Le pacte

Lloyd's of London is a very enjoyable piece of entertainment.With those actors involved I wasn't surprised.Tyrone Power delivers a good early performance,but the acting honors go to George Sanders as a despicable regency cad.Madeleine Carroll is a radiant heroine. The story is only mildly engaging but one gets caught up in the beauty of the sets and the good direction of Henry King,who makes this picture flow easily. I hope this title will be available on DVD soon along with other Tyrone Power titles. He did a lot of very entertaining movies in the three decades he was active. So watch this one in good faith, you won't be disappointed.

OK, so here's the deal, this movie ruined my life. How can such a thing be? Well, listen up: At the age of five (or thereabouts) I watched this movie on television. I fell in love with Ms. Carroll. Her golden-ringletted cloying prettiness was perfectly suited to a five-year-old's notion of female beauty. She was married to Mr. Saunders, who dressed REALLY well, spoke beautifully, was rich and was exceptionally urbane. Naturally, she didn't care for him. She was in love with Mr. Powers, who was, frankly, breathtakingly beautiful -- much more beautiful than Ms. Carroll at her best.

But I digress. Anyway, my five year old brain decides, "In order to win M.C., you have to look like T.P." Well, it's been over 50 years and I'm STILL WAITING to be as handsome as Mr. Power (probably NOT going to happen -- what's your guess?). So, here I am in (advanced) middle age, still functioning under the delusion that you have to look like Mr. Power in order to secure the attentions of the lady of your dreams. How messed up is THAT?

Silliness aside, the movie is thin on (rational) plot but long on star-magic. Enjoy Mr. Power and Ms. Carroll at their loveliest and Mr. Saunders at his most vile. The rest of the flic is just and excuse to watch them dress up in period costumes.

Tyrone Power was only 22 with a few films and Broadway credits when he was given his first major role in "Lloyds of London." This film was originally assigned to Don Ameche, but Henry King insisted on testing Power and, on viewing the test, told Zanuck he wanted the young man for the role. "In two years," King told Zanuck, "he will be one of the biggest stars ever." Good instincts. Power plays Jonathan Blake, a fictional character, whose childhood friendship with Horatio Nelson helps Nelson through the Napoleonic war. Blake becomes one of the syndicate owners at Lloyd's of London and, against every other syndicate, continues insuring the damaged British fleet so that Nelson has all the power necessary to defeat the French.

The radiant Madeline Carroll is Power's love interest and George Sanders is her cad husband. Sanders worked with Power on many films, including the one Power was making when he died 22 years later. Virginia Field is Polly, a young waitress in love with Jonathan, but it's unrequited.

The acting is top-notch, including beautiful performances from Freddie Bartholomew and Douglas Nelson as the young Blake and Nelson. Sir Guy Standing is marvelous as Power's mentor. Power is gorgeous, with his unlined face (even with a streak of gray hair as he ages -"Zanuck would never let me age in any film," he once said) and the world's longest eyelashes, and his acting is excellent. He carries the bulk of the film beautifully, conveying a strong presence, though he merely suggests an English accent. Darryl F. Zanuck was his biggest fan and for good reason, as the actor would bring in hit after hit during his long tenure at Twentieth Century Fox.

This is a great period piece, interesting as well as touching. Highly recommended.

In response to ADAMSHL's comment on LLoyd's insuring slave ships-In one scene when the insurers were in deep trouble, Blake was asked if he would insure a slave ship and he curtly said no! to emphasize the director's view of that practice.

It is a pleasant change to watch a movie that flows through the acting and dialog rather than sound effects and extreme graphics. I could even understand all the actors voices in spite of 60 yr old audio technology. Most present day English movies have horrible sound and many words are lost because of the actors elocution.

The main value of this movie is not a history lesson in politics but one in the lives of those who lived in that period and their environment, clothing, etc.

Lloyds of London concerns two boyhood chums, Jonathan Blake and Horatio Nelson who come upon a plot to scuttle a ship, steal a cargo, and collect the insurance. Jonathan goes off to London to Lloyd's coffee house where the insurance underwriters gather to warn them of the scheme. But Horatio can't make it. His uncle on his mother's side is going to take him on as a midshipman in the Navy. Well we all know what happened to him.

As for the fictional Jonathan Blake, he goes to work for Lloyd's of London and grows with the company. He also falls in love with a married woman, but she's married to a Regency cad.

And when the Napoleonic wars resume, British shipping is in peril of the French Fleet. It's a crisis that Lloyd's of London and particularly Jonathan Blake have a hand in seeing the nation through. For how that's done, you have to watch this very enjoyable period piece.

No actor, before or since, has ever done costume pieces better than Tyrone Power. This film was his big break as an actor and he shines in the part of Jonathan Blake. George Sanders is of course the Regency cad and no one was ever a better cad on the screen. Madeleine Carroll was Sanders's lost suffering wife.

This also marked the debut of the combination of Director Henry King and player Tyrone Power in the first of nine films they collaborated on. Some of the best work done by both men.

In one of his last films Sir Guy Standing is the wise and honest Mr. Angerstein who serves as Power's mentor/father figure. It is probably the best thing he ever did on screen. And big kudos in the supporting cast go to Virginia Field who was waitress Polly who's carrying a Statue of Liberty size torch for Ty.

I can't also forget the boys, Freddie Bartholomew and Douglas Scott, who play Blake and Nelson in the first thirty minutes of the film. They both shine in these roles and their friendship is deep, sincere, and affecting. They have to be good because their performances explain the motivation behind Ty Power's character and what he does.

Lloyd's of London is a wonderful costume drama with real heroes and villains, the kind they unfortunately don't make any more in this day and age.