Lilacs in the Spring

Late Flynn, when he took almost any work he could get to pay off alimony. He turns in a sincere, believable performance, occasionally lampooning himself, and does a creditable song and dance number. Other points of interest include Peter Graves as Prince Albert (if you didn't know, you'd never guess) and Sean Connery is supposedly in there somewhere as an extra, but I haven't found him.

"Lilacs in the Spring" is a very confusing and, in my opinion, ill-conceived film. There's plenty of stuff to like in the movie (such as seeing Errol Flynn dance for, I think, the second time in a movie)....but the sum total just didn't work for me.

The film begins during the later portion of the Blitz in London...1944. The story follows Carole Beaumont (Anna Naegel) through a story and multiple flashback scenes. After getting bumped around by a bomb explosion, Carole believes she's back in the time of Charles II of Britain. The man playing Charles in this flashback is her boyfriend, Charles. Later, she has another flashback during which she's Queen Victoria hanging out with her husband, Albert....who is played by another one of Carole's boyfriends. Later, there is a LONG flashback, though from whose viewpoint, I have no idea! You see Carole's parents dating (played by Flynn and Naegle) which is confusing, as Flynn plays both father AND lover to two different characters played by Naegle (the mother and then daughter)! It's a bit creepy...and confusing...and it doesn't fit in at all with the previous two flashbacks. In fact, this flashback really is like a whole separate movie!

The bottom line is that the script just seemed like a mess. The singing, dancing and story (at times) were nice but the whole package was just strange and confusing...like it needed a revision to the script. It also would have helped to have two different actresses play Carole and her mother. A misfire.

"Let's Make Up" is the American title of the British film I watched on DVD, "Lilacs in the Spring." Some people may see this sort of film as sappy, but the British audiences of the early 1950s like it. One other reviewer mentioned that the English generally like this sort of film.

Well this is a combination comedy, romance and musical, with some fantasy and drama, and set on the edge of the Second World War. The fantasy is imaginary scenes dreamed by Anna Neagle's Carole Beaumont during her lapses or periods of unconscious after having suffered a blow on the head during London bombing inn WW II. The plot is a little complicated with her father, John Beaumont, played by Errol Flynn, who has bene living in America where he is a major cinema star in Hollywood. He went there after WW I when his stage star faded in England and that of his wife (also Carole Beaumont and played by Neagle), rose. Beau had taken her under his wing to make her a star, but she then didn't wanted to leave the British stage to go to American with her husband.

There's more to this love story as well; but then skipping to WW II and the young girl's rise under another actor/director, Charles King (played by David Farrar). Eventually, Beau travels to England to see his daughter whom he has seen for years, and King is about to head out with a show troupe for Burma to entertain the British and Allied forces there. Will love win out this time, or show business again break up another couple? Perhaps the vice of experience in the person of another successful actor and father, Beau Beaumont will help the decision.

The dancing, music and show numbers in this film are very good and the main reason to see this film. Neagle does more dancing with some very good variety that I had seen in any other film of hers that I've watched. And Flynn gets in some nice soft shoe. It's a nice period film of the times, history, customs, and people and what they enjoyed in entertainment.

... part musical, part old fashioned nostalgic drama, and Flynn is barely in the first half of the production. You keep waiting for him to appear. But the film improves noticeably in its second half when Errol is in it. The story takes on aspects (never fully explored, unfortunately) of A Star Is Born, with Flynn as a faded stage star whose wife's show business career is on the rise. It allows Errol to show some vulnerability.

His finest moment of acting in the film is set on a Hollywood sound stage. Flynn's character by this time has had a comeback as a costume action film star (obviously based on the actor himself) and he is dressed up in uniform for what appears to be a Charge of the Light Brigade-type adventure.

By this time his character is divorced from Anna Neagle but it's apparent that he still carries a torch for her. He receives word on the sound stage just as they are about to shoot a scene that Neagle will be re-marrying. Flynn tries to act breezy and stoic as an aggressive reporter peppers him with questions about the upcoming wedding but you can see that he is bothered by the questions. He gives the reporter a boot in the rear (pure real life Flynn) and when the reporter tries to punch him in response an angry Flynn knocks him down.

Then he has to shoot the scene for the film he is making. It is here that Flynn has an unexpectedly touching moment as an actor. He's having a dialogue exchange with another actor and there is a closeup of Flynn's face. His mind starts to wander back to his wife and the good times they had once had as he says a few words related to her not in the script. In this closeup Flynn's eyes show the faintest signs of starting to water and his chin begins to slightly quiver.

The director yells "Cut!" and Flynn snaps back into reality once again. But in that brief four or five second closeup there genuinely appears to be pain in his eyes. It's a beautifully understated moment, and, brief as it is, reflects the often unrealized potential Errol had as an actor. I only wish Lilacs in the Spring had allowed him more opportunities this good but, at least, it does have this one touching moment.

Most of the reviews imply that Errol Flynn carries "Lilacs In The Spring".Not so.The film belongs to the one and only Dame Anna Neagle.Her's is a tour de force performance and her age(around fifty at the time) in no way detracts from her convincing,multi-layered portrayal of the daughter-mother-daughter characters.This lady is pure class and with her peaches and cream complexion,gracious presence and incredible versatility,she is a delight in every scene.The somewhat confusing plot has been expertly explained by the other reviewers (thank you) and like them,I have only been able to acquire a murky,poor quality video print.I remember seeing it the cinema in 1956 and it was magic all the way. Looking at the film now,I'm astounded at Anna Neagle's dancing skills.Whether dancing the tango,waltz or,best of all,her 1920's 'Dance Little Lady' number,she's enchantment all the way.Arguably a better dancer than a singer,she nevertheless delivers two lovely renditions of 'We'll Gather Lilacs' and she's ravishing dancing to the orchestral version. Errol Flynn fans may only show interest in his contribution but by the time he appeared in this film he was clearly past his prime (the kindest thing I can say).Fortunately,he had the amazing Anna Neagle to prop him up in all their scenes together.Bravo,Dame Anna!