vampyrate
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Night Must Fall
This topic is for discussion about Williams's play, in which he toured in the starring role, as well as the movie version starring Robert Montgomery. Comparisons between the original play and the screen adaptation would be interesting.
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"It's all rather stylish and pretty and rather worrying" --Timothy Spall on his costume in Sweeney Todd
"He must have been fun." --Emlyn Williams (liner notes from "Emlyn Williams as Dylan Thomas in 'A Boy Growing Up'")
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10/17/2006, 9:06 pm
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SMG01
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Re: Night Must Fall
I finally saw the Robert Montgomery version of 'Night Must Fall' the other night on TCM. I must say that I was kind of shocked at RM's performance. I thought he really made a good psycho. I don't know if this is considered a compliment or an insult (for you Robert Montgomery fans out there), but his performance was certainly a great improvement on the 'Haunted Honeymoon' character that he played!! Ugh!! I had seen the Albert Finney version (of NMF), many years ago, and all I can remember is being kind of grossed-out by the whole thing. I think it was the 'hatbox' that got to me. I am going to have to watch that version again. Maybe with maturity I might look at it with a different attitude. As far as the story goes, it certain isn't any worse than some of the 'CSI' and 'Criminal Mind' programs that are on tv right now. In fact, it seems rather tame compared to them but I have to remember the times that Emlyn's story was written. I can imagine that it was considered quite a horrible subject in the 1930's.
Did anyone else watch it the other night?
(Sorry for the Robert Newton pic ....this is a Emlyn Willimans site...now you know my real passion!!)
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7/24/2008, 10:22 am
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vampyrate
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Re: Night Must Fall
Hey, Sue, welcome!
I've never seen the Albert Finney version, but I have to say I didn't find this one very shocking at all, mainly because Emlyn himself spoiled it for me in just one sentence in that Epic That Never Was interview! What I'd really love to have seen would be Emlyn Williams in the starring role, not just because I want to see more Emlyn Williams (more more!), but because I'd like to see his interpretation of his own character; i.e., he'd be the only person who could really do it "right."
Although I'd say, yes, he probably was ahead of his time. I bet he'd love those shows if he were alive today! (Well, I don't know about the graphic gore, but the stories ... My favorite is Law & Order: SVU; up till recently they left the images up to your imagination, but now they've gotta compete with CSI, etc.
quote:
SMG01 wrote:
(Sorry for the Robert Newton pic ....this is a Emlyn Willimans site...now you know my real passion!!)
You need a revolving avatar so you can be fickle like me! 
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"It's all rather stylish and pretty and rather worrying" --Timothy Spall on his costume in Sweeney Todd
"He must have been fun." --Emlyn Williams (liner notes from "Emlyn Williams as Dylan Thomas in 'A Boy Growing Up'")
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7/25/2008, 6:42 am
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SMG01
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Re: Night Must Fall
I wonder why Emlyn didn't play the part? That would have made more sense, wouldn't it? Judging from some of his past performances, I think he would have done very well in that part.
quote:
(Sorry for the Robert Newton pic ....this is a Emlyn Willimans site...now you know my real passion!!)
It would have been a little nicer if I spelled Emlyn's name correctly!! Williams. Fingers got a little ahead of themselves there.
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7/27/2008, 8:49 am
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vampyrate
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Re: Night Must Fall
quote:
SMG01 wrote:
I wonder why Emlyn didn't play the part? That would have made more sense, wouldn't it? Judging from some of his past performances, I think he would have done very well in that part.
I'm not entirely sure why Emlyn didn't play the part; it certainly would have been logical (and vastly improved the movie, not that I'm biased or anything !). He originated it on stage and toured with it for several years. I did read an article from that time in which he sort of hinted that he wasn't happy with the changes they made to the script (shades of Daphne du Maurier and Jamaica Inn?), so that may be why he distanced himself from it--even though he made the official excuse that he had tired of playing the role. (Come on, Emlyn, you couldn't have done it just one more time so we later generations could have enjoyed seeing your definitive performance??  So that's why I think it was more to do with his dissatisfaction over the changes. In fact, the movie was made in 1937, and he did play the part numerous other times on the stage after that, taking it on tour in 1943 and 1944.)
Last edited by vampyrate, 8/4/2008, 2:29 pm
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"It's all rather stylish and pretty and rather worrying" --Timothy Spall on his costume in Sweeney Todd
"He must have been fun." --Emlyn Williams (liner notes from "Emlyn Williams as Dylan Thomas in 'A Boy Growing Up'")
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8/4/2008, 2:29 pm
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