Ill Met By Moonlight.

[Elaine]

Another great Dirk Bogarde film. Another one of those great post-war British B/W films.

[Steve Crook]

Another great Dirk Bogarde film. Another one of those great post-war British B/W films.

Were all those British actors pretending to be Cretans very believable?
Some people think it's a bit too studio-bound
Some people think it's a shame that there are no women in it (as major characters)

Did you know that it's based quite accurately on a true story?
Did you spot David McCallum? What about Christopher Lee (more obvious)?

Powell & Pressburger weren't all that happy with it. It was adequate but not up to the very high standard they'd set with the films they made in the 1940s

Steve

[Elaine]

Well, no not really. I have watched and listened to Who Pays The ferryman so many times, I could recognize a Greek or Cretan accent in a couple of sentences. But it was fun seeing their efforts. Yes, I did know it was based on a true story. I love all British history, wars and all. And I thought that was David Mccullum early on in the story.
One of the things I liked about the film, was the marvellous mountain scenery. Although knowing Powell and Pressburger, that could have been clever camera work. If it was real, no wonder the Germans were given the run-a-round by the partians.
It would have been nice to have a female or two in it who counted, but it doesn't spoil the film not to have them. It is the kind of movie you can watch over and over again. Elaine

[Elaine]

And yes I did spot Christopher Lee. The German in the Dentist, who they bumped off for the unform.

[Steve Crook]

Well, no not really. I have watched and listened to Who Pays The ferryman so many times, I could recognize a Greek or Cretan accent in a couple of sentences. But it was fun seeing their efforts. Yes, I did know it was based on a true story. I love all British history, wars and all. And I thought that was David Mccullum early on in the story.
One of the things I liked about the film, was the marvellous mountain scenery. Although knowing Powell and Pressburger, that could have been clever camera work. If it was real, no wonder the Germans were given the run-a-round by the partians.
It would have been nice to have a female or two in it who counted, but it doesn't spoil the film not to have them. It is the kind of movie you can watch over and over again. Elaine

David McCallum is in the motor boat that picks them up at the end

Some of the exteriors are on real mountains, but not in Crete. Crete was undergoing a bit of a problem in 1956 as the Colonels were in charge and there was a bit of a civil war going on. So Powell & Pressburger filmed all those mountain scenes in the Alpes Maritines on the border between France and Italy. But one mountain looks a lot like another

Steve

[Toscana]

And yes I did spot Christopher Lee. The German in the Dentist, who they bumped off for the unform.

My attention has trouble straying from the proformance of the actor playing the dentist in that scene. What a ham. I don't know if he is Greek or Cretan but I bet if you cut him in half he would have Danish written right through.

[Elaine]

David McCallum is in the motor boat that picks them up at the end

Some of the exteriors are on real mountains, but not in Crete. Crete was undergoing a bit of a problem in 1956 as the Colonels were in charge and there was a bit of a civil war going on. So Powell & Pressburger filmed all those mountain scenes in the Alpes Maritines on the border between France and Italy. But one mountain looks a lot like another
Steve

Whoops...I knew David Mccullum was in it somewhere. I was too busy watching Dirk to pay much attension to him. [ Me being a female] Giggle.. giggle.

[theuofc]

Another great Dirk Bogarde film. Another one of those great post-war British B/W films.

You betcha, Elaine. Rousing good fun. Here's the trailer, well done imo:

[Elaine]

My attention has trouble straying from the proformance of the actor playing the dentist in that scene. What a ham. I don't know if he is Greek or Cretan but I bet if you cut him in half he would have Danish written right through.

I certainly wouldn't have him as my dentist. Just the sound and vibrations of that drill would give me nightmares. But don't you think, a lot of the film was acted with tongue in cheek?

[theuofc]

I was too busy watching Dirk to pay much attension to him. [ Me being a female] Giggle.. giggle.

Who can blame you! Dirk looked great even in the dentist's chair.







Barbara

[theuofc]

..................

Did you know that it's based quite accurately on a true story?
...........
Steve

Yes. It's one of the reasons I like the film, aside from Dirk. Not the strongest of PnP films as you say, but if one is familiar with Patrick Leigh Fermor and W. Stanley Moss' book on the Cretan adventure, the film takes on an historical dimension which is fascinating.

You can see more about the film and its historical background here where I've uploaded text and a number of photos:

http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/ac...ogarde-17.html





Best,

Barbara

[theuofc]

My attention has trouble straying from the proformance of the actor playing the dentist in that scene. What a ham. I don't know if he is Greek or Cretan but I bet if you cut him in half he would have Danish written right through.

The person who played the dentist isn't listed. Maybe he was a local.

[Toscana]

I certainly wouldn't have him as my dentist. Just the sound and vibrations of that drill would give me nightmares. But don't you think, a lot of the film was acted with tongue in cheek?

I would agree with that, if not it is a very bad attempt at a true event. And they should have done something about the theme music, it's crap.

[Toscana]

The person who played the dentist isn't listed. Maybe he was a local.

I'm not sure but I think all his scenes are studio shot. When you say local do you mean local to Pinewood. Like in his case a Harringay kebab house.

[Elaine]

I would agree with that, if not it is a very bad attempt at a true event. And they should have done something about the theme music, it's crap.

Not a fan, then? LOL

[Steve Crook]

And they should have done something about the theme music, it's crap.

Well that's an opinion
Mikis Theodorakis who wrote it was Greek and it's meant to give a Greek (Cretan) flavour to the adventure.
I think it does that very well

Steve

[dremble wedge]

The person who played the dentist isn't listed. Maybe he was a local.

Jonathan Rigby's book on the films and career of Christopher Lee has a still from Ill Met by Moonlight showing this scene. The accompanying caption identifies the dentist as Peter Augustine. He's in the IMDB cast list but is only credited with playing a 'Greek'

Having looked at his IMDB entry he doesn't seem to have done a lot more...

[Steve Crook]

Jonathan Rigby's book on the films and career of Christopher Lee has a still from Ill Met by Moonlight showing this scene. The accompanying caption identifies the dentist as Peter Augustine. He's in the IMDB cast list but is only credited with playing a 'Greek'

Having looked at his IMDB entry he doesn't seem to have done a lot more...

Thanks for that. There isn't any cast list at the end of the film and the credits at the beginning only identify the characters played by the top few cast members. The other named cast members just get their names shown, not which roles they played.

I can now take the dentist off the list of Unknown People in P&P films

Steve

[theuofc]

Jonathan Rigby's book on the films and career of Christopher Lee has a still from Ill Met by Moonlight showing this scene. The accompanying caption identifies the dentist as Peter Augustine. He's in the IMDB cast list but is only credited with playing a 'Greek'

Having looked at his IMDB entry he doesn't seem to have done a lot more...

Well done, dremble! Without your excellent and unexpected find in the Christopher Lee biography, I don't think we'd have identified him. I'm glad to hear that he was indeed an actor cast in the role. Thank you.

Best,

Barbara...P.S. I just read Steve's note that "the dentist" is also on the PnP unknown list. A mystery solved.

[Toscana]

Well that's an opinion
Mikis Theodorakis who wrote it was Greek and it's meant to give a Greek (Cretan) flavour to the adventure.
I think it does that very well

Steve

Woops! Did I step on somebodys obsession?