Loyalties (1933 film)

Loyalties is a 1933 British drama film directed by Basil Dean and starring Basil Rathbone, Heather Thatcher and Miles Mander.[1] It is based on the 1922 John Galsworthy play Loyalties.

Loyalties
Directed byBasil Dean
Produced byBasil Dean
Written byJohn Galsworthy (play)
W.P. Lipscomb
StarringBasil Rathbone
Heather Thatcher
Miles Mander
CinematographyRobert Martin
Edited byThorold Dickinson
Production
company
Distributed byABFD (UK)
Harold Auten (US)
Release date
3 July 1933
Running time
74 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The film addresses the theme of anti-Semitism. The film was part of an increased trend depicting mistreatment of Jews in British films during the 1930s, tied to the rising tide of anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany, but is unusual in its depiction of prejudice in Britain as most other films were set in a non-British, historical context.[2]

Plot

While a houseguest at an upper-class gathering, wealthy Jew Ferdinand de Levis is robbed of £1,000 with evidence pointing towards the guilt of another guest, Captain Dancy. Instead of supporting De Levis, the host attempts to hush the matter up and when this fails, he sides with Dancy and subtly tries to destroy de Levis' reputation. When Dancy is later exposed, and commits suicide, de Levis is blamed for his demise.

Cast

Production

Film rights were purchased by Herbert Wilcox for £9,000. He developed a screenplay for an extra £2,000. Galsworthy had contractual rights of approval over the project. Wilcox sold the project to William Fox for £20,000.[3]

The film was the first to be made by Associated Talking Pictures (which later became Ealing Studios), after the breakdown of their arrangement with RKO Pictures.[4] Carol Reed and Thorold Dickinson both worked on the film's production as assistant directors. Edward Carrick designed the film's sets.

References
  1. "Loyalties". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 29 November 2007.
  2. Robertson p. 93-94
  3. Wilcox, Herbert, Twenty Five Thousand Sunsets, 1967, p 95-97
  4. Low p. 154

Bibliography
  • Low, Rachel. History of British Film: Volume VII, 1929-1939. Routledge, 1997
  • Robertson, James C. The British Board of Film Censors: film censorship in Britain, 1896-1950. Croom Helm, 1985.
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