Turn the Key Softly

Tags

1950's, Drama, Jack Lee, Joan Collins, Kathleen Harrison, Terence Morgan, Turn the Key Softly, Yvonne Mitchell

Film Title

Turn the Key Softly

Director

Jack Lee

Starring

• Yvonne Mitchell as Monica Marsden
• Joan Collins as Stella Jarvis
• Kathleen Harrison as Mrs. Quilliam
• Terence Morgan as David

The first twenty-four hours of release from prison of three different women are dramatised in Turn the Key Softly. Although some of the social drama it strives for can get forced, it is largely an honest and sympathetic examination of the paths we may or may not take in life. Strong performances from the female leads help it be watchable.

On one morning, three women are released from Holloway Prison, London. Each woman is somewhat different from the other and slowly we piece together why each was imprisoned. Monica Marsden is a middle class lady who was seduced by crook David and coerced into helping him with his thieving activities. She was caught and David got away, leaving her to take the blame. Stella Jarvis is a pretty young thing who we are lead to believe fell into prostitution so she could afford the material things in life, despite having found seeming happiness with a kindly bus conductor. And lonely Mrs. Quilliam is very poor and has multiple offences of stealing food to provide for herself. Their returns back to society take different turns as they are forced to confront life once more and decide what is to be done, regarding personal feelings, circumstances and the nature of choice. Monica has to contend with oily David entering her life again, Stella must make a choice of whether material wealth outweighs potential happiness with her forgiving boyfriend and Mrs. Quilliam has to deal with being neglected by her daughter and only having her pet dog Johnny for support and companionship. The question is, just which path will each lady take now that they are back out in the world again?

Director Jack Lee does a commendable enough job at bringing out dramatic and emotional impact, though it can be said that some of the film and story is basic and could have done with more extension. After all, Turn the Key Softly only runs for under 80 minutes, which both has a weakness and goodness to it. I think the positive parts manage to raise the film up a lot, and while still flawed, when it hits the dramatic mark it is damn effective. Some of it comes off as more than a little superficial, in particular the rather sketchy way that Stella’s story is written. Her arc has watchable and sports interesting areas, but it doesn’t quite have the gripping power of the other two women’s experiences. Monica and Mrs. Quilliam have the more compelling stories; facing the grim realities of their situations, consisting of trying to not be drawn to a bad influence and crushing loneliness. When the focus is on these characters and their struggles, Turn the Key Softly gains points and a sense of drama. The use of black and white highlights the challenges ahead for the ladies and London in bustling but unforgiving fashion. The film was made in the 50’s and England was still suffering post war austerity, which is subtly referenced by the fact that there is no flash of razzmatazz to the editing of cinematography. It’s largely observant and the unvarnished style suits what Turn the Key Softly strives for. A jolt of tension and suspense keeps Turn the Key Softly good in the last half as Monica’s former flame puts in motion a job, which he drags her into under extreme duress. One of the best things Turn the Key Softly does is not sugarcoat the three main characters or condone what they have done. It presents them as humans, who have made mistakes and are attempting to get back on track once more. The music score is suitable enough when being understated, but there are times when it takes away from the story by going overboard with flourishes.

If there is anything that makes up for the occasionally flawed execution in the film, it’s the acting. Yvonne Mitchell brings dignity, demure grace and indecision to her part of the middle class Monica, who wrestles with her feelings for her slimy former boyfriend and tries to make a life for herself. She’s an intelligent woman but like all of us, not immune to the complex feelings of the heart. This is what Mitchell plays ideally; the desire to move on, but the constant lingering of the past that won’t loosen its grip. Joan Collins, although having the most limited role, is still very charming and brassy as the often vain Stella. She’s got an impudence, dreamy eyes and sassiness to her, tempered with a feeling of uncertainty over her future. The beautiful Joan Collins makes the part very watchable, owing to her naturalness and personality. The trio is rounded out by the weariness and sadness of Kathleen Harrison as the lonely old Mrs. Quilliam, who’s only company is her beloved dog Johnny. Here is a woman of desperation and desolation, who still attempts to keep a smile on her face despite her increasing adversity. You want to give this woman a hug and tell her that things are going to be OK, that’s how emotionally convincing and sympathetic Harrison is. Terence Morgan is the definition of a louse, and a nasty one at that when playing Monica’s crooked lover. Although he’s slick and smooth, you know exactly what he’s up to and really do want him to get what’s coming to him in be way or another.

So while it sometimes doesn’t get beneath the surface of stat it’s intending to display, Turn the Key Softly is still on the whole, a well acted and interesting film that paints a pointed and frequently realistic picture of three women experiencing life and it’s difficulties again after their release from prison.

Yield to the Night

Tags

1950's, Crime, Diana Dors, Drama, Geoffrey Keen, J. Lee Thompson, Michael Craig, Yield to the Night, Yvonne Mitchell

Film Title

Yield to the Night

Director

J. Lee Thompson

Starring

• Diana Dors as Mary Hilton
• Yvonne Mitchell as Matron MacFarlane
• Michael Craig as Jim Lancaster
• Geoffrey Keen as Prison Chaplain

A crime drama that also functions as an impassioned plea against the death penalty, Yield to the Night chronicles the last days of a murderess’ life by revealing what drove her to the act in flashback. Grimly powerful and featuring a truly convincing performance from Diana Dors, it really makes a startling impact and still holds up remarkably well today.

The movie begins with a beautiful young blonde woman calmly approaching a glamorous woman as she enters her London home. Without warning, the approaching blonde woman unloads the contents of her gun into the other woman and stands emotionless as a crowd gathers around the dead body. We soon learn that the blonde woman is Mary Hilton and that she has been sentenced to death for her crime, unless she is given a reprieve. As she shuts herself away, has no remorse for her crime and refuses the kind treatment of the matrons; Mary begins to think back on what lead her to killing the woman, whose name was Lucy. Through a series of flashbacks, a lot is revealed about the ultimately tragic story of Mary. The beautiful Mary was a sales girl who fell hopelessly in love with the charming Jim Lancaster. Crazy for him and holding onto the naive notion of true love, she leaves her own husband who is never really around to be with Jim. But while everything is initially idyllic for Mary, Jim begins to string her along as he grows attracted to the very rich Lucy. Mary can’t take this rejection and sinks into depression as the man she loves chases another woman, who it turns out is using him. It’s when events take a tragic turn, that Mary snaps and thoughts of revenge invade her mind. And while now in prison, as she begins to reflect on what she did, the hours begin to tick away with intent as her life hangs in the balance and at the hands of the justice system.

Yield to the Night is very much a movie that calls for the abolition of the death penalty, but it never feels preachy and in your face. Instead, director J. Lee Thompson employs an up close and personal story of a woman driven by her passion and sense of betrayal to kill. His visual style of unusual angles that frame Mary as a prisoner of her own desire and a vulnerable woman taken advantage of who snaps with jealousy with deadly results is striking to say the least. We are put like flies on the wall into this film, as the setting of her prison cell is confined and restrictive. It is like we are living through the turmoil of knowing that death is going to come very soon to her and the torturous wait endured. As a film, Yield to the Night doesn’t justify Mary’s actions as right. It shows us the sad circumstances that lead to it and gets us to sympathise with her as she has been used so much and feels the only way to deal with it is to take matters into her own hands. The black and white that the film is shot in is very beneficial to such a grim story and gives it a bleak sense of purpose. This is the kind of movie that wouldn’t be very effective in colour as it is so dramatic and gritty. A stark but dramatic score compliments the inevitable sadness of the tale with monotonous drums and brass.

Now before watching Yield to the Night, I only knew Diana Dors as being a glamour girl and buxom bombshell. Well I was so surprised at her performance here, that I want to check out more of her work. Shunning her seductive image, Dors digs deep into the romantic soul of a woman who couldn’t live without taking matters into her own hands as a result of the tragedy that devastated her. Virtually make up free, Dors exudes a weariness, sadness and numbness that gets the audience to feel for Mary as the time passes and we glimpse her sad tale. Her eyes have this haunting quality that is featured heavily throughout the film and I don’t think I will ever forget the look of fear in them. While Yield to the Night belongs to the convincing performance of great depth from Dors, the rest of the cast is very fine. Yvonne Mitchell in particular stands out as the main matron who becomes fond of Mary and becomes very close with her in the weeks prior to her sentence. Michael Craig is a suitable louse as Jim, whose selfish stringing along of Mary and obsession with Lucy cost him very dearly. Geoffrey Keen is well cast as the prison chaplain, who is kind to Mary and wants to help her while she is still alive.

Striking but impassioned and very topical upon its release, Yield to the Night is a grimly powerful film that benefits from the immensely committed performance by Diana Dors and sympathetic direction.