La voce della calunnia

You can't really call it a noir because it's not like the characters here are unsympathetic, nor can you call it a crime drama because it's not clear until the end whether or not any crime has even taken place.

The film revolves around Stephen Barlow (Leo Genn), who teaches Latin to teen-aged girls at the nearby school. 17 year old Barbara Vining (Glynis Johns) is a student in the school with a major league crush on the rather bland Barlow who appears as a cultured and even rather mysterious man of the world in her young eyes. Barlow's wife, Kay (Gene Tierney), is for some reason jealous of the girl and suspicious of the entire relationship. One night, when Barbara is at their home studying Latin with Stephen, Kay waits until she and Barbara are alone and confronts the girl about her feelings for Stephen. Barbara flees from the house understandably humiliated about the subject of their conversation. Stephen, angry with his wife for embarrassing Barbara, runs out after the girl to try to put things right.

That would be the end of it except that Barbara Vining does not return home that night nor the next day, and her parents contact the police and initiate a search. Tongues in the small town begin to wag about the fact that this 30-something schoolmaster was walking about in the middle of the night with his teen-aged student. Barbara's father is a newspaper reporter and, having seen murderers who are quite calm after the passion of the crime is over throughout his career, does not have his fears allayed by seeing Stephen's composed and civilized demeanor. Even Stephen's own wife has her doubts when she catches Stephen in a lie relating to that night's events. Add to all of this that some male obscene caller keeps phoning the Barlow home - did he kill or abduct the girl himself and is he tormenting this very public suspect?.

Plus, one of the creepiest persons ever committed to celluloid is Barbara's own aunt. Now about 40, she is morbidly consumed with a love affair that ended disastrously for her some twenty years before and seems almost elated that history might have repeated itself for her niece. Neither Rebecca's Mrs. Danvers nor Uncle Fester have anything on Aunt Vi Vining in the way of weirdness.

This movie is more about character development than action, but it is by no means boring and should keep you engaged if not on the edge of your seat throughout. One strange thing about the casting - Gene Tierney is playing a woman about her own age at the time - 33. However, Glynis Johns is playing a teen aged girl when she was less than three years younger than Ms. Tierney. However, both carry out their roles quite convincingly.

I'm a huge Gene Tierney fan, but apparently not enough of one, because I only discovered this film while browsing through Amazon. Wish I'd known about it years ago. The quality is good, the pace is fast, the acting solid, the themes surprisingly brazen for the times (or so it seems to me). There's a touch of melodrama, mystery, even film noire. The Aunt Evelyn character is almost as wicked as dear old Mrs Danvers. If you're debating about watching this film, don't. It's worth the time, especially for a fan of classic black and white films. Thanks to the viewers who took the time to rate this film! otherwise I would never have discovered it.

Leo Genn plays a teacher at a British school. He does not realize that one of his students (Glynnis Johns) is infatuated with him, though his wife (Gene Tierney) quickly picks up on this. When the wife confronts the student about this, the teen leaves in tears--and isn't heard from for some time! Considering that the teacher followed her and talked with her, he was the last to see her and the assumptions are that she either killed herself or he killed her. Regardless, people in the town begin to assume he was responsible. I won't say what happens next, as this would spoil the film, though IMDb DOES give away the girl's whereabouts on the main page for the film! Oops.

This movie gives the viewer quite a bit to consider. First, the male teacher clearly was irresponsible being alone with a student--particularly a female one. As a retired teacher, I knew NEVER to put myself in such a situation for exactly the reasons you see in the film. I would venture that at least subconsciously the teacher was flattered by the crush--which is pretty disturbing since it resulted in his not taking reasonable precautions. Second, the wife clearly read the script, as when she meets the teen, she IMMEDIATELY knows he has a crush on the teacher--but how did her character know this?! This is an apparent weakness in the script and she is clearly the weakest written character in the movie. Third, it's a nice portrait of what happens when hysteria and the court of public opinion run amok--snowballing to insane conclusions. Fourth, it leaves you wondering why they picked a 30 year-old woman (Johns) to play a 17 year-old! Oops.

You'll notice that a couple things I mentioned above are problems with the film. Well, despite these minor concerns the rest of the film is pretty good--and thought-provoking...and well worth seeing.

Really liked the idea for the story and it is the sort of film that appeals to me. While there were reservations of seeing 'Mary Poppins' Glynnis Johns as a teenager, which has been one of criticisms directed against it, and seeing mixed reviews here and from trusted users, just seeing the stunning Gene Tierney (star of 'Laura' and 'The Ghost of Mrs Muir') was reason enough to see 'Personal Affair'. As well as seeing Leo Genn as a lead. The potential was definitely there.

This potential was not fully realised in my view (which is in a way frustrating), but it is a long way from squandered either, the latter of which would have annoyed me much more as that is a peeve of mine. Could 'Personal Affair' have been a better film? Yes, it definitely could have been with a tightening up and more subtlety. Is it worth watching? Yes it is, and no it is not just for Tierney though she certainly is one of the reasons as to why 'Personal Affair' is worth the viewing.

'Personal Affair's' script can be too talky and could have done with a bit more succinct trimming or tightening up. The story can get over-heated in places.

Do agree that Johns is far too mature for her role and it is not easy at all to overlook.

However, Tierney is radiant and sincere, would have liked more development to her character but she plays her very well and didn't feel out of place to me. Genn is smooth and doesn't overplay or look disengaged, he does just fine as a leading man and actually had no problem at all with his chemistry with Tierney. My favourite performance comes from Pamela Brown, sinking her teeth into a fun and formidable part.

It is directed with thought and control, and the film is pretty gorgeously shot. The script does have thought-provoking and intriguing moments and the story is crisply paced enough and doesn't feel stagy, treating the viewer with respect.

Overall, pretty good if not great. 7/10

A quietly flashy (the image even turns to negative at one point) cross between 'Le Corbeau' and 'Term of Trial' adapted from her own play 'A Day's Mischief' by Lesley Storm that once more lifts the lid on the passions simmering not far below the surface of conservative fifties Britain.

Obligatory American star Gene Tierney melds unobtrusively with a cast of largely female Brits ranging from bitter, chainsmoking maiden aunt Pamela Brown to an unbilled Nanette Newman as a gossiping teenager; the best performance as usual coming from Megs Jenkins as Glynis Johns' careworn mother.