Known in the U.S. as Lady in Distress, A Window in London from 1940 stars Michael Redgrave, Sally Gray, Paul Lukas, Patricia Roc, and Hartley Power.
Redgrave plays Peter, a crane operator who one day, on his way to work via train, thinks he sees a murder. He gets off the train, grabs a bobby, and takes him to the building and apartment where it took place - after barging in on a couple of the neighbors.
The residents are magician Zoltini (Lukas) and his wife Vivienne (Gray). She's still alive, and Zoltini explains what Peter must have seen - Vivienne is on the bed - we assume they had a physical fight. Zoltini is a washed-up magician, an angry, jealous man who ruins their bookings with his bad temper.
The story of Peter and his wife Pat (Roc) and Zoltini and Vivienne intertwine. Pat works nights at a hotel switchboard, and she and Peter don't see much of each other. Peter goes to see Zoltini's show; when it's time for Vivienne to disappear, she really does - into a cab with Peter. He takes her to where he works, and it's obvious he's smitten with her.
Zoltini tracks down Peter and a showdown ensues.
Thanks to a good cast, A Window in London comes off pretty well and moves at a decent pace. Redgrave is young and charming, Gray is beautiful, unhappy, and vulnerable. Roc is sympathetic as a hardworking woman who feels she is losing her husband.
The last few minutes of this movie are unexpected, to put it mildly.
Very good.
Redgrave plays Peter, a crane operator who one day, on his way to work via train, thinks he sees a murder. He gets off the train, grabs a bobby, and takes him to the building and apartment where it took place - after barging in on a couple of the neighbors.
The residents are magician Zoltini (Lukas) and his wife Vivienne (Gray). She's still alive, and Zoltini explains what Peter must have seen - Vivienne is on the bed - we assume they had a physical fight. Zoltini is a washed-up magician, an angry, jealous man who ruins their bookings with his bad temper.
The story of Peter and his wife Pat (Roc) and Zoltini and Vivienne intertwine. Pat works nights at a hotel switchboard, and she and Peter don't see much of each other. Peter goes to see Zoltini's show; when it's time for Vivienne to disappear, she really does - into a cab with Peter. He takes her to where he works, and it's obvious he's smitten with her.
Zoltini tracks down Peter and a showdown ensues.
Thanks to a good cast, A Window in London comes off pretty well and moves at a decent pace. Redgrave is young and charming, Gray is beautiful, unhappy, and vulnerable. Roc is sympathetic as a hardworking woman who feels she is losing her husband.
The last few minutes of this movie are unexpected, to put it mildly.
Very good.