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Thursday, April 25, 2019

THE ASTONISHED HEART (1950)

Having already expanded STILL LIFE (one of nine short plays that made up three evenings’ entertainment in TONIGHT AT 8:30) into the hugely successful BRIEF ENCOUNTER/’45, Noël Coward no doubt hoped lightning would strike twice adapting a second. Think again. This time, Coward takes the lead (after dismissing initial choice Michael Redgrave) in this psychiatric gloss on the old ‘Physician Heal Thyself’ theme. As a top London shrink, happily married to Celia Johnson, he finds himself helplessly falling into a death spiral of bottomless passion when her old school chum Margaret Leighton stops by. Johnson, as supporting wife, patiently waits out the affair, unaware he’s hitting untested depths even as the mistress looks ready to move on. As a condensed half-hour, the play works far better than the film* where every addition comes across as too obvious or simplistic. But fun to see Coward working with real life partner Graham Payn (overparted even playing his assistant), plus Joyce Carey, who played the wife on stage, now as office secretary. Naturally, Johnson & Leighton (particular faves of Coward) are immaculate as spouse & temptress, but Coward’s clipped delivery comes close to self-parody.* (Yet what strength he finds at the wordless end.)

ATTENTION MUST BE PAID: *Coward was usually very canny about what he could do on film (as opposed to stage & tv). Presumably, Redgrave’s abrupt departure necessitated a quick replacement. He never chanced another leading role on the big screen. (Even turning down David Lean when offered Alec Guinness’s role in BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI.)

DOUBLE-BILL/LINK:*And when played in its original One Act form, still does. In this Joan Collins’ anchored tv production, Sian Phillips nails the Celia Johnson role. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bJa1lnF5rE

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