Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982), Wednesday 14 March 1956, page 43


NEW DRAMA

1 UNCONSCIOUS from gas fumes and an overdose of sleeping

pills, Hester Page (Vivien Leigh) is rescued by fellow-

boarders in a London guest house, who get the landlady to open a locked door. Freddie Page is away for the weekend golfing. The landlady tells the young people the Pages are not married.

Distinguished British theatre stars Vivien Leigh, Kenneth More, Eric Portman, and Emlyn Williams head the cast in this widescreen, De Luxe color version of "The Deep Blue Sea" (Fox).

Author Terence Rattigan wrote the scenario from his own hit play.

"The Deep Blue Sea" is a strong drama in which the beautiful and neurotic wife (Vivien Leigh) of an eminent judge (Emlyn Williams) becomes infatuated with a weak, likeable cad (Kenneth More).

A suicide attempt is not the way out of her dilemma, but through it she eventually finds enough strength to end the affair.

Moira Lister, Alec McCowen, Arthur Hill, and Dandy Nichols play main feature roles in the film.

2 VISITED by her husband, Sir William Collyer

(Emlyn Williams), after she has been revived by Miller (Eric Portman, unseen), a deregistered psychiatrist, Hester refuses all help.

3 MEETING with Freddie Page (Kenneth More),

right, in Switzerland a year earlier is start of Hester's infatuation. Sir William thinks Page shal-low and unstable, although he's an ex-R.A.F. hero.

4 ATTRACTED to Freddie's gaiety and flattered by

his obvious admiration, Hester falls deeply and illogically in love with him. She finally leaves her husband and a life of luxury to go off with Page.

5 LIVING in lodgings with jobless Freddie is

dreary. He finds it impossible to respond on the same plane to Hester's feelings for him, but neither has the strength to end the affair.

6 READING the letter Hester left for him after

the suicide attempt has failed, Page realises that he must get away. He tries, but Hester

follows him from club to club across London.

7 DRAMA climaxes when Sir William, helped by

Miller, persuades Hester that if either of them is to make any kind of life, she must leave Page. Freddie is stunned when Hester sends him away.