Plot Summary - POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD - - Dark and brutal, with a likeness to both Scrooge and young David Copperfield's torment, Mr. Murdstone, black top-hatted James Brodie (Robert Newton) lurks about with cruel behavior towards family and co-workers alike - he's the meanest, most selfish man in town! He has built himself a castle on his income as town hatter, causing the townspeople to poke fun. He fires his shop assistant on one day's notice ("we're not married, you know" he growls), he treats his patient, trod-upon and sickly wife like a servant, he gets angry at his pretty and gentle daughter Mary (Deborah Kerr) for allowing an unwanted doctor (James Mason) in the house to treat the wife, and forces his teen son into constant study, chiding him for coming in second to a girl on some exam. Brodie is busy having an affair with a barmaid who has pushed her "brother", Dennis (Emyln Williams), for hire as his new assistant. This Dennis is very full of himself (and has lied about his experience, he's never even "ironed a hat") and when Mary comes into the shop, he comes on to her immediately (of course, dad is not at work when this occurs). When Brodie finds out his daughter picked up drops for her mother's illness from the forbidden doctor, he refuses to allow Mary to attend a ball (where both assistant Dennis and the doctor have plans to dance with her). Slimy Dennis goes to her house during the dance, while the parents are out, sneaks his way in with the lure of champagne, ballroom cakes, and music - and when the parents arrive back early, they hide in her bedroom. Well, this guy is no gentleman, and she ends up pregnant! Meanwhile, Brodie refuses an offer to buy the failing shop next door to him to expand his business - so the owner of said shop sells to a big hat emporium to get even. And thus begins the downfall of James Brodie (and that creepy Dennis gets his comeuppance as well) - with much tragedy to come!
Review - A well done, bleak and atmospheric British film, set in the 1870's. Robert Newton gives a fantastic, very memorable performance in this film - his character and speaking voice (and the piercing eyes under bushy eyebrows/cold-hearted/smirking and at the same time disgusted expression on his face) in this are haunting, just impossible for me to forget. James Mason's part in this as the doctor is not a large part, but has it's importance in the story - he looks very young and handsome, I must say. Deborah Kerr certainly holds her own here. A very well done recreation of a real-life storm and railway bridge collapse that occurred in Scotland in 1879 is featured as part of the movie's climax. The film as a whole is melodramatic and entertaining - really liked this one. (released in 1948 in the USA) Rating - 9/10 stars
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