The Demi-Paradise

THE DEMI-PARADISE (original title, UK 1943) is an opportunistic piece of propaganda, with the great Laurence Olivier playing a Russian engineer trying to build a propeller for an ice breaker to operate in the Baltic, with the assistance of obviously superior British engineers.

In the midst of the propaganda against the backdrop of a war that until 1942 had not gone in Great Britain's favor, you even get to see historic pageants, and an apology for the UK colonizing half of the planet.

This film is an interesting document of the mindset of the day, when Great Britain was still the empire on which the sun never set, but it does not really work from a cinematographic standpoint. Photography is average, acting so-so, and the screenplay carries some extremely cheesy holes.

Strikingly elegant Penelope Dudley-Ward conveniently represents Britain's openness to a loving relationship with the USSR, but there's really no chemistry spark between her and Olivier. It's as totally unconvincing a love affair as this is as piece of film-making.

Perhaps the most interesting comment to be made about THE DEMI-PARADISE is that by 1945 Winston Churchill was referring to the Soviet Union as the "iron curtain," and warning about the dangers of the USSR's occupation of Eastern Europe, and by 1948 the Cold War had started in earnest.

Really strange bedfellows, therefore. Thankfully, Dudley-Ward is very easy on the eye, especially when she smiles, but even her beautiful face cannot save this overlong piece of propaganda.

I suffered watching it because of Covid-prompted confinement but rest assured that I'll not watch it again.

Amazing how this propaganda piece became obsolete in two years! By 1945, Winston Churchill was warning about the dangers of Soviet Russia occupying Eastern Europe, and describing the USSR as the "iron curtain."

Penelope Dudley-Ward is elegance and beauty personified. Laurence Olivier's talent is wasted in this poitical piece at the height of WWII, which even manages to glorify the then empire on which the sun never set.

Times have changed. THE DEMI-PARADISE is a capsule from a time that was far from paradisiac...

Almost two hours long, D.P.starts out in Russia, with some British travelers meeting with a Russian; we quickly flash back to when one of the Russians had traveled to London on business. Laurence Olivier is Ivan Kouznetskoff, who recounts his experience in Britain many years ago, both pleasant and unpleasant. British "Ann" ( Penelope Dudley ) is his new love interest, and that is an on again/off again relationship. Viewers will recognize Margaret Rutherford (plays Rowena Ventnor) - Rutherford played Agatha Christie's Jane Marple during the 1960s. Olivier's accent is iffy, but they DO capture the proud complaining that is prevalent in some Russians (as well as some Americans, some Britains...) Of course, the story takes place deep in the middle of world war II now, and also about the time of the Haye's movie production period back in the U.S., so I'm guessing some parts of the original story were left out of the film. Writer Anatole de Grunwald had actually fled Russia as a young boy with his family during the Russian Revolution, so its interesting that his main character would extol the virtues of the common worker society. Entertaining two hours, but Ivan is so cold throughout, that we don't get too drawn into the story. The second half is more about their relationship, and less about comparing Great Britain to Russia, and what a snob Ivan is.

This film is relatively unknown which is a mystery to me. It is one of the great wartime fims of the period.

A wonderfully written story with great direction and a perfect cast. Lord Olivier is absolutely marvelous in the lead, as one might expect, but the supporting actors are equally marvelous with special mention to Penelope Dudley-Ward who charms from her first entrance. Olivier's Russian accent never waivers for a moment but some of his best scenes are those in which ha has no dialogue at all. His bit of business and subtle facial expressions show his immense talent.

See this film if you have the opportunity.

Laurence Olivier is a Russian who comes to the U.K. to work on a propeller in "The Demi-Paradise," a 1943 propaganda film directed by Anthony Asquith. Since the Russians became allies in World War II, much was done in film so that they would be seen in a favorable light. At first, Ivan, the Olivier character, regards everyone with suspicion, having heard all sorts of clichés about the English. But with time, they win him over, helped by the daughter (Penelope Ward) of the man in charge of building the ship that will house the propeller.

Olivier's accent is good, but as someone pointed out, the slow way he speaks makes him seem dumb, which, as an engineer, he isn't. On the other hand, it's probably realistic, since it would be a second language.

There are a few funny scenes, and the film is infected with a lot of warmth. It's good, but not great.