The Seventh Veil
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Seventh Veil | |
|---|---|
 The Seventh Veil film poster |
|
| Directed by | Compton Bennett |
| Produced by | Sydney Box |
| Written by | Sydney Box, Muriel Box |
| Starring | James Mason |
| Music by | Benjamin Frankel |
| Cinematography | Reginald Wyer |
| Editing by | George Hales |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) |  1945 |
| Running time | 94 minutes |
| Country | UK |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
The Seventh Veil is a 1945 British melodramatic film made by Sydney Box Productions and distributed by Universal Pictures.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Francesca Cunningham (played by Ann Todd) is a suicidal, amnaesiac, mental patient being treated by Dr. Larsen (Herbert Lom). Larsen leads her to describe her life so he can investigate the events that brought her to attempt suicide. The film largely consists of a series of flash-backs in which Francesca talks about her life, removing successive “veils” to recover memories.
Francesca discovers she has had a difficult life and been abused by many. Only her second cousin and guardian Nicholas, a crippled musician (played by James Mason), has ever shown her compassion, though he is jealous, faintly sadistic and has relentlessly driven her on to practice the piano and avoid romantic entanglements. When she does become interested in another man, she becomes involved in a car crash with him and severely burns her hands.
During the therapy, Francisca discovers who her real love is.
[edit] Production
The film score was written by Benjamin Frankel (credited as Ben Frankel). In addition, original piano works by Chopin, Mozart, and Beethoven are heard, and Francesca plays parts of the Grieg and Rachmaninoff 2nd piano concertos. Eileen Joyce doubled the concert scenes, without credit.
[edit] Reception
Filmed for less than £100,000, the film was the biggest British box-office success of 1946. It won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay (for Sydney and Muriel Box).
[edit] Cast
[edit] Stage adaptation
In 1951 Ann Todd, Herbert Lom and Leo Genn appeared in a stage adaptation in London.
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
[edit] Bibliography
- The Great British Films, pp 88-90, Jerry Vermilye, 1978, Citadel Press, ISBN 080650661X
