Looking through listings for Network releases of Ealing titles, I was intrigued to find that a number of Carol Reed's early films had been included in some of the sets, which led to me stepping aboard the midship.
View on the film:
Although featuring the odd scratch, Network (RIP) present a very good transfer, with the audio being smooth, and the print being fairly clean.
Despite being lumped with one too many "Yes Master!" from the script, Robert Adams (who later became the first Black actor to appear on UK TV, with Theatre Parade: Scenes From Hassan on BBC TV in 1937) gives a wonderful performance as Mesty, who Adams has take charge with a determination to guide his fellow crew members to safety, with Adams also bringing out a father figure warmth, to Mesty's friendship with Easy.
Leaping off the ship to join Agnes, (played with a breezy playfulness by Margaret Lockwood, a future regular collaborator with the director) for a walk on the island, Hughie Green gives a wide-eyed performance as Easy, giddy with excitement, Green has Easy bounce round all sides of the ship,landing on a awe-shucks friendship with fellow crew member Mesty.
The first of many trips he would make over the seas across his films, directing auteur Carol Reed makes his (solo) directing debut, by closely working with cinematographer John W. Boyle, and meeting the cabin crew with stylish, dissolving match-cut superimposition's, (Reed would make experimental superimposition's a major recurring motif across his future works) which Reed snaps via tilting the camera to look down on a unfolding, witty triple threat duel.
Swimming with the friendly group of pirates, (a tight-knit community, being a major recurring theme in Ealing Studios productions) for the first of two times he would work with Reed, the screenplay by Anthony Kimmins adapts Frederick Marryat's novel with a Boy's Own Adventure mood, thanks to focusing on young teen Midshipman Easy fighting for his voice to be heard, out from the adults who have encircled him, (the youth going against the grain, which is met with adults surrounding them, being a major recurring theme in Reed's works) that Kimmins has Midshipman fight against, with sweet-nature, comedic one-liners emphasizing the bond that each crew member develops with Midshipman.
View on the film:
Although featuring the odd scratch, Network (RIP) present a very good transfer, with the audio being smooth, and the print being fairly clean.
Despite being lumped with one too many "Yes Master!" from the script, Robert Adams (who later became the first Black actor to appear on UK TV, with Theatre Parade: Scenes From Hassan on BBC TV in 1937) gives a wonderful performance as Mesty, who Adams has take charge with a determination to guide his fellow crew members to safety, with Adams also bringing out a father figure warmth, to Mesty's friendship with Easy.
Leaping off the ship to join Agnes, (played with a breezy playfulness by Margaret Lockwood, a future regular collaborator with the director) for a walk on the island, Hughie Green gives a wide-eyed performance as Easy, giddy with excitement, Green has Easy bounce round all sides of the ship,landing on a awe-shucks friendship with fellow crew member Mesty.
The first of many trips he would make over the seas across his films, directing auteur Carol Reed makes his (solo) directing debut, by closely working with cinematographer John W. Boyle, and meeting the cabin crew with stylish, dissolving match-cut superimposition's, (Reed would make experimental superimposition's a major recurring motif across his future works) which Reed snaps via tilting the camera to look down on a unfolding, witty triple threat duel.
Swimming with the friendly group of pirates, (a tight-knit community, being a major recurring theme in Ealing Studios productions) for the first of two times he would work with Reed, the screenplay by Anthony Kimmins adapts Frederick Marryat's novel with a Boy's Own Adventure mood, thanks to focusing on young teen Midshipman Easy fighting for his voice to be heard, out from the adults who have encircled him, (the youth going against the grain, which is met with adults surrounding them, being a major recurring theme in Reed's works) that Kimmins has Midshipman fight against, with sweet-nature, comedic one-liners emphasizing the bond that each crew member develops with Midshipman.