21 Days Together (1940)
If 21 Days Together had been made in 1930, I would have cut it more slack. It feels like it was one of the first talking pictures ever made, not like it was made after such epics of Gone with the Wind and Wuthering Heights. The script is disjointed, the direction amateur, and the scene transitions are silly. Plus, Vivien Leigh’s performance is so stinky it’s impossible to believe she was an Academy Award winning actress.
Real life spouses Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh play sweethearts in the movie, but when her husband shows up after a three-year absence, Larry accidentally kills him. An innocent homeless man, Hay Petrie, gets arrested for the murder, and Larry feels so guilty he turns to Leslie Banks, his brother, for advice. Leslie is up for a prestigious judge appointment, and he doesn’t want any scandal, so he encourages Larry to stay silent until the trial. Hence the trial. Larry and Vivien have 21 days of bliss together before they learn the verdict. Naturally, they spend their time taking ferry rides, riding roller coasters, darning socks, and going to the fair. See what I mean? It’s pretty silly, almost like a college student was in charge of the story.
Leslie Banks has a larger part than Laurence Olivier, and he’s sufficiently nervous and overbearing as the role requires. In turn, Larry is sufficiently brooding and handsome as the role requires. Oddly enough, there’s zero chemistry or sparks between him and his wife. Vivien seems like this was her first acting role. If you thought her eyebrow raise as Scarlett O’Hara was good acting, you’ll be sorely disappointed when you see it in the same position the entire time during 21 Days Together. With an unflattering haircut and a bad makeup job, she doesn’t even look pretty, and her strange delivery of her lines makes it seem like she’s faking her British accent. I really can’t recommend this movie, I’m sorry to say.
DLM warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. There's a scene where they go to a carnival, and the roller-coaster rides are filmed in POV shots, and it will probably make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on YouTube. And thanks "Alma G" for posting!
More Vivien Leigh movies here!
More Robert Newton movies here!
Real life spouses Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh play sweethearts in the movie, but when her husband shows up after a three-year absence, Larry accidentally kills him. An innocent homeless man, Hay Petrie, gets arrested for the murder, and Larry feels so guilty he turns to Leslie Banks, his brother, for advice. Leslie is up for a prestigious judge appointment, and he doesn’t want any scandal, so he encourages Larry to stay silent until the trial. Hence the trial. Larry and Vivien have 21 days of bliss together before they learn the verdict. Naturally, they spend their time taking ferry rides, riding roller coasters, darning socks, and going to the fair. See what I mean? It’s pretty silly, almost like a college student was in charge of the story.
Leslie Banks has a larger part than Laurence Olivier, and he’s sufficiently nervous and overbearing as the role requires. In turn, Larry is sufficiently brooding and handsome as the role requires. Oddly enough, there’s zero chemistry or sparks between him and his wife. Vivien seems like this was her first acting role. If you thought her eyebrow raise as Scarlett O’Hara was good acting, you’ll be sorely disappointed when you see it in the same position the entire time during 21 Days Together. With an unflattering haircut and a bad makeup job, she doesn’t even look pretty, and her strange delivery of her lines makes it seem like she’s faking her British accent. I really can’t recommend this movie, I’m sorry to say.
DLM warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. There's a scene where they go to a carnival, and the roller-coaster rides are filmed in POV shots, and it will probably make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on YouTube. And thanks "Alma G" for posting!
More Vivien Leigh movies here!
More Robert Newton movies here!