Libel (film)
| Libel | |
|---|---|
 1959 Theatrical Poster |
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| Directed by | Anthony Asquith |
| Produced by | Anatole de Grunwald |
| Written by | Edward Wooll (play) Anatole de Grunwald Karl Tunberg |
| Starring | Dirk Bogarde Olivia de Havilland Paul Massie Robert Morley Wilfrid Hyde-White |
| Music by | Benjamin Frankel |
| Cinematography | Robert Krasker |
| Editing by | Frank Clarke |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) | October 23, 1959 |
| Running time | 100 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Libel is a 1959 British drama film.[1][2] It stars Olivia de Havilland, Dirk Bogarde, Paul Massie, Wilfrid Hyde-White and Robert Morley. The film's screenplay was written by Anatole de Grunwald and Karl Tunberg from a 1935 play of the same name by Edward Wooll,[3] and it was directed by Anthony Asquith.
The Broadway play, which had starred Colin Clive, was adapted for radio in 1941 using the original references to World War I. Ronald Colman played the leading role in the Jan. 13, 1941, CBS network Lux Radio Theater broadcast, with Otto Kruger and Frances Robinson. The role of an amnesiac World War I veteran had similarities to Colman's 1942 hit Random Harvest. [4]
A 1938 BBC television production [5], featured actor Wyndham Goldie, husband of eventual BBC television producer Grace Wyndham Goldie.
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[edit] Plot
While traveling in London, Jeffrey Buckenham (Massie), a Canadian Second World War veteran, sees Sir Mark Sebastian Loddon (Bogarde) on television leading a tour of his grand family home. Buckenham was held in a German POW camp with Loddon, and while watching him, becomes convinced that he is in fact another former POW, Frank Wellney, an actor (also played by Bogarde). Buckenham publicly announces his suspicion that Wellney murdered Loddon during an escape from the POW camp, and has taken the young nobleman's place. Loddon sues Buckenham for libel, but his mind is still battered by some terrible incident that occurred during his escape fifteen years before, and in time even his loyal wife (de Havilland) begins to doubt him.
[edit] Awards
The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound (A. W. Watkins).[6]
[edit] References
- ^ Variety film review; October 21, 1959, page 6.
- ^ Harrison's Reports film review; October 24, 1959, page 170.
- ^ "Libel" by Edward Wooll played on Broadway for 159 performances in 1935-1936. IBDB "Libel"
- ^ "Libel" on Lux Radio Theater; January 13, 1941; at Internet Archive: Overview [1] and Recording [2]
- ^ "Libel" (TV) 1938 Internet Movie Database: [3]
- ^ "The 32nd Academy Awards (1960) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/32nd-winners.html. Retrieved 2011-08-21.
[edit] External links
- Libel (film) at the Internet Movie Database
- Libel at AllRovi
- Libel (film) at the TCM Movie Database
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