Agonia de uma Vida

One needs to enter into the atmosphere of this taut emotional story to really appreciate the fine acting done by all. Have seen "Thunder on the Hill" countless times and it's still riveting. The dialogue unfolds splendidly like a fine dramatic stage play of intrigue and mystery.

Claudette Colbert gives a fine performance as Sister Mary who is haunted by certain memories of her past and yet feels compelled to do what is right according to her conscience even though it conflicts with those in authority especially Mother Superior (Gladys Cooper).

Ann Blyth as Valerie really does make one feel that life is very precious - no one wants to die when there's so much to live for especially when young, very much in love and with plans to marry being dashed by this unjust verdict of guilty which will destroy everything.

Philip Friend as Sidney, Valerie's intended, is distraught with despair but eventually comes round and being convinced of her innocence tries to help in some way, offering Valerie his love and support in their emotionally charged scenes together.

Michael Pate as simple-minded Willie does add texture to the story of intrigue in the beginning - he holds an important letter - his voice and minor dialogue reveal a well-acted character role.

Robert Douglas as the doctor is suave and believable (well-oiled you might say) and he cares for his wife's delicate mental condition to the extent of becoming very possessive and controlling which becomes his downfall eventually.

It's a strong story of deep human conflict that everyone can relate to. One of my favourites.

After a season of heavy rains, the Norfolk dykes overflow. Refugees gather at the convent on the hill. It's not only local townsfolk who seek shelter. Convicted murderess Ann Blyth is stranded on her way to be hanged for killing her brother. Sister Claudette Colbert doesn't see how this lovely creature could have murdered anyone. She begins to investigate. Can she prove Miss Blyth innocent before the waters recede?

Although best remembered these days for his cynical depictions of middle-class America, director Douglas Sirk is adept at portraying the humble arrogance of nuns. Certainly the performances are all excellent; I was particularly impressed by Connie Gilchrist as a shrewd and sympathetic nun. DP William H. Daniels matches the lighting levels to the dark of the storms and the hopelessness of Miss Blyth's plight. Still, in the end, it's another murder mystery and you know the actual murderer will turn up among the people stranded at the convent.

Convicted murderess, Valerie Carns (Ann Blyth), is being transported to Norwich to be executed when a flash flood strands her and her guards at a convent hospital.

As Nurse Sister Mary (Claudette Colbert) grows to know Valerie, she becomes convinced of her innocence and sets out to find the real killer... and gets much disapproval from doing so ...

King of melodrama Douglas Sirk sharply directs this whodunnit in which several people harbour a secret that could stop an innocent woman from being hanged. There's wonderful gothic atmosphere, drama especially around the convent; corridors, shadows, arched windows and winding stone staircases, complete with a bell tower, of course. The cute face of Claudette Colbert is luminously-lit as she puts on her detective hat on in the race of ensnaring a killer - a killer amongst a small group in a convent. Sounds very much like Agatha Christie. Unlike in a Christie novel, it's not hard to guess who the killer is, but it's a highly enjoyable film nevertheless, with fine acting (Claudette Colbert, Ann Blithe and Michael Pate are standouts) and a very strong plot teemed with enough suspense. Maybe some flashbacks would've been good to flesh out the "murder". Ends with a nail biter sequence on top of a bell tower.

Based on a undistinguished play, in lesser hands this would have been totally forgettable. Director Douglas Sirk endows it all with a sense of style but still does not manage to salvage the pedestrian stagy dialog.

Claudette Colbert is as always, winning in her role as the nun with a feisty spirit she finds difficult to hold in check and Gladys Cooper lends her renowned haughtiness. While there are some well played smaller parts there's much wooden acting too which bogs the film down measurably.

One can't help wondering if Hitchcock ever saw this, as the climax in the bell tower is a forerunner of the famous scene from "Vertigo", but there the similarity ends.

Since Sirk went on to become an important director, this film is of certain interest, but not one to make any particular effort to hunt down.

When there is a flooding in Norfolk, many locals move with pets and animals to the local convent and hospital that is isolated from the mainland when the dam collapses. Sister Mary Bonaventure (Claudette Colbert) coordinates the arrangement with the Mother Superior (Gladys Cooper) to lodge and feed the unsheltered people. Soon she meets Valerie Carns (Ann Blyth), who was convicted for fratricide and condemned to the gallows on the next day, but is trapped in the convent with Sgt Melling (Gavin Muir). Her brother Jason died of overdose and she was responsible to give his medicine to him. Sister Mary, who is the nurse of Dr. Edward Jeffreys (Robert Douglas), talks to Valerie and is convinced that she is innocent. Dr. Jeffreys' testimony in court was crucial for her sentence. His wife Isabel Jeffreys (Anne Crawford) is very sick in the hospital. Valerie asks Sister Mary to bring her fiancé Sidney Kingham (Philip Friend) to the convent, and she does to Norfolk by boat with the employee Willie (Michael Pate) to bring him to stay with Valerie in her last hours. Willie comments a letter that he kept with him and Sister Mary tries to find evidences in old newspaper that may prove Valerie's innocence.

"Thunder on the Hill" is a melodramatic film directed by Douglas Sirk and with Claudette Colbert and Ann Blyth in the lead roles. Despite the mystery, the plot is too religious and has many flaws. For example, how Sister Mary is convinced that Valerie is innocent after talking for a short period with a bitter and aggressive woman? How easy is to her to find evidences in the newspapers and no lawyer had given much attention to the detail. But for fans of old movies, there is not much importance these flaws. The performance of Claudette Colbert is great. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Agonia de Uma Vida" ("Agony of a Life")