Pasión sublime

This is another case where if this movie was available on DVD with English subtitles, I might enjoy it. As it was, seeing it on VHS I had to strain to understand half the dialog of Anton Walbrook, who plays a Polish man, "Steve Radetzky." His combination British-Polish accent was tough to decipher and it totally takes away from enjoying the film.

Also a warning for those who read on the VHS box about the "great action scenes." Those don't take place until the very end of the movie! It's hardly a great film to begin with, with a very dated look to it with the hokey backgrounds scenes somewhat cheap production values.

One thing that is not cheap or dated: the fine music. Our main character is a pianist as few people ever complain listening to someone play "The Warsaw Concerto." I've also never complained looking at Sally Gray's face!

However, your best bet is to buy the CD for the music and skip the film, although at slightly over an-hour-and-a-half, it's not a long film one has to endure to get through....but don't expect a lot of excitement here.

This romantic story of a Polish concert pianist/fighter pilot was never really very good. The dialog is often less than sparkling, the sets tend to look cheap and the few outdoor shots are often just painted backgrounds. There is an impressive shot of Spitfires taking off to do battle but the climatic dog fight is rather poorly choreographed. The script is rather lumbering with a couple of non too subtle nudges at American, Irish neutrality.

Anton Wallbrook as the pianist is his usual suave self, only sometimes he is not too convincing when he is supposed to be playing the piano, also I am sure that no refined European gentleman would have a conversation with a lady (especially one as beautiful as Sally Gray) with a cigarette dangling from his lips. That was probably the director's fault.

What makes this film memorable of course is the music. One of the most famous movie scores in history. Even now "The Warsaw Concerto" is a standard item on pop-classical concerts.

Just a few words about Sally Gray. She was one of the most beautiful and seductive actresses in British movies during the forties who was generally wasted in her roles. Perhaps it was her personal choice but I was surprised that she was never snapped up by Hollywood. I always thought what a great Hitchcock heroine she would have made. Alas, it never happened.

Dangerous moonlight, known as suicide squadron in the u s, was released june of 1941 in england. But it was not released in the united states until april 1942. Europe had already been in the war for several years, but the u s didn't officially join until pearl harbor, december of 1941. It took almost a year for the film to be shown in the u s. According to the film, it begins in london, november of 1940. American reporter carol meets polish airman and pianist stefan radetzky, during the bombing. They meet again in new york. When he talks about returning to europe to fight, carol can't stand the thought of it. Stefan wants to go fight for his homeland, but carol doesn't want his gift of music to be silenced. Or is it for more selfish reasons? Perfect issues to be discussed in a wartime propaganda film. It's pretty well done. Rather rushed ending, but it works. Directed by brian hurst, who had fought in world war one. The picture is all quite dark, for atmosphere? And there are many snaps and pops in the sound track. Could use a restoration.

Wartime propaganda movie that was probably supposed to make people more kindly disposed towards Polish pilots in the RAF. I had heard about this film for years but never seen it; now however I recall that Spike Milligan in his memoirs (of a time when this was a brand new movie) describes it as something like "bloody awful." I wouldn't go that far but for a movie that is supposed to be about a fighter pilot it has a handful of minutes of flying and several hours (it feels like) of piano music + Sally Gray (who is not bad to look at I admit). Or closeups of Anton Walbrook's rabbit-like face as more orchestral music plays in the background.

Opens in UK hospital with Walbrook as war-injured Polish officer agonising over recall of composition:flashback to meeting with N.Y. news correspondent (who quickly supplants US with UK accent) Sally Gray(actress's name) as he ruminates over concerto composition.Further recall to selection by Air pilots' squad to come to US to garner funds for Poland in 1940.Wrenching decision to return East and and as RAF pilot runs out of ammunition and wilfully crashes into German bomber,bringing us back to original scene in hospital room. Conflicts developed very nicely:between hero and other pilots;between hero and close friend over the heroine;between hero and wife about return to UK;and within himself over his future mission:to stay fundraising in US or join RAF.Goes without saying about excellent haunting" Warsaw Concerto" excellently played,very moody amd evocative. When this film came out in '41 the Concerto was criticised as a copy of Grieg's p.concerto in A mi., or Tchaikowski's 2nd in C. All the same it is worth several viewings.