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The Forbidden Street

January 21, 2024

The Forbidden Street is a 1949 British melodrama film directed by Jean Negulesco and starring Dana Andrews, Maureen O'Hara, Sybil Thorndike, Fay Compton and A. E. Matthews. Set in Victorian London, it tells the story of a wealthy young woman who marries a poor drunken artist and struggles to make ends meet; after his death, she takes in a lodger, with whom she falls in love.[1] The film is based on the 1946 novel Britannia Mews by Margery Sharp.

The Forbidden Street
1949 US Theatrical Poster
Directed byJean Negulesco
Written byRing Lardner, Jr.
Based onBritannia Mews
1946 novel
by Margery Sharp
Produced byWilliam Perlberg
StarringDana Andrews
Maureen O'Hara
Sybil Thorndike
Narrated byMaureen O'Hara
CinematographyGeorges Périnal
Edited byRichard Best
Robert L. Simpson
Music byMalcolm Arnold
Distributed byTwentieth Century Fox
Release date
  • 31 March 1949 (1949-03-31)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot edit

In late-1800s London, the well-to-do Adelaide (Maureen O'Hara), over the objections of her family, marries her drawing teacher, impoverished artist Henry Lambert (Dana Andrews), and moves into his flat in the run-down street Britannia Mews. Adelaide expects Henry to finish painting his masterpiece and blossom into a prominent artist, so that she can prove to her family that he did not seek to marry her for her money. However, Henry soon proves himself to be an alcoholic who is more interested in drinking and pursuing his hobby of making elaborate marionettes than in completing his paintings. Estranged from her family and running out of money, Adelaide finally confronts Henry, who reveals that he romanced most of his wealthy female art pupils and that he does not love her and simply acquiesced to her insistence that they marry. In the midst of a quarrel, Henry grabs at Adelaide, who pushes him away, causing the drunk and unsteady Henry to fatally fall down a flight of stairs.

Adelaide is then blackmailed by her neighbour, Mrs. Mounsey (Sybil Thorndike), a spiteful old hag who witnessed the couple's last argument. Mrs. Mounsey testifies that Henry fell accidentally, but demands that Adelaide give her regular payments, or else Mrs. Mounsey will change her story and claim that Adelaide pushed Henry to his death. Mrs. Mounsey also prevents Adelaide from departing Britannia Mews for her parents' country home. When Adelaide's mother tries to visit her daughter after several years with no contact, Mrs. Mounsey lies to her that Adelaide moved and her whereabouts are unknown.

Adelaide is resigned to her fate of being a virtual prisoner in Britannia Mews, when she meets a young barrister down on his luck, Gilbert Lauderdale (also played by Dana Andrews), who is the living image of Adelaide's late husband Henry. Unlike Henry, Gilbert develops a genuine affection for Adelaide, and gets rid of Mrs. Mounsey by threatening to prosecute her for blackmail. Unfortunately, Gilbert is already married to a wife who deserted him and moved to America, so he cannot marry Adelaide. The two of them nevertheless begin living together in her flat, calling themselves Mr. and Mrs. Lambert, although at Adelaide's insistence they sleep in separate rooms to avoid any sexual temptations.

Using the marionettes left behind by the late Henry, Gilbert and Adelaide launch a highly successful puppet theatre that eventually transforms Britannia Mews into a fashionable street and reunites Adelaide with her family. Then Gilbert's former wife Milly appears, having located Gilbert through an advertisement for the theatre. Milly is seeking a payoff from Gilbert for "wronging" her by moving in with another woman, but Adelaide insists that Gilbert return to his wife. Milly then reveals to Gilbert that she actually divorced him years ago and married another man, leaving Gilbert free to finally marry his true love Adelaide.

Cast edit

Production notes edit

  • 20th Century Fox bought Margery Sharp's novel in June 1946 for $150,000 plus bonus increments
  • The film was shot in England using studio funds frozen in Great Britain.
  • Production Dates: mid-July to mid-October 1948 at London Film Studios, Shepperton, England
  • The working titles of this film were Britannia Mews and Impulse.
  • The film was released in Great Britain as Britannia Mews and was originally scheduled to be released in the United States as Affairs of Adelaide.

References edit

  1. ^ . Archived from the original on 16 January 2009. Retrieved 15 February 2017.

External links edit

January 21, 2024
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The Forbidden Street is a 1949 British melodrama film directed by Jean Negulesco and starring Dana Andrews Maureen O Hara Sybil Thorndike Fay Compton and A E Matthews Set in Victorian London it tells the story of a wealthy young woman who marries a poor drunken artist and struggles to make ends meet after his death she takes in a lodger with whom she falls in love 1 The film is based on the 1946 novel Britannia Mews by Margery Sharp The Forbidden Street1949 US Theatrical PosterDirected byJean NegulescoWritten byRing Lardner Jr Based onBritannia Mews1946 novelby Margery SharpProduced byWilliam PerlbergStarringDana AndrewsMaureen O HaraSybil ThorndikeNarrated byMaureen O HaraCinematographyGeorges PerinalEdited byRichard BestRobert L SimpsonMusic byMalcolm ArnoldDistributed byTwentieth Century FoxRelease date31 March 1949 1949 03 31 Running time90 minutesCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglish Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production notes 4 References 5 External linksPlot editIn late 1800s London the well to do Adelaide Maureen O Hara over the objections of her family marries her drawing teacher impoverished artist Henry Lambert Dana Andrews and moves into his flat in the run down street Britannia Mews Adelaide expects Henry to finish painting his masterpiece and blossom into a prominent artist so that she can prove to her family that he did not seek to marry her for her money However Henry soon proves himself to be an alcoholic who is more interested in drinking and pursuing his hobby of making elaborate marionettes than in completing his paintings Estranged from her family and running out of money Adelaide finally confronts Henry who reveals that he romanced most of his wealthy female art pupils and that he does not love her and simply acquiesced to her insistence that they marry In the midst of a quarrel Henry grabs at Adelaide who pushes him away causing the drunk and unsteady Henry to fatally fall down a flight of stairs Adelaide is then blackmailed by her neighbour Mrs Mounsey Sybil Thorndike a spiteful old hag who witnessed the couple s last argument Mrs Mounsey testifies that Henry fell accidentally but demands that Adelaide give her regular payments or else Mrs Mounsey will change her story and claim that Adelaide pushed Henry to his death Mrs Mounsey also prevents Adelaide from departing Britannia Mews for her parents country home When Adelaide s mother tries to visit her daughter after several years with no contact Mrs Mounsey lies to her that Adelaide moved and her whereabouts are unknown Adelaide is resigned to her fate of being a virtual prisoner in Britannia Mews when she meets a young barrister down on his luck Gilbert Lauderdale also played by Dana Andrews who is the living image of Adelaide s late husband Henry Unlike Henry Gilbert develops a genuine affection for Adelaide and gets rid of Mrs Mounsey by threatening to prosecute her for blackmail Unfortunately Gilbert is already married to a wife who deserted him and moved to America so he cannot marry Adelaide The two of them nevertheless begin living together in her flat calling themselves Mr and Mrs Lambert although at Adelaide s insistence they sleep in separate rooms to avoid any sexual temptations Using the marionettes left behind by the late Henry Gilbert and Adelaide launch a highly successful puppet theatre that eventually transforms Britannia Mews into a fashionable street and reunites Adelaide with her family Then Gilbert s former wife Milly appears having located Gilbert through an advertisement for the theatre Milly is seeking a payoff from Gilbert for wronging her by moving in with another woman but Adelaide insists that Gilbert return to his wife Milly then reveals to Gilbert that she actually divorced him years ago and married another man leaving Gilbert free to finally marry his true love Adelaide Cast editDana Andrews as Henry Lambert Gilbert Lauderdale Maureen O Hara as Adelaide Culver Sybil Thorndike as Mrs Mounsey Fay Compton as Mrs Culver Anthony Tancred as Treff Culver Diane Hart as The Blazer Anne Butchart as Alice Hambro Wilfrid Hyde White as Mr Culver A E Matthews as Mr Bly Mary Martlew as Milly LauderdaleProduction notes edit20th Century Fox bought Margery Sharp s novel in June 1946 for 150 000 plus bonus increments The film was shot in England using studio funds frozen in Great Britain Production Dates mid July to mid October 1948 at London Film Studios Shepperton England The working titles of this film were Britannia Mews and Impulse The film was released in Great Britain as Britannia Mews and was originally scheduled to be released in the United States as Affairs of Adelaide References edit Britannia Mews 1949 Archived from the original on 16 January 2009 Retrieved 15 February 2017 External links editThe Forbidden Street at IMDb nbsp The Forbidden Street at AllMovie The Forbidden Street at the TCM Movie Database The Forbidden Street at the American Film Institute Catalog Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Forbidden Street amp oldid 1125161637, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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