Unfortunately, Margaret Lockwood isn't involved in this film, one of her first, half as much as she should be. It is a vehicle for classical actor George Arliss to give his rather angular looks to camera. This was Arliss's final film and one of Gaumont's final films too!
Rather like Jamaica Inn, this is a story of smuggling in the 18th Century but set in Romney Marshes rather than Cornwall. It starts though with a prelude of a man, his tongue cut out and his ears cut off, being abandoned on a desert island by a pirate and his men.
We cut to Dymchurch where Margaret Lockwood, the local barmaid, is being courted by both the reliable but rather elderly schoolmaster (whom she doesn't love) and the rather wayward but dashing son of the squire (whom she does love). However, Dr Syn's sermon is cut short by a signal that the navy is arriving to check out rumours of smuggling. Of course, almost everyone is in on the smuggling, except for the doctor who believes the stories of the marsh spirits that ride at night - they are, of course, the smugglers in disguise.
Among the navy crew is the Mulatto that the pirate left for dead. The pirate who is buried in Dymchurch cemetery. Like a sniffer dog, the Mulatto uses his heightened senses to confirm that something is up and after a couple of wild goose chases, Dr Syn realises that the game is up. The pirate's tomb is found to be empty for a start as Dr Syn is, in fact, the pirate in disguise and the leader of the smugglers! Not only that, but he turns out to be Margaret Lockwood's father!
When the schoolmaster is killed, Dr Syn's parting gift to his daughter is a special dispensation for her to marry the squire's son.
This film creaks somewhat and does Arliss's distinguished career no justice as he himself is at least 20 years too old for the part. The only sparks for me are the relationship between Margaret Lockwood and John Loder as the square's son, and the masks in their frightening simplicity of the 'marsh spirits'. The little comic scenes seem to jar somewhat. The Disney version - Scarecrow of Romney Marsh - with Patrick McGoohan apparently handled the action better.
Rather like Jamaica Inn, this is a story of smuggling in the 18th Century but set in Romney Marshes rather than Cornwall. It starts though with a prelude of a man, his tongue cut out and his ears cut off, being abandoned on a desert island by a pirate and his men.
We cut to Dymchurch where Margaret Lockwood, the local barmaid, is being courted by both the reliable but rather elderly schoolmaster (whom she doesn't love) and the rather wayward but dashing son of the squire (whom she does love). However, Dr Syn's sermon is cut short by a signal that the navy is arriving to check out rumours of smuggling. Of course, almost everyone is in on the smuggling, except for the doctor who believes the stories of the marsh spirits that ride at night - they are, of course, the smugglers in disguise.
Among the navy crew is the Mulatto that the pirate left for dead. The pirate who is buried in Dymchurch cemetery. Like a sniffer dog, the Mulatto uses his heightened senses to confirm that something is up and after a couple of wild goose chases, Dr Syn realises that the game is up. The pirate's tomb is found to be empty for a start as Dr Syn is, in fact, the pirate in disguise and the leader of the smugglers! Not only that, but he turns out to be Margaret Lockwood's father!
When the schoolmaster is killed, Dr Syn's parting gift to his daughter is a special dispensation for her to marry the squire's son.
This film creaks somewhat and does Arliss's distinguished career no justice as he himself is at least 20 years too old for the part. The only sparks for me are the relationship between Margaret Lockwood and John Loder as the square's son, and the masks in their frightening simplicity of the 'marsh spirits'. The little comic scenes seem to jar somewhat. The Disney version - Scarecrow of Romney Marsh - with Patrick McGoohan apparently handled the action better.