Tonight's Movie: Moss Rose (1947)
Every so often I enjoy a good Gothic crime melodrama, and MOSS ROSE (1947) filled the bill nicely.It's a bit slow out of the starting gate, but the strong cast and unusual storyline kept me interested.
In an unusual arrangement, Michael takes Rose to his family estate, where she meets his mother, Lady Margaret (Ethel Barrymore), and his fiancee Audrey (Patricia Medina). They accept Rose and for a while she's happy living in Michael's grand home...but Inspector Clinner (Vincent Price) and Deputy Inspector Evans (Rhys Williams) are still on the murderer's trail -- and then someone else turns up dead.
And what, if anything, is the significance of Cummins playing a character named Rose, given the title and the film's references to the moss rose?
Barrymore and Price are always fun to watch, and they're well supported by Medina and Williams. All in all, it's hard not to like this mystery, even if one wishes the studio had done a little more script polishing to make it that much better. The screenplay was by Jules Furthman and Tom Reed, adapted by Niven Busch (PURSUED) from a novel by Joseph Shearing.
MOSS ROSE is available on DVD from Fox Cinema Archives.
Rose Lynton (Peggy Cummins, GUN CRAZY) is a dancer just scraping by in Victorian London, working under the stage name Belle Adair.
When her friend Daisy Arrow (Margo Woode) is murdered, Rose uses the opportunity to blackmail the chief suspect, Michael Drego (Victor Mature), but she's not looking for money. Rather, Rose is looking for the chance to sample her lifelong dream, living like a "lady."
The story requires a suspension of disbelief on multiple fronts, including "ladies of quality" accepting a dance hall girl socially -- especially as Audrey suspects Rose may have romantic designs on Michael.
There are other flaws; for instance, it was fairly obvious where the story was going after a scene roughly halfway through the movie. This also led me to wonder if some of Victor Mature's part ended up on the cutting room floor of this 82-minute film? His Michael definitely needed more character development, including insights into his thoughts and motivations.
All that said, this is a fun watch thanks to the fine cast and unusual premises. Mature's patented soulful look works very well here as we gradually come to realize why he seems so tortured.
Cummins, in her first U.S. film role after having recently been dropped from cast of FOREVER AMBER (1947), is quite good as the brassy dancer, though the part just hints at the talent she would display a couple years later in GUN CRAZY. Sadly, her years in the U.S. film industry were short; she never made another American film after GUN CRAZY.
MOSS ROSE was directed by Gregory Ratoff and filmed in black and white by Joe MacDonald.
For more on this film, please check out Colin's 2020 review at Riding the High Country. I always enjoy his takes, and in this case we had similar feelings about the movie.
posted by Laura @ 6:50 PM
7 Comments:
This is a nice little Gothic mystery with a great cast.
You mentioned the problem with the movie though. Lack of character development. Both Rose and Michael are pretty unsavory characters in the beginning, not at all pleasant. It's hard to root for either of them.
Then without too much ado, both are transformed by love. It comes a bit out of the blue.
Nevertheless, it's an absolutely watchable fun flick.
Hi Margot! I'm interested that you also enjoyed this movie. Somehow it's such fun despite its imperfections. I think that's part of what makes me wish they'd spent a little more time polishing it and making motivations, etc, clear - given how enjoyable it already is, it could have been *really* good!
Best wishes,
Laura
I feel, more or less, as Margot does and blame the casting, not the performers. I like Victor mature, but not in anything or everything, and here he is miscast. As for the girl, Fox made a mistake with her, she is not a star.
Hi Barry, I'm not sure if the casting was off. I think it was more a script problem.
Out of interest, why do you think Cummings was not a star? Or star material?
Good questions. Victor Mature is too American for the part. Otherwise, he would be fine. Peggy Cummins was not star material because she does not command the screen, and this is not a matter of appearance. For example, Charles Laughton could not be less attractive but was clearly a star. The second and even more salient point, she never had a hit, and I do not count well-received second features, especially not Curse of The Demon. Or that thing she made with John Dall. Another non-star.
Interesting discussion - Barry, I'm fascinated you don't seem to be a GUN CRAZY fan. :)
For me this film's issues were more script than actors, but I always appreciate other takes to mull over and consider during future viewings. Thank you both!
Best wishes,
Laura
Laura -- Gun Crazy is all right. It is a low-rent variation of Bonnie and Clyde, a well-done film I dislike intensely.
John Dall had a better ride onto the range of near stardom than Peggy Cummins had. I think that was well deserved but neither lit up the sky, though Gun Crazy for the period in which it was produced, at least has something original and thoughtful going. The romanticization of degenerates.
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