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Sous le regard des étoiles

Original title: The Stars Look Down
  • 1940
  • Tous publics
  • 1h 50m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
1.3K
YOUR RATING
Sous le regard des étoiles (1940)
Drama

In a small coal-mining village, Bob Fenwick leads a strike over safety standards at the local colliery. Meanwhile, his son David goes off to university with the hope one day to return to hel... Read allIn a small coal-mining village, Bob Fenwick leads a strike over safety standards at the local colliery. Meanwhile, his son David goes off to university with the hope one day to return to help the miners with their working conditions.In a small coal-mining village, Bob Fenwick leads a strike over safety standards at the local colliery. Meanwhile, his son David goes off to university with the hope one day to return to help the miners with their working conditions.

  • Director
    • Carol Reed
  • Writers
    • A.J. Cronin
    • J.B. Williams
    • A. Coppel
  • Stars
    • Michael Redgrave
    • Margaret Lockwood
    • Edward Rigby
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    1.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Carol Reed
    • Writers
      • A.J. Cronin
      • J.B. Williams
      • A. Coppel
    • Stars
      • Michael Redgrave
      • Margaret Lockwood
      • Edward Rigby
    • 24User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win total

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    Top cast38

    Edit
    Michael Redgrave
    Michael Redgrave
    • Davey Fenwick
    Margaret Lockwood
    Margaret Lockwood
    • Jenny Sunley
    Edward Rigby
    Edward Rigby
    • Robert Fenwick
    Emlyn Williams
    Emlyn Williams
    • Joe Gowlan
    Nancy Price
    Nancy Price
    • Martha Fenwick
    Allan Jeayes
    Allan Jeayes
    • Richard Barras
    Linden Travers
    Linden Travers
    • Mrs. Laura Millington
    Cecil Parker
    Cecil Parker
    • Stanley Millington
    Milton Rosmer
    Milton Rosmer
    • Harry Nugent, MP
    George Carney
    George Carney
    • Slogger Gowlan
    • (as George Carnay)
    Ivor Barnard
    Ivor Barnard
    • Wept
    Olga Lindo
    Olga Lindo
    • Mrs. Sunley
    Desmond Tester
    Desmond Tester
    • Hughie Fenwick
    David Markham
    David Markham
    • Arthur Barras
    Aubrey Mallalieu
    Aubrey Mallalieu
    • Hudspeth
    Kynaston Reeves
    • Strother
    Clive Baxter
    • Pat Reedy
    James Harcourt
    James Harcourt
    • Will
    • Director
      • Carol Reed
    • Writers
      • A.J. Cronin
      • J.B. Williams
      • A. Coppel
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews24

    7.01.2K
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    Featured reviews

    6cherold

    Parts of this are quite good; I've read English version is better

    I have to begin this review by saying I saw the U.S. edit of the movie. According to wikipedia, the unfortunate intro and outro are not in the English version, and there's an extra scene at the end.

    Once you get past the useless introductory speech, this movie begins quite well, portraying a grim world and immediately giving one a feel for the plight of the miners.

    For me, a difficulty came with the introduction of Margaret Lockwood's character. I admit there are selfish, empty headed people in the world, but they make for poor film characters. Fortunately it's a fairly small role, but it felt unnecessary to have her at all. She represents a melodramatic streak that unfortunately runs through the movie and lessens the overall impact.

    While some parts were problematic, other parts are terrific, such as the mother's stoic attitude as her son goes off to college in which you see her feelings only when no one is looking. And the inevitable disaster is impressively handled.

    I also didn't find Michael Redgrave complete believable. I'm not convinced he could develop such an upperclass accent no matter how hard he studied at the local schools.

    While worth seeing, this could have been a better movie with a little less melodrama.
    8marty65

    to say how much I enjoyed the social aspect of this movie

    I recently purchased this outstanding movie on video. Michael Redgrave has always been one of the finest actors of his generation and his performance in this film only serves to strenghten my opinion. I was very surprised by the way a film of this era, concentrated so much on the social and economic deprivation of the mining community in Great Britan, surely one of the largest workforce of the time. The struggle for better conditions and the respect of their employers as workers and human beings is perhaps the crux of this story but the underlying sub-plots of human greed and subterfuge made sure my interest never waned. It is to me most memorable as a story of the ordinary man, struggling through adversity, always with dignity and self-respect. Despite the often bleak surroudings and the fact that it is also shot in B&W to maximize this atmosphere, it never depressed me and left me feeling good,long after the last of the credits had rolled.
    rogierr

    working class and academic thinking under fine cinematography

    The main storyline is concerned with workers, capitalists and academic thinkers (resp. 'down' and 'stars' ?). And it might become much more relevant again soon. What's the use of a college education in times of recession and strikes? Like Jack Palance said in le Mepris (1963, Godard) 'wise men don't humiliate others with their lesser abilities....'. 'On The Waterfront' was way better on this economic subject, but as far as I'm concerned that was merely because of its director and protagonist. Others might emphasize it is American and has more suspense, which is true.

    The dialogues sound kind of flat or monotonous, but the story is absolutely entertaining enough and the cinematography by Mutz Greenbaum (Thunder Rock) is really fine. He especially knows his way with contrast and composition apparently. Carol Reed (Odd Man Out, Fallen Idol, Third Man) gently develops the story and the points he (and writer Alec Coppel, who also wrote Vertigo and Obsession) wants to make. The movie as a whole is a quite moralistic and a bit too sincere, but again the directing and the cinematography more than make up. At last but not least, Michael Redgrave (Thunder Rock, Mr. Arkadin, the Innocents) puts forward a great deal of realism, enforcing A. J. Cronin's points. A point is that different social classes should have more respect for each other because they are complements, not substitutes. Another point is that it is probably a personal story (Cronin's ?). 8/10
    9bkoganbing

    The Case for Nationalization

    For those whose taste in movies runs to films of social significance, you cannot go wrong with The Stars Look Down, a film from the United Kingdom about the coal mining industry in the days before the post World War II Labour Government nationalized the industry. Such a step would never have been contemplated in the mainstream political circles in the USA. The film makes a compelling case for it.

    This film was a breakout success for Carol Reed who up to that time had been limited to what we call B picture features and what over the other side of the pond call quota quickies. It was produced by an independent studio called Grafton films and released here by the short lived Grand National Studios. Reed was contracted to Gainsborough Pictures and he was able to get fellow contractees Michael Redgrave, Margaret Lockwood, and Emlyn Williams for this production.

    I don't think that Michael Redgrave was ever more idealistic on the screen than he was in The Stars Look Down. He plays a working class stiff who earns a scholarship to the university and he intends to use that education for the benefit of the miner class from where he comes. But this idealist is very human and he makes the wrong choice in a life partner in the form of pretty, but shallow Margaret Lockwood who sees him as a meal ticket to get ahead herself.

    The guy who Lockwood was going with is Emlyn Williams who would be called a cad and a bounder over there. He's also a miner's kid, but his method of escape isn't exactly condoned in polite society, he becomes a bookmaker. Eventually he joins with management. One great thing about The Stars Look Down is we see where all these three characters came from and the values imparted to them.

    Redgrave has two marvelous scenes that really stand out. The first is when he's in class and making an eloquent case in class for the government ownership of the coal mines. The second is before the Board of Trade arguing that the mine his father and others in his district is not safe because where they want to mine is holding back the sea itself. His own personal problems prevent the Board from listening to him. In both Redgrave personifies youthful idealism and impatience. In the end it's shown he has good reason to be impatient.

    The film was shot on location at an actual colliery in Cumberland and the scenes depicting the mine disaster which is the climax of the film are frighteningly real and hold up well today. The film stands comparison to How Green Was My Valley which was a film on the same subject, but done in the poetical style of John Ford and done over here.

    The Stars Look Down will still move the viewers and the problems of industrial safety are just as real today as they were when The Stars Look Down came out.
    8dfswilliams

    A rare example of a British movie of the 30s-40s which deals sympathetically with "ordinary" people, here the coal miners of Northern England.

    I watched and thoroughly enjoyed "The Stars Look Down" which was screened today as part of the BBC's Summer Festival of historic British movies, having read and enjoyed the novel many years ago but having never previously had an opportunity to see the movie.

    It was of particular interest because the novelist, A.J. Cronin actually set the novel near my home town of Ashington in the North East of England, and got it pretty well right as he'd worked as a medic in the area for some years. Interestingly enough, I noticed that many US critics refer to it as being set in a "Welsh" mining village. This may well be because they recognised Emlyn Williams's accent as Welsh and the rest were a pretty mixed bunch - I spotted only one genuine North-East accent! Like all "Socialist Realism" the melodrama was overplayed - nonetheless, there was some truth and accuracy in there and it was fascinating to see how the movie treats coal miners - rightly, in my opinion - as heroic figures.

    An unjustly neglected classic.

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    Related interests

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    Drama

    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Sir Carol Reed disowned this movie, calling it "a gloomy little piece". He expected it to be a box-office disaster and was highly surprised when wartime audiences warmed enthusiastically to it.
    • Quotes

      [first lines]

      Richard Barras: Well, Fenwick, will the men work tomorrow?

      Robert Fenwick: Not if its to be in Scupper Flats, Mr. Barras.

      [indicating a well-dressed union official]

      Richard Barras: Even against your union?

      Robert Fenwick: The union isn't being asked to work in Scupper Flats. On the other side of that coal seam is a million tons of flood water ready to rush right down on top of us.

      Richard Barras: You don't think I'd take a chance in floodin' me own mine, do you, Fenwick?

      Robert Fenwick: Well, show us the plans of them old workings, then!

    • Alternate versions
      The U.S. release included additional narration spoken by an uncredited Lionel Barrymore.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Love Goddesses (1965)

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    FAQ16

    • How long is The Stars Look Down?Powered by Alexa

    Details

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    • Release date
      • May 14, 1947 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Zvezde gledaju sa neba
    • Filming locations
      • Cumbria, England, UK(Exterior)
    • Production company
      • Grafton Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 50m(110 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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