A Cottage on Dartmoor
Encyclopedia
A Cottage on Dartmoor is a 1929
British silent film
, directed by Anthony Asquith
and starring Norah Baring
and Uno Henning. It was the last of Asquith's four silent films, produced exactly on the cusp of the transition from silents to talkies in British cinema, a point which is referenced in the film itself.
The following day Harry comes into the shop for his regular shave and manicure, and Joe notices that Sally is wearing an engagement ring. A verbal confrontation between Joe and Harry escalates into a physical struggle, during which Harry is slashed by Joe's cut-throat razor. Sally is convinced that Joe had deliberately tried to kill his rival, and following his arrest and trial Joe is convicted of attempted murder. Vowing revenge on Sally and Harry, he is sentenced to a lengthy term of incarceration at the notorious Dartmoor Prison.
Some years later, Joe succeeds in escaping from the prison, and makes his way across the bleak Dartmoor
landscape towards the isolated cottage where Sally and Harry, since married and with a young son, now live. At night he surprises Sally outside her home where she, now feeling remorseful about her role in his imprisonment, takes pity on him and offers him a hiding place. Harry returns, and there follows an awkward but genuine reconciliation between Harry and Joe, climaxing with Harry's decision to assist Joe's escape. However, on the point of escape, Joe abandons the enterprise and initiates a rush to the cottage that he knows will draw attention and lead to his death. The guards posted at the farm shoot him, and he dies in Sally's arms.
A Cottage on Dartmoor uses flashback
technique, opening with Joe's flight from prison before going back to reveal the core events which led to him being there. The action finally returns to the present and Joe's death, framing the historical with the current.
The central cinema sequence in the film is noted for its reflection of the seminal transitional period in cinema history when the advent of talkies was revolutionising the industry but silent and talkie films still existed side by side. The first film on the bill at the cinema is a silent comedy, with full orchestral accompaniment, and the audience are shown laughing uproariously. When the main talkie feature begins however, the audience falls into a state of stunned, emotionless silence. This has been interpreted as Asquith's own comment on the phenomenon. Writing in the New York Times in 2007, critic Dave Kehr surmised: "...many filmmakers, Asquith apparently included, believed that silent storytelling had reached such a high level of refinement that mere chatter would never be enough to extinguish it."
in 2008, and was very positively received by critics. Simon McCallum wrote, "A straightforward but beautifully realised tale of sexual jealousy, the film easily counters the entrenched criticism that British cinema in the silent era was staid, stagy and lacking emotion" and " (it) is perhaps most rewardingly viewed as a final, passionate cry in defence of the silent aesthetic in British cinema. Kehr noted that the film "(suggests) that there was more to the British silent cinema than the youthful works of Alfred Hitchcock
" and that it "provides ample illustration of how elegantly and assuredly expressive silent film had become, and how hard it must have been to believe that this magnificent medium, then just over 30 years old, was doomed."
1929 in film
-Events:The days of the silent film are numbered. A mad scramble to provide synchronized sound is on.*January 20 - The movie In Old Arizona is released. The film is the first full-length talking film to be filmed outdoors....
British silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
, directed by Anthony Asquith
Anthony Asquith
Anthony Asquith was a leading English film director. He collaborated successfully with playwright Terence Rattigan on The Winslow Boy and The Browning Version , among other adaptations...
and starring Norah Baring
Norah Baring
Norah Baring , born Norah Minnie Baker, was an English film actress most famous for portraying "Diana Baring" in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller Murder! . She is also known for playing the female lead in Anthony Asquith's silent thriller A Cottage on Dartmoor...
and Uno Henning. It was the last of Asquith's four silent films, produced exactly on the cusp of the transition from silents to talkies in British cinema, a point which is referenced in the film itself.
Plot
Joe (Henning) works as a barber in a shop in a Devon town, alongside a manicurist called Sally (Baring). He becomes infatuated with her and asks her out on a date; however the evening turns out awkwardly and it is clear that Sally does not reciprocate Joe's feelings. Despite Sally's lack of interest, Joe's infatuation with her develops into obsession. Meanwhile a regular client at the salon, young gentleman farmer Harry (Schlettow), begins to woo Sally, who is much more receptive to his attentions. The couple begin seeing each other, and one evening arrange to go to the local cinema. Unknown to them they are stalked by the jealous and overwrought Joe, who sits behind them and is forced to witness their obvious happiness together, eventually rushing out of the cinema in despair.The following day Harry comes into the shop for his regular shave and manicure, and Joe notices that Sally is wearing an engagement ring. A verbal confrontation between Joe and Harry escalates into a physical struggle, during which Harry is slashed by Joe's cut-throat razor. Sally is convinced that Joe had deliberately tried to kill his rival, and following his arrest and trial Joe is convicted of attempted murder. Vowing revenge on Sally and Harry, he is sentenced to a lengthy term of incarceration at the notorious Dartmoor Prison.
Some years later, Joe succeeds in escaping from the prison, and makes his way across the bleak Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
landscape towards the isolated cottage where Sally and Harry, since married and with a young son, now live. At night he surprises Sally outside her home where she, now feeling remorseful about her role in his imprisonment, takes pity on him and offers him a hiding place. Harry returns, and there follows an awkward but genuine reconciliation between Harry and Joe, climaxing with Harry's decision to assist Joe's escape. However, on the point of escape, Joe abandons the enterprise and initiates a rush to the cottage that he knows will draw attention and lead to his death. The guards posted at the farm shoot him, and he dies in Sally's arms.
Cast
- Norah BaringNorah BaringNorah Baring , born Norah Minnie Baker, was an English film actress most famous for portraying "Diana Baring" in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller Murder! . She is also known for playing the female lead in Anthony Asquith's silent thriller A Cottage on Dartmoor...
as Sally - Uno Henning as Joe
- Hans Adalbert Schlettow as Harry
Production
Dartmoor locations were used for exterior filming, while interior work was shot at Welwyn Studios in London. The three main actors were English (Baring), Swedish (Henning) and German (Schlettow). It was the only British film for Henning and Schlettow.A Cottage on Dartmoor uses flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
technique, opening with Joe's flight from prison before going back to reveal the core events which led to him being there. The action finally returns to the present and Joe's death, framing the historical with the current.
The central cinema sequence in the film is noted for its reflection of the seminal transitional period in cinema history when the advent of talkies was revolutionising the industry but silent and talkie films still existed side by side. The first film on the bill at the cinema is a silent comedy, with full orchestral accompaniment, and the audience are shown laughing uproariously. When the main talkie feature begins however, the audience falls into a state of stunned, emotionless silence. This has been interpreted as Asquith's own comment on the phenomenon. Writing in the New York Times in 2007, critic Dave Kehr surmised: "...many filmmakers, Asquith apparently included, believed that silent storytelling had reached such a high level of refinement that mere chatter would never be enough to extinguish it."
Reputation
A Cottage on Dartmoor was released on DVD by Kino Films in the U.S. in 2007, and in the UK by the British Film InstituteBritish Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
in 2008, and was very positively received by critics. Simon McCallum wrote, "A straightforward but beautifully realised tale of sexual jealousy, the film easily counters the entrenched criticism that British cinema in the silent era was staid, stagy and lacking emotion" and " (it) is perhaps most rewardingly viewed as a final, passionate cry in defence of the silent aesthetic in British cinema. Kehr noted that the film "(suggests) that there was more to the British silent cinema than the youthful works of Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
" and that it "provides ample illustration of how elegantly and assuredly expressive silent film had become, and how hard it must have been to believe that this magnificent medium, then just over 30 years old, was doomed."
External links
- A Cottage on Dartmoor at BritMovie