Contraband (1940) on TPTV

[julian_craster]

Mon 09 Nov on TPTV

18:40

Contraband (1940).
Director: Michael Powell.
Stars: Conrad Veidt, Valerie Hobson & Hay Petrie. Sparks fly when a Danish merchant sea captain meets an enigmatic passenger, a British secret agent.

[Silver Bullet]

I wonder if this will be the uk release?

[Steve Crook]

I wonder if this will be the uk release?

According to IMDb there are eight minutes were cut from Contraband for its U.S. release; some just snips here and there, others more major. The most regrettable loss is the opening minutes of Veidt's and Hobson's table scene at the Three Vikings Restaurant, which in the U.S. version begins at the point when Veidt and Hobson begin drinking together and look at Veidt's watch. Another cut sequence shows black male dancers and white female dancers in a nightclub production number [The "White Negro" cabaret designed & executed by Hedley Briggs], a racial combination that would have outraged much of white America at the time, especially in the Southern states.

I’ve never (knowingly) seen the US version. Let’s keep an eye out for the “White Negro” caberet.

Steve

[Silver Bullet]

According to IMDb there are eight minutes were cut from Contraband for its U.S. release; some just snips here and there, others more major. The most regrettable loss is the opening minutes of Veidt's and Hobson's table scene at the Three Vikings Restaurant, which in the U.S. version begins at the point when Veidt and Hobson begin drinking together and look at Veidt's watch. Another cut sequence shows black male dancers and white female dancers in a nightclub production number [The "White Negro" cabaret designed & executed by Hedley Briggs], a racial combination that would have outraged much of white America at the time, especially in the Southern states.

I’ve never (knowingly) seen the US version. Let’s keep an eye out for the “White Negro” caberet.

Steve

With the current situation this would go out with a content warning?

[lazarus6]

Contraband (1940) [UK]

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032356/

The IMDb knowns this film as 'Blackout' with 'Contraband' acknowledged as its original title and has a running time of 01:20:00 (which appears to refer to the USA release - see below).

Found two copies on YouTube - the 'better' one (with a higher resolution of 660x480) with a stated running length of 01:27:18 (actually about 01:27:10 since there is an added 8 second branding leader) this would not be the shorter US release.

The captain with several of his new friends decide to visit Soho nightclubs - the first is "The White Negro" that appears to be named after its cabaret act which is seen in multiple scenes from 01:11:04 to 01:12:43.

(movie still at 01:11:53)

[Steve Crook]

Contraband (1940) [UK]

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032356/

The IMDb knowns this film as 'Blackout' with 'Contraband' acknowledged as its original title and has a running time of 01:20:00 (which appears to refer to the USA release - see below).

Found two copies on YouTube - the 'better' one (with a higher resolution of 660x480) being:

"Contraband-1940-Conrad Veidt, Valerie Hobson, Hay Petrie, Raymond Lovell"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0e7aFkqYFE

With a stated running length of 01:27:18 (actually about 01:27:10 since there is an added 8 second branding leader) this would not be the shorter US release.

The captain with several of his new friends decide to visit Soho nightclubs - the first is "The White Negro" that appears to be named after its cabaret act which is seen in multiple scenes from 01:11:04 to 01:12:43.

Don't get too hung up on measuring the running times. People can (& often do) make mistakes in measuring the running times. Do you measure it from the start of the screening or form the start of the film? Do you include or ignore time taken for ads?

But the one you indicate on YouTube is the original British release. It includes the "White Negro" cabaret.

If you have your IMDb settings set correctly then it only shows the original titles so it just shows it as "Contraband (AKA Blackout)".

Steve

[Odeonman]

Don't get too hung up on measuring the running times. People can (& often do) make mistakes in measuring the running times. Do you measure it from the start of the screening or form the start of the film? Do you include or ignore time taken for ads?



Steve

Not forgetting the PAL 4% speed up which results in a 100 minute film running 96 minutes on UK tv (or any other 50hz source such as region 2 DVD). Most Blu-rays are 60hz, so run the correct length.