21 Days – 1937 | 72 mins | Drama | B&W

Plot Synopsis

Pre-war melodrama based on the hit West End hit play The First and the Last by John Galsworthy.Graham Greene co-wrote the script with director Basil Dean and their combined talents elevate this production above similar straightforward crime dramas. Producer Alexander Korda cast London Films stars Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, and they were ably supported by Leslie Banks, Francis L. Sullivan and Robert Newton. Korda was reportedly not pleased with the film and it languished on the shelves for two years. However, as Leigh and Olivier had by then achieved stardom, it was released in the hope of cashing in on that.

 Larry Durrant (Laurence Olivier) is a playboy and one of life’s losers, and has recently returned from Rhodesia where his venture into farming failed. On arrival back in England he begins seeing an attractive model named Wanda (Vivien Leigh), who unbeknown to him is married. Having not seen him for three years, Wanda’s estranged husband appears out of the blue demanding money – a fight breaks out between the two men and during the ensuing scuffle Larry accidently kills the blackmailer in self-defence.

Larry immediately seeks the help of his brother Keith (Leslie Banks), a well-known but selfish barrister on the brink of becoming a judge and fearful that any scandal might tarnish his name. He instructs his younger brother not to confess to murder. Later that evening, Larry meets a mentally unhinged clergyman, John Aloysius Evan (Hay Petrie), near the scene of the crime who desires to be punished. The innocent clergyman is arrested for the crime and held for 21 days until he comes to trial. Larry and Wanda use the three weeks to get married and enjoy some happiness – but the weeks pass quickly. Evan is subsequently found guilty and sentenced to hang, so Larry decides to give himself up for the murder rather than allow the innocent man to hang.