THE MAN IN GREY (1943) Margaret Lockwood, James Mason & Phyllis Calvert |History | B&W | Retro Movie

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The Man in Grey is a 1943 British film melodrama made by Gainsborough Pictures; it is considered to be the first of a series of period costume dramas now known as the "Gainsborough melodramas". It was directed by Leslie Arliss and produced by Edward Black from a screenplay by Arliss and Margaret Kennedy that was adapted by Doreen Montgomery from the 1941 novel The Man in Grey by Eleanor Smith. The film's sets were designed by Walter Murton.

The picture stars Margaret Lockwood, Phyllis Calvert, James Mason, Stewart Granger and Martita Hunt. It melds elements of the successful "women's pictures" of the time with distinctive new elements.

Synopsis

In 1943 London, a Wren, Lady Clarissa Rohan (Phyllis Calvert) and an RAF pilot, Peter Rokeby (Stewart Granger), meet at an auction of the Rohan estate, now being sold off. Making idle conversation, the pilot wonders what the Rohans did to deserve all this wealth. The auction is suddenly paused due to blackout restrictions, and the two agree to return the next day. As they leave, the film flashes back to the early 1800s, and Miss Patchett's finishing school for young ladies. A naive but popular girl, Clarissa (Phyllis Calvert), insists on being friends with a proud, bitter junior teacher, Hesther Shaw (Margaret Lockwood), despite a fortuneteller's warning not to trust women, especially Hesther. Months later, Hesther runs away with a penniless ensign. Miss Patchett forbids mention of her name by her young charges. Resentfully, Clarissa leaves the school out of loyalty to Hesther. Upon her return home, Clarissa's godmother arranges her marriage to the wealthy Marquess of Rohan (James Mason), a notorious rake who wishes only to have an heir. Thus, the two live separate lives.

One night, Clarissa rushes to a production of Othello in which Hesther plays Desdemona. On the way, her coach is waylaid by a mysterious man, Rokeby (Stewart Granger), who turns out to be the actor playing Othello. He demands a lift to the theater. After the play, Clarissa engages Hesther to be her son's governess. Eventually Lord Rohan invites Hesther to stay on as Clarissa's companion. Rohan tells Hesther that he knows she abandoned her husband, who later died in Fleet Prison. He admires her ruthless ambition, and they become lovers. At Epsom Downs, Clarissa and Rokeby meet again. They encounter the same fortuneteller who warned Clarissa about Hesther. This time, the prophetess recognizes Rokeby as Clarissa's true love and warns her again about dangerous women. Later, Rokeby confesses his love to Clarissa. They plan to elope to Jamaica, but Rohan confronts them in Vauxhall Gardens, and they fight. The contest, however, is stopped by the Prince Regent (Raymond Lovell).

Rokeby decides it would be wiser to sail to Jamaica alone and summon Clarissa later. She bids him farewell at the port. But once Rokeby has departed, she falls ill and is taken to Rohan's London house. Hesther drugs Clarissa, opens the windows on a storm, and damps the fire—ensuring her death. Later, Clarissa's faithful page, Toby, reveals all to Rohan. Though he did not love her, Clarissa was his wife and a Rohan, so he beats Hesther to death with a cane, fulfilling the family motto, "Who Dishonours Us, Dies." Flash-forward to 1943. Peter and Clarissa, descendants of their earlier counterparts, are seen departing the auction, hand in hand. They run to catch a London bus and their future together.

Cast
Margaret Lockwood ... Hesther
Phyllis Calvert ... Clarissa (19th century, and present day)
James Mason ... Lord Rohan
Stewart Granger ... Rokeby (19th century, and present day)
Antony Scott (as Harry Scott, in blackface) ... Toby
Martita Hunt ... Miss Patchett
Helen Haye ... Lady Rohan
Beatrice Varley ... Gipsy
Raymond Lovell ... The Prince Regent
Nora Swinburne ... Mrs. Fitzherbert

Directed by: Leslie Arliss
Written by: Margaret Kennedy, Doreen Montgomery, Leslie Arliss
Based on: The Man in Grey (1941 novel) by Eleanor Smith
Produced by: Edward Black
Cinematography: Arthur Crabtree
Edited by: R. E. Dearing
Music by: Cedric Mallabey
Production Company: Gainsborough Pictures
Distributed by: GFD
Release Date: 23 August 1943
Running Time: 116 minutes
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Budget: £90,000 or £95,000
Box Office: Over £300,000 (UK), 1,138,145 admissions (France)