Unpublished Story
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: D Film: C+
As part
of the war effort in World War II, Hollywood was not the only place making
against the Axis. Columbia in Hollywood and Rank in England co-produced Unpublished Story (1942), in which a newspaper reporter (Valerie
Hobson) might just be the key to finding out if a peace organization is really
a front for the Nazis. Since certain
forces underestimate women in the war effort, this could be correct.
Richard
Green, Basil Radford and Patrick Kirwan co-star in a tale that is set up like a
thriller, but is not as good as when Alfred Hitchcock did this kind of thing,
by the screenplay by A. DeGrunwald and co-star Kirwan is literate enough. Director Harold French keeps the 91-minute film
moving enough, but it shows its age and restrictions.
The
problem with the film is that its debate about free speech and freedom of the
press, especially as expressed by the title (i.e., the story that cannot be
published in the name of “security”) is pertinent today. I would argue then it might make sense, but
in the post-9/11/01 world, it is a major issue and problem. It is an excuse for censorship, as it was
even a problem then!
The full
frame 1.33 X 1 image is not bad, with some crisp moments with the opening
credits and certain other shots. The
Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is passable for its age as well, but there are no
extras.
The
acting is good too, which is typical of the British cinema of the time, since
they had such a huge pool of great acting talent to pull from. Especially, of course, the amazing talent
they could find from the British stage. This
is a nearly forgotten propaganda film, but makes for an interesting sit-though
for those interested and vital release for those studying the era or any point
of cinema propaganda.
- Nicholas Sheffo
