Before I Fall (2017) / Welcome To Me (2015) / Millions Like Us (1943) / The Demi-Paradise (1943) / When The Bough Breaks (1947) / Something Money Can't Buy (1952) / The Reckless Moment (1949)
Welcome To Me (2015) Treading a fine line with audience reactions to mental disability, a woman wins the lottery, stops taking her meds and decides to put on her own lifestyle TV show. The cultural view feels soft and the end too tidy, yet the cast is good and Kristen Wiig a fearless lead.
Millions Like Us (1943) With an affecting Patricia Roc at its heart, a smart combination of absorbing melodrama and gritty documentary. The portrayal of newfound female independence and the socio-political discussion of Eric Portman's growing authority elevate beyond mere propaganda.
The Demi-Paradise (1943) Heavy handed propaganda as a prejudiced and thickly accented Laurence Olivier is a Russian propeller designer who finds friendship and love among the eccentricities of provincial Britain. A typically colourful supporting cast provide the main pleasures.
When The Bough Breaks (1947) Striking and evocative design, lighting and music add surprising depth to an undernourished narrative as empathetic Patricia Roc gives up her baby to emotional Rosamund John, then reverse her decision years later. The coda is sadly facile, the detail and dialog eventful.
Something Money Can't Buy (1952) Gender politics post WW2 and emerging independence of women is used as a comic setup. Unfortunately, there's a lack of humour and energy as Patricia Roc established an employment agency while Anthony Steel goes to find himself as a mobile caterer.
The Reckless Moment (1949) With its glossy camera moves and dangerous lighting, a gorgeous noir that ensnares Joan Bennett and the audience when she covers for her daughter and faces James Mason's blackmailer. Controlled and clinical even as the characters see lives spiral out of control.
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