Jassy

Muriel Box grumbled to her diary when Gainsborough's first film in Technicolor hit screens "Bad notices, bad film - huge commercial success".

A barnstorming gothic melodrama set in 1830 with glowing Technicolor photography by Geoffrey Unsworth sweeping about Maurice Carter's sets, it enabled audiences suffering the daily realities of life in postwar austerity Britain to wallow in the vicissitudes of an era even harsher than their own while savouring the brightly coloured frocks devised by Elizabeth Haffenden for Margaret Lockwood & Patricia Roc.

It is also awash with familiar faces, although they are seldom onscreen for very long; notable exceptions being Basil Sydney as the riding crop-wielding meanie Jassy marries for the house he won off Denis Price playing cards; and Esma Cannon in one of her early dramatic roles as 'the loony'. (Price murdered Miss Cannon in the same year's 'Holiday Camp, but here they share no scenes).

Great fun.

This story is set in 19th century Britain. Nick Helmer (Basil Sidney) is a real jerk in this period drama. When the story begins, Helmer is gambling and manages to take just about everything from Mr. Hatton. Soon, Hatton has killed himself and his family is no longer living in their grand estate. Hatton's son, Barney, befriends a young woman named Jassy (Margaret Lockwood) and she is indebted to him. And, through the rest of the film she works hard to return the favor...and get revenge on Helmer. Why revenge? Well, it's not just because Helmer ruined Hatton's family but because Helmer has killed her father! What comes next? See the film...and see how Jassy ultimately becomes mistress of the house. There is much more to this complicated tale...but I don't want to tell too much of the story, as it would ruin the suspense.

During this era, Margaret Lockwood many many wonderful films, such as "A Place of Ones Own", "The Wicked Lady" as well as "Bedelia"...so it's no surprise that I enjoyed "Jassy". The story is well acted and never dull....and Lockwood is radiant and up to her usual high standard of acting. Well worth seeing...and with a very strange but worthwhile ending.

The last film in the popular Gainsborough Studios costume cycle is certainly beautiful to look at with sumptuous Technicolor and the company's biggest ever budget for lavish period sets.Dramatically the direction is rather lifeless with bitty editing and short Tv style scenes.The second half of the film is much better with an authorititive performance from star Margaret Lockwood and a nasty villain in Basil Sydney. Patricia Roc has a less sympathetic role than usual as the wilful, amoral Dilys but the film really misses the star power of Stewart Granger and James Mason who,several years earlier, would have played the roles take by Sydney and Dermot Walsh.A happy ending is substituted for the tragic one in the original novel..

My comments are brief: Whoever owns the rights to distribute "Jassy" should get their butts in gear and release this colorfully stylish, wistful feature to DVD pronto! Americans (of which I am one) are generally (and shamelessly) content to glut themselves on Hollywood-based product (whether good or not), and continually ignore hallmarks of English cinema. "Jassy" (and "Blanche Fury", another jewel buried away in some vault) are overdue their chance to titillate new audiences and deserve to be released to DVD. Roan? Anchor Bay? Criterion Collection?

HeloooOOOO!...

Margaret Lockwood is good in this sinister tale of 17th Century British mysticism. She is the eponymous character who can sense impending doom. A dangerous occupation back then, but luckily (or not) local landowner "Barney Hatton" (Dermot Walsh) sees a way of using her to help restore his family fortunes lost by his father (Dennis Price) at the hands of the pretty odious "Helmer" (Basil Sydney). As the plot unravels, we discover that "Jassy" has her own particular axe to grind too - and, well let's just say you wouldn't want to be "Helmer"! The look of the film has something of the Daphne du Maurier about it, but the plot is a little too slow to develop, and there is much too much dialogue. Still, Lockwood is well worth watching here - as usual - and there is just enough menace provided by the eerily lit and well scored production to keep this interesting.