A crane operator goes to work by taking the London Underground. Looking out of the window as his carriage passes a row of houses, he catches a fleeting glimpse of what seems to be a crime : a man savagely stabbing a woman. Being a good citizen, he interrupts his journey and goes to fetch a policeman. It turns out that he did not witness a crime, but something else entirely...
Part of "A window" is set in the world of professional magicians. It's a loving and knowledgeable description of a certain type of magic and magic-related entertainment circa 1930, 1940. So that's certainly an asset. The movie also carries a useful message which is still relevant today : women and girls, NEVER pick a jealous partner. His anger and suspicion will make your life hell and there's nothing you can do to change him, since he's probably smarting over some psychological slight or trauma (real or imagined) dating back to early childhood. Try reasoning with someone who is still angry because his mother stopped breastfeeding him when he turned two...
Finally the movie works up to a crashing ending, which is all the more shocking and sad for following a seemingly happy plot development.
So "A window" is certainly worth a watch. On the other hand there is something unsatisfying and unfinished about the movie. I got the impression that it needed some final editing, some final polish. I do not know what exactly caused the problem but it is reasonable to think of the timing of the production ; the movie seems to have been made either when war had already broken out or else when war had become inevitable. It must be a hellacious job trying to finish a movie when artists get called away on military service, when experts get called away on strategically important work or secret missions, when stocks run low, when newspapers bring tales of daily horrors, and so on.
Anyway, it is poignant to look upon images of a teeming, lively city, and to realize that many of the people and buildings involved were about to get changed beyond recognition - or worse, were about to get wiped out of existence.
Part of "A window" is set in the world of professional magicians. It's a loving and knowledgeable description of a certain type of magic and magic-related entertainment circa 1930, 1940. So that's certainly an asset. The movie also carries a useful message which is still relevant today : women and girls, NEVER pick a jealous partner. His anger and suspicion will make your life hell and there's nothing you can do to change him, since he's probably smarting over some psychological slight or trauma (real or imagined) dating back to early childhood. Try reasoning with someone who is still angry because his mother stopped breastfeeding him when he turned two...
Finally the movie works up to a crashing ending, which is all the more shocking and sad for following a seemingly happy plot development.
So "A window" is certainly worth a watch. On the other hand there is something unsatisfying and unfinished about the movie. I got the impression that it needed some final editing, some final polish. I do not know what exactly caused the problem but it is reasonable to think of the timing of the production ; the movie seems to have been made either when war had already broken out or else when war had become inevitable. It must be a hellacious job trying to finish a movie when artists get called away on military service, when experts get called away on strategically important work or secret missions, when stocks run low, when newspapers bring tales of daily horrors, and so on.
Anyway, it is poignant to look upon images of a teeming, lively city, and to realize that many of the people and buildings involved were about to get changed beyond recognition - or worse, were about to get wiped out of existence.