Green for Danger 1946, B&W Directed by Sidney Gilliat
Plot: Whodunit set in a British WWII war hospital. Crumbling relationships and wartime tension puts the nurses and doctors at odds with one another. A postman needing minor surgery dies mysteriously on the operating table, and an inspector is called in for investigation. Anyone could be responsible, and everyone has a motive. The body count rises as the inspector attempts to make sense of the situation.
Review: This movie was perhaps more exciting in 1946, since the wartime setting probably hit more close to home. Also, better medical thrillers have since been made ("Coma" is probably my favorite). I found the movie mostly boring. Most of the characters were unsympathetic. Leo Genn as the suave, womanizing Dr. Eden gives a bland, one-key performance. Trevor Howard was excellent as the unpersonable Dr. Barnes, but wasn't allowed many good scenes. All of the nurse characters existed only as pawns between the men or just for plot. I didn't exactly feel terrified for anyone when they were in danger; I didn't care if they died. Alastair Sim as the inspector tries to be humorous but comes across as kind of a dickhead. I enjoyed his turn in Hitchcock's "Stage Fright" but found him irritating in this movie. At least he got his comeuppance at the end. Cinematography by Wilkie Cooper, who worked on a Hitchcock film or two, is good for the most part, but some of the key suspense scenes are shot rather poorly in the dark. Gilliat's direction is just okay, nothing exceptional. The operation scenes are very well done, but the bulk of the film is just mediocre and by-the-book. Gilliat, who co-wrote a wonderful script for "The Lady Vanishes", and partner Claude Guerney provide the characters with realistic dialogue, which is a major plus. As a whole, nothing really stands out about this film. It isn't particularly entertaining or suspenseful. It isn't predictable, but it isn't surprising or thrilling, either. It's watchable if you don't mind killing the time and fans of Alastair Sim may enjoy it since he gets a lot of on-screen time.
---------------------------------- Evan Beach beach@cmu.edu
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