Dangerous Moonlight (1941)

Director:

Brian Desmond Hurst

Writer:

Terence Young (original story and screenplay)

Release Date:

20 April 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War

Plot:

During World War II, an American newswoman falls for a refugee Polish piano virtuoso...who wants to go back and fight.

Plot Keywords:

Reporter | Flashback | Rochester New York | Father Daughter Relationship | Air Raid

Cast

Anton Walbrook	...	Stefan 'Steve' Radetzky
Sally Gray	...	Carol Peters Radetzky
Derrick De Marney	...	Michael 'Mike' Carroll, Radetzky's manager
Cecil Parker	...	Specialist
Percy Parsons	...	Bill Peters
Kenneth Kent	...	Andre De Guise, the impressario (as Keneth Kent)
J.H. Roberts	...	Residing physician
Guy Middleton	...	Shorty
John Laurie	...	British commander
Frederick Valk	...	Polish bomber commander
O.B. Clarence	...	Waiter with tray of wine
James Pirrie		(as James Perrie)
Marian Spencer	...	Miss Gratton, De Guise's secretary (as Marion Spencer)
Leslie Gordon		(as Lesley Gordon)
Philip Friend	...	Pete, RAF pilot

Also Known As:

Suicide Squadron (USA) (new title)
Aquella nit a Varsòvia (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Aquella noche en Varsovia (Spain) [es]
Epikindyno selinofos (Greece) [el]
Farligt månsken (Sweden) [sv]
Una noche en Varsovia (Uruguay) (première title) [es]
Vaarallista kuutamoa (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

94 min | USA:82 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #8133) | Finland:S | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

D&P Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

RKO Radio British Productions

Trivia:

Although this was a British RKO production, RKO leased it to Republic Pictures for release in the United States. However, RKO distributed it in England.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In a cockpit close-up, during the final air battle, the "Poland" flash on Stefan's uniform is back-to-front, as in a mirror image. This indicates that the original left-to-right shot was "flipped" so that it coincided with the other right-to-left shots that are used in the complete battle sequence.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Shepperton Babylon (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Away in a Manger (Luther's Cradle Hymn)

War time morale booster is dated now but music survives

This romantic story of a Polish concert pianist/fighter pilot was never really very good. The dialog is often less than sparkling, the sets tend to look cheap and the few outdoor shots are often just painted backgrounds. There is an impressive shot of Spitfires taking off to do battle but the climatic dog fight is rather poorly choreographed. The script is rather lumbering with a couple of non too subtle nudges at American, Irish neutrality.

Anton Wallbrook as the pianist is his usual suave self, only sometimes he is not too convincing when he is supposed to be playing the piano, also I am sure that no refined European gentleman would have a conversation with a lady (especially one as beautiful as Sally Gray) with a cigarette dangling from his lips. That was probably the director's fault.

What makes this film memorable of course is the music. One of the most famous movie scores in history. Even now "The Warsaw Concerto" is a standard item on pop-classical concerts.

Just a few words about Sally Gray. She was one of the most beautiful and seductive actresses in British movies during the forties who was generally wasted in her roles. Perhaps it was her personal choice but I was surprised that she was never snapped up by Hollywood. I always thought what a great Hitchcock heroine she would have made. Alas, it never happened.