Strawberry Roan
| Strawberry Roan | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Directed by | Maurice Elvey |
| Produced by | Louis H. Jackson |
| Written by | Elizabeth Baron |
| Based on |
Strawberry Roan by A. G. Street |
| Starring |
William Hartnell Carol Raye |
| Music by |
John D. Broadhouse Mabel Buchanan |
| Cinematography | James Wilson |
| Edited by | Grace Garland |
Production company |
British National Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 84 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Strawberry Roan is a 1945 British drama film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring William Hartnell - later to become famous as television's first Doctor on the British Sci-Fi series Doctor Who - and Carol Raye. The screenplay was developed from the 1932 novel of the same name by Wiltshire author A. G. Street, at the time a very popular, well-known and widely admired work.
Plot
Farmer Chris Lowe (Hartnell) meets and falls in love with Molly (Raye), a chorus-girl. Despite the fact that she is a city girl through and through, she accepts his proposal of marriage and after the wedding goes to live on the farm. Chris realises that the transition for Molly will be difficult, and in an attempt to ease her into farm life, buys her a strawberry roan calf to look after. Unfortunately Molly finds the adjustment to rural life extremely difficult and does not settle down. She fails to integrate into the local community and starts to feel she has made a big mistake. She tries to quell her unhappiness by spending her husband's money, but goes to excess and eventually leaves Chris facing financial ruin. In despair she takes off on her horse and suffers a fatal fall, leaving Chris destitute and overcome with guilt.
Cast
- William Hartnell as Chris Lowe
- Carol Raye as Molly Lowe
- Walter Fitzgerald as Morley
- Sophie Stewart as Mrs. Morley
- Wylie Watson as Bill Gurd
- Petula Clark as Emily
- Joan Maude as Gladys Moon
- Norman Shelley as Dr. Lambert
- John Ruddock as Dibben
- Joan Young as Mrs. Dibben
- Ellis Irving as Auctioneer
- Kynaston Reeves as Dealer
Reception
The film received mixed reviews, with Today's Cinema commenting: "While the author's theme may not emerge with any great power or clarity...the charming rural backgrounds invest the picture with a quality of comparative originality". The Motion Picture Herald reviewer was less pleased, writing: "Praiseworthy in its aim, but just lacking in ultimate achievement...there's an uneasiness, a jumpiness about it all".[1]
References
- ↑ "Strawberry Roan reviews". PetulaClark.net. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
External links
- Strawberry Roan at the Internet Movie Database
- Strawberry Roan at AllMovie
- Review of film at Variety