IMDb RATING
6.8/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
A noblewoman begins to lead a dangerous double life in order to alleviate her boredom.A noblewoman begins to lead a dangerous double life in order to alleviate her boredom.A noblewoman begins to lead a dangerous double life in order to alleviate her boredom.
Enid Stamp-Taylor
- Lady Henrietta Kingsclere
- (as Enid Stamp Taylor)
Peter Madden
- Hawker
- (as Peter Maddon)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaBoth Margaret Lockwood and Patricia Roc were brought back to Gainsborough to re-shoot some of their scenes with less revealing décolleté versions of their wardrobe (appropriate for the era portrayed). Despite this, The Wicked Lady (1945) was the very first British film to be cut by Hollywood censors due to leading lady Margaret Lockwood's still remaining revealing cleavage. It was a problem Jane Russell also had in "The Outlaw" (1943). TCM sometimes airs the original, uncensored version on its USA cable network. Margaret Lockwood said "We had to do nine days of re-takes to satisfy the censor on that film and it all seemed very foolish." Mason said "I don't like it now," referring to the film after the changes.
- GoofsThe wedding scene shows two musicians playing clarinets. The clarinet wasn't invented until 1690. The movie takes place in the 1680s.
- Quotes
Lady Henrietta Kingsclere: Barbara, are you trying to make a fool of me?
Barbara Worth: Of course not. There's no need.
- Alternate versionsThe first USA release version differed from the original UK version by substituting footage with higher necklines on some women's costumes.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The World According to Smith & Jones: The Napoleonic Wars (1987)
Featured review
Wickedly Lavish, But Picturegoers Loved It!
Not popular with the critics,and I agree the critical chorus had a certain amount of truth behind it. True, the plot is full-blown melodrama and the characters are pasteboard figures. But what does it matter? Is not extravagant plotting with all its coincidences, unlikely twists and larger than life surprises the stuff that escapist entertainment is made of? Are not players of the calibre of Mason, Lockwood, Rennie, Jones, Aylmer, Roc and Stamp Taylor sufficiently personable and charismatic to breathe life into one-dimensionally written figures? Certainly, I think so (even if Mason himself did not, although undoubtedly one of the causes of his dissatisfaction was the role's brevity).
Leslie Arliss has written and directed with verve, pace and style, his script helped by a great deal of witty additional dialogue and catty repartee, his direction aided by Jack Cox's typically moody, gray-toned photography, John Bryan's magnificent sets, Elizabeth Haffenden's eye-catching Restoration costumes. (Perhaps some of the film's enormous success at the box office can be traced to its low-cut, period gowns. It would be hard to deny that Misses Lockwood and Roc fill their costumes most attractively).
The Wicked Lady has an undeniable sweep and a vigorous dash that carries the audience right along. It may be too excitingly plotted for some, but it always looks so terribly authentic, it is hard not to be drawn into the machinations of villainess Lockwood or sympathize with the careless, carefree vigor of James Mason's full-blooded Captain Jackson. A welcome cast of deservedly popular support artists help round out the movie's terrific production values. Aside from some obvious process screen effects, no expense has been spared. In fact, this Wicked Lady is lavish to a fault.
Leslie Arliss has written and directed with verve, pace and style, his script helped by a great deal of witty additional dialogue and catty repartee, his direction aided by Jack Cox's typically moody, gray-toned photography, John Bryan's magnificent sets, Elizabeth Haffenden's eye-catching Restoration costumes. (Perhaps some of the film's enormous success at the box office can be traced to its low-cut, period gowns. It would be hard to deny that Misses Lockwood and Roc fill their costumes most attractively).
The Wicked Lady has an undeniable sweep and a vigorous dash that carries the audience right along. It may be too excitingly plotted for some, but it always looks so terribly authentic, it is hard not to be drawn into the machinations of villainess Lockwood or sympathize with the careless, carefree vigor of James Mason's full-blooded Captain Jackson. A welcome cast of deservedly popular support artists help round out the movie's terrific production values. Aside from some obvious process screen effects, no expense has been spared. In fact, this Wicked Lady is lavish to a fault.
- JohnHowardReid
- Aug 22, 2008
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- £900,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 44 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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