She had had a long-standing relationship with her lodger, but one day she told him that she was marrying someone else. When she came down to breakfast next morning, he was waiting with a shotgun. "Here's a wedding present for you, love," he said and shot her.
He was sentenced to death but this was 1964 and the British public no longer had much enthusiasm for hanging, so the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. He was nearly 60 and I believe he died in prison about four years later.
Having said all that, I love this film, which I didn't see until I was middle aged, although I saw the excellent Whistle Down the Wind at the cinema as a youngster. One of the extras on my dvd is a present-day commentary by Hayley Mills, in which she points out that the film is a time capsule because the vibrant, multi-ethnic, Cardiff docklands community featured was soon to be dispersed by redevelopment.

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Looking over my comment to which you responded, it's clear I was being too flippant as regards the murder that takes place in the film. I've thus gone back and edited it, making it a bit less so.

Clearly, Korchinsky has no business threatening her with a gun, much less pulling the trigger. But I think one can understand his rage, especially in the face of her rejection--a rejection that was nothing less than vicious, with every intent to leave him utterly humiliated. Or so my meager memory tells me. I haven't seen the film in many years now. :-) Yes, he was being overly possessive, but few of us can lay claim to a "perfect" attitude regarding our relationships. He came home expecting to be welcomed by the woman he thought he was in love with, and instead encountered a hostile, scornful, emasculating harpy. In such an abrupt, unexpected turnaround, no doubt feeling confused, desperate and in an emotional whirlwind, that his possessive buttons were engaged should be no surprise. How many millions of men AND women have found themselves in a similar situation (I know I have) and have been swept away on treacherous rapids of rage and humiliation. Fortunately, the vast majority don't resort to violence!

So, at least up until he pulls the trigger, I think we can identify with him, no matter societal attitudes. (I say that with one caveat--I don't recall him striking her [but as I said, it's been a long time since I've seen it], but if he did, I could hardly condone that kind of behavior either, no matter how angry and hurt he was.)

Cheers!

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

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[deleted]

Yes, I agree she was terrific. I haven't made a point to see all of her movies, but I've seen most of those she made as a juvenile. I have NOT seen "Whistle Down the Wind," however. It's one of a few dozen films on my MUST SEE list. Hopefully one day.

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

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I was thinking the exact same thing, suprised initially when I thought that there was no message board linked with this film, but luckily found this! I am watching this right now. I just happened to come across it by accident as I was having my breakfast (sunday) and Hayley Mills has always been my favourite actress, as a kid I used to love watching her films. What caught my attention was when the announcer said that father and daughter will be in this film together. And I just learned of the fact that it was Hayley Mills first film! She was amazing! Her performance is simply mesmerising. She shows so much emotion in her eyes, her acting is just so natural and believeable.

I really enjoyed watching this film, it's a great story and very different.

I have a question, is it true about the 3 mile from shore rule? That you can't stop a ship for anything if it's already passed the 3 mile limit?

spolier alert.

and in the end, is it true that once the ship had passed the 3 mile ship, the british had no authority?

i missed the scene just before seeing Gillie in the water, why did she jump off the ship? and in doing so he ended up getting caught?

and I too wanted him to escape!

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I believe as long as anyone is in international waters, local police no longer have any duristiction.
Gillie was hiding in a lifeboat, which rocked slightly and sent her into the water, Fella (polish guy, forget his name) jumped in after her, to save her, but in doing so, like you say got caught.
I believe everyone wanted him to escape!!!

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aww thanks so much for the explanation! i missed that scene as i was busy reading the messages on imdb! hehe that makes sense now. :)

thanks also for the information regarding the international waters :)

yah shame he didnt escape in the end!

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It WAS true about the 3 mile limit--now the laws have changed for most countries (the limit has increased), but each country still has a invisible line over which they have no jurisdiction.

Gillie didn't jump overboard, she fell, and of course Horst Bucholz' character jumped in to save her, and thus to jail.

I agree with everything you said about the film. Hayley Mills was such an amazing actress--one of the greatest child-stars of all time.

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

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Thank you twm-2 for your answer and for explaining about the 3 mile limit, very imformative indeed :) I appreciate it. Also thank you for telling me that she fell accidentally, as that makes more sense now.

I also agree with what you said about Hayley Mills, makes me want to go watch her other movies again! :)

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I'm presently on an old-movie buying spree via Amazon, and this is one I purchased the other day, not having seen it for years. I agree with the other posters; it is actually far better than I remember. And I'd completely forgotten about those `cap-bombs' which were a great way of vexing grown-ups! No longer available now, I guess, on account of `terrorist legislation'.

The later movie `Leon' has a similar theme in which a pubescent girl becomes infatuated with a murderer.

Incidentally; in Britain Korchinski might well have hanged as the death-penalty still applied in 1959, whereas in France he would probably have pleaded `Crime of Passion' and got off Scot-free.

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I agree it's a great movie, of course. Doubt he would have been subject to the death penalty as it was obviously not planned (it wasn't even his gun--if I remember correctly). Heck, to me he hardly even seemed to realize what he was doing.

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

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I wouldn't bet either way. Because, although unplanned, he did shoot her 5 times - or at least the gun was fired 5 times. In the 50's slaying with a firearm was so rare and shocking that courts felt impelled to make an example. But even if he didn't hang he'd have been banged-up for a Godawful long time despite saving Gilly.

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He shot her five times? Funny, I don't remember that detail . . . but then, I haven't seen it in many years. Parts of it a remember distinctly--like the horror and fear on his face after he realized what he's done.

But you're right--he was going to prison for a very long time. and so no matter what he'd done, that scene in the boat was utterly heartrending for me, as he and Haley Mills cry and hug each other.

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

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Yes; it was a burst of jealous rage, which is why I think he'd have got away with it in France as a crime of passion. But British law in the 1950's was pretty inflexible.

It's a great film, though, isn't it? The DVD I got last week from Amazon was really nice and clear. I'd forgotten just how good it was. We made some cracking independent movies in the 50's/60's.

I've just ordered `Pool of London' which was an Ealing classic.

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Just saw it, amazing movie! It's been a long time since I saw a child act that well. But she was just a part of it, the whole thing is so exciting. So far J Lee Thompson's old movies are fantastic and it's a real treat for me to discover them.

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Yes, though there are many, many examples of excellent child actors, it's rare for one to excel to this degree. Keisha Castle-Hughes in "Whale Rider" is the only instance that pops readily to mind, though I'm sure there are a few others.

Fighting for Truth, Justice, and making it the American way.

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Loved this movie as a child!! I thought Hayley Mills was brilliant. I remember there were was an audition for the school choir and I chose The Lord Is My Shepherd to demo whatever voice I had. If it was good enough for Hayley it was good enough for me. The classroom went quiet as I sang and the teacher seemed pleased. Next thing you know I was doing solos. Ha ha. Thanks Hayley!

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Pretty good - 7.5

"She let me go."
~White Oleander

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