I’m a bit of a fan of a good 1940s film, specially when it is restored and shown up on a big screen. This one was scheduled because there was a Powell and Pressburger documentary at the festival this year and it was a pleasant way to pass the last Sunday morning of MIFF 2024.

It is set during the Second World War, 1943 London I think, and revolves around Sammy (David Farrer). He has an artificial foot and so is not a soldier but works for a research science organisation. He’s not a happy chap, his leg often hurts, and the only thing that will make a difference to it is whiskey but that turns him into a violent drunk and so he is trying to put up with his poor lot. He has a smashing girlfriend in Sue (Kathleen Byron), who works for the same organisation and she is very long suffering, as women tended to be in 1940s movies to show that they were good sorts.

There is a storyline that seems to be a McGuffin about odd objects being dropped by German planes that then suddenly explode when children pick them up and Sammy is co-opted by decent chap Captain Stuart (Michael Gough who amazingly became Alfred in the Keaton/Kilmer Batman movies) to try to solve this problem. After being introduced as a plot point at the start, we then veer away into prolonged scenes of Sammy’s alcohol addiction and political manoeuvering in the ministry and amongst the powers that be (with a sparkling guest appearance by Robert Morley).

We finally get back to the more thrilling bomb story and Sammy ends up on a beach with an explosive that made me think of Vulcanizadora. I won’t spoil the ending but it won’t be too much of a surprise. All in all, it was a pleasant morning spent with people who enunciate clearly and know how to dress up when they go out dancing.