They Met in the Dark (1945)

Great Film overall

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

"They Met in the Dark" is like the first draft of a Hitchcock film, before the better plotting, interesting camera-work, and Hitchcock wit is added. In fact, it's a blend of "The 39 Steps" and "The Lady Vanishes." With many of the same elements:Man and woman meet during a mysterious incident. Check. They are forced to stay on the run together. Check. The "McGuffin" is a secret message about the military. Check. The secret is conveyed by a music hall entertainer. Check. The unlikely couple end up in love. Check. It's interesting to see the difference between a perfectly fine movie and a great one. Hitchcock created striking lighting effects, innovative camera moves, and darker, more menacing threat. "They Met in the Dark" is a perfectly charming diversion and a nice, little movie. But pales in comparison to the Hitchcock films of the same era.

The career that James Mason had before being discovered by Hollywood was quite prolific. Thanks to TCM, audiences have had the opportunity to see some of his British films. This one, "They Met in the Dark," is a 1943 noir, and has both elements of drama and humor. The film begins with a trial, after which, found guilty of treason, Richard Heritage (Mason) is stripped of rank and thrown out of the Navy. He sets out, with one of his crew who believes in him, to prove his innocence. He backtracks, repeating his actions from the day he was arrested.He finds one woman (Patricia Medina) dead, another woman (Joyce Howard) positive that he had something to do with it, and a talent agent (Tom Walls) who has some interesting acts on his roster as well as a sophisticated singer (Phyllis Stanley).Mason is handsome, elegant, and vital in the lead role. He handles the lighter moments very well and has lots of charm. It's easy to see why he eventually went to Hollywood. Stanley does some nice singing, and Ronald Chesney plays a great harmonica.Different and enjoyable, with a good plot and British atmosphere that will keep the viewer interested.

This is an entertaining if uninspired wartime espionage yarn. It contains a fine and energetic performance by James Mason, full of vigour and fully believing in what he is doing. He even manages to deliver convincingly the inane line to Joyce Howard, the heroine, 'I love you', despite the fact that he barely knows her and could not possibly love her. The romantic elements of this story are too ludicrous for comment. This is the third and mercifully the last of the story ideas of Basil Bartlett which were filmed. (His 'Secret Mission' was so terrible it was one of the worst films ever made.) Sir Basil was the stepfather of my friend Annabel. Sorry, Annabel. There is a strong Czech component to the film. The director, Karel Lamac, was a Czech refugee, and apart from Mason, the main performance is by the talented Czech refugee actor, Karel Stepanek, who does extremely well, as usual, and raises the tone considerably. Joyce Howard's fluttery helplessness and bone-headed character may have been typical of women in 1943, but God have mercy on us poor viewers. A spectacular element in this film, which makes it worth seeing, is the incredible harmonica playing by Ronald Chesney, who only appeared in three films and is featured a lot here. Larry Adler eat your heart out (if Larry were still here, that is). Alvar Liddell, the famous wartime radio announcer, makes his first film appearance here, for all of ten seconds. At least Finlay Currie got 20 seconds. Someone savagely cut this film prior to release, as chasms occur in the continuity of fairly mammoth proportions. It is 95 minutes and must have been 110 when the director delivered it. This will keep an undemanding viewer entertained on a rainy afternoon. I had to get the DVD from Germany (where it is known as 'Spionagering'), turn off the dubbed German soundtrack, and listen to the original, which is preserved. The things one does to see these rarities!

I have just read Patricia Medina Cotten's book entitled "Laid Back In Hollywood" (1998)and was anxious to see the wife of the late Joseph Cotten when she was an actress, preferably in the 1940's when she was at her most glamorous.I chanced upon this title "They Met In the Dark" (1944) after searching through her titles for sale on Imdb.com.I have never seen this film on UK tv, so as I like all of James Mason's films, (his voice is so unique), I obtained a VHS video copy of this film from Blackstar.co.uk. Patricia plays Mary, a manacurist girlfriend of James Mason and appears at the beginning of the film but I was sorry to see her demise in the next reel! The plot sees Mason a naval commander found guilty of negligence in not acting under orders from the high command in the merchant Navy during WWII, and losing one of His Majesty's cargo ships as a result of enemy action.Mason claims he was acting under revised orders but cannot furnish the necessary proof to the court marshall tribunal.He is determined to prove his innocence and is told that if he wishes to see his girlfriend, to meet her at a nearby cottage.Once there, he meets the film's heroine, Joyce Howard, who thinks Mason is the killer as she too has seen the body of Mary upstairs.She rushes off to report the murder but when the police arrive at the cottage and investigate, no body! Joyce is accused of the very serious wartime crime of wasting police time.The plot then moves to Liverpool as there was a card with the inscription, "Child's Theatrical Agency", Liverpool, clutched in the deceased's hand. Mason "palms this off" at the cottage as it lies on the floor, so Joyce Howard cannot even show this as evidence to the police who get even more annoyed with her.The two principal actors have an off and on relationship throughout most of the film as there is mutual suspicion between them.They become involved with fifth columnists who are seeking to obtain vital information for Germany about the departure/destination and time of the next convoy, commanded by its flotilla leader played by David Farrar (who later played the squire, Jack Reddin, in "Gone to Earth" (1950)). I won't provide a spoiler but this is perfect Sunday afternoon watching for those like me who love classic 1940's films, especially James Mason fans who are unfamiliar with this title.I gave it 3/5 stars.