So Long at the Fair (1951)

That was an excellent one.

Dreadfully Boring

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Not for the first time and very probably not for the last it would appear that the majority of viewers who have posted reports on this film watched a different movie to the one I watched. For one thing I was unable to detect any chemistry between Bogarde and Simmons whilst several posters praised the superabundance. This brings us to the plot; Simmons arrives in Paris with brother David Tomlinson. Having registered at their hotel albeit Tomlinson conveniently omits to sign the register, they spend a day at the Exposition, which is the main reason they have come to Paris. This means that we, the audience, have been watching Tomlinson for a little over one reel, so when the next morning not only Tomlinson but also his very hotel room have completely vanished and the hotel staff swear to a man that Simmons arrived alone, we know very well this is a lie. The plot thus falls at the first hurdle. How much more effective if we ourselves never actually see Tomlinson but see Simmons talking to an offscreen brother so that we find it much easier to doubt Simmons sanity. The denoument is equally risible as rather than denying his existence to the authorities the hotel owner wuld be conspiring with the authorities in order to avoid panic.

In this mystery thriller from Betty E. Box, producer of the exciting The Clouded Yellow, Jean Simmons and her brother David Tomlinson travel to Paris on vacation. It takes place in the 1800s, back before folks were allowed to walk up the Eiffel Tower, so it would have been highly unusual and improper for a young woman to travel alone. They check into a bustling hotel, and in the commotion, David forgets to sign the register, leaving Jean to sign it alone. They unpack, go to dinner, and then retire to their separate rooms for the night.The next morning, Jean goes across the hall to wake her brother, but his room has disappeared. Literally, there's nothing but wallpaper in its place. The hotel proprietress claims Jean checked in alone, and none of the staff remember her brother's existence. Dumb dumb dumb. . .So Long at the Fair is a very entertaining mystery that will keep you tense until the end. It has a very British feel to it, because besides Jean Simmons, everyone keeps a stiff upper lip despite the very strange situation. Jean Simmons does a very good job as an innocent girl trying to take matters into her own hands for the first time, and joining the supporting cast is Dirk Bogarde, Honor Blackman, and Cathleen Nesbitt. Pick this one up when you're in the mood for a Hitchcock-esque film minus the psychosis and adding in beautiful dresses.

So Long at the Fair is directed by Terence Fisher and Antony Darnborough and written by Hugh Mills and Anthony Thorne. It stars Dirk Bogarde, Jean Simmons, David Tomlinson, Marcel Poncin, Felix Aylmer and Cathleen Nesbitt. Music is by Benjamin Frankel and cinematography by Reginald Wyer.Adapted from Thorne's novel of the same name, story is set in Paris 1889 (not 1896 as some other sources strangely suggest it is) and sees Simmons as Vicky Barton, who awakes in her hotel to find that her brother, and his hotel room, are missing. With the hotel staff adamant that she checked in alone and that her brother never accompanied her, Vicky is confused and very alone. However, hope comes in the form of handsome artist George Hathaway (Bogarde), who had an exchange with Vicky's brother and therefore can vouch for his existence. But with the odds stacked against them and proof hard to find, can the pair of them uncover the truth and solve the mystery?It seems now to be a familiar plot, but it wasn't back then and the story's origin is derived from an urban legend. What unfolds over the film's running time is a sharply told mystery that is infused with good quality drama. Simmons and Bogarde make for a very engaging couple and it's very easy to root for them as they set about their sleuthing. However, the film is split into two as regards tonal worth.The first half is the most atmospheric as Simmons' Vicky is a stranger in a strange land, her fraught helplessness over her missing brother is enhanced by the language problems. This aspect impacts on us the viewers by there not being any sub-titles for the French speaking parts of the script. A good move is that.Once Vicky teams up with George the thriller suspense gives way to detective mystery, which is fine, and for sure the "reveal" that comes in the finale is credible, but it's hard not to lament a touch that the pic hasn't stayed in "darker" mode, even if the score is consistently too jaunty for such a story. While the black and white photography is, however, tonally pleasing, and the Victorian costuming is authentic looking. There's a couple of off kilter shots but noir like visuals are in short supply, and characterisations and basis of plotting do not scream out as being noir influenced, so you have to wonder why the film has found its way into a DVD collection of British Noir? It's a classy little mystery, boosted by some prime British acting talent, but first time viewers expecting a Brit film noir should heed my warning, it's not! 7/10

This is an entertaining, engaging little thriller that is very satisfying, thanks to the convincing performance of the lovely leading lady Jean Simmons, the good direction from Darnborough and Fisher, and the impeccably tight screenplay.Simmons plays a young woman, Vicky Barton, who, while visiting Paris at the time of the World Fair in 1896, loses her brother, Johnny. The film revolves around Simmon's attempts to find him, her fear and uncertainty over whether or not he really is missing at all, and her falling in love with a nice young artist George (Dirk Bogarde), who is the only one who believes her story. The film culminates in a satisfying, logical conclusion befitting the circumstances.I liked this late-period Gainsbourough film a lot (how different it is from the earlier productions). Simmons is gorgeous and a very young Bogarde matches up well with her. Perhaps the film is lacking in character development (from the moment Simmons meets Bogarde we just know they will fall in love), giving way to the riveting plot, but that's just part of the fun.Hitchcock apparently was a great admirer of this film. I find that interesting as this film actually resembles Hitchock's 1938 film "The Lady Vanishes"! I can see why Hitchcock admired this one though, with its careful crafting of suspense and elegantly directed scenes. Darnborough and Fisher also pull of a feat that Hitchcock himself had trouble with- a costume picture.A great little picture. Highly recommend.