So Long at the Fair

Movie Information

In Brief: Though signed by both Antony Darnborough and Terence Fisher (best known of the Hammer horror directors), So Long at the Fair (1950) is clearly the work of Fisher. (Darnborough only directed two movies — both with Fisher.) It has much the same visual flair as Fisher's horror pictures — and one very stylish scene set of the Moulin Rouge (it's not Baz Luhrmann, but it's pretty impressive, especially in a film from stuffy Gainsborough Pictures) — even if it never veers into the macabre territory you might expect. The story is based not on fact (as is often claimed), but on a popular urban myth, and concerns a young woman (Jean Simmons) visiting the 1889 Paris Exhibition with her brother (David Tomlinson). After their first night, she wakes to find that not only has her brother disappeared, but so has his room — and the hotel staff all claim she arrived alone. What follows is the convoluted answer to a convoluted mystery. It works better as a kind of "woman alone" story. The solution to the mystery is both perfectly logical and just not very thrilling, which is probably why the film has by then become more focused on her relationship with a helpful young artist (Dirk Bogarde).
Score:

Genre: Mystery
Director: Antony Darnborough (The Astonished Heart), Terence Fisher (Horror of Dracula)
Starring: Jean Simmons, Dirk Bogarde, David Tomlinson, Marcel Poncin, Cathleen Nesbitt, Honor Blackman
Rated: NR

slatf10

 

When approaching So Long at the Fair (the title comes from the children’s song “Oh, dear! What can the matter be? Johnny’s so long at the fair”) it’s as well to remember that by and large British movies were considered very much inferior to the Hollywood product. The rare exceptions were usually signed by David Lean or Carol Reed — though the Ealing comedies were also gaining ground on the international scene. An unassuming little movie like So Long at the Fair would never be considered in that elite realm — nor should it be, nor should it be judged on that basis. It’s a relatively unassuming thriller that’s, admittedly, a little shy on the thrills. It is, however, quite well done, is occasionally surprising (the balloon accident is not something you expect in a film like this), and is definitely not devoid of wit. It even pokes fun at the standard British movie notion that all you need to set a movie in France (without leaving Pinewood Studios) is to hang a backdrop of the Eiffel Tower outside a window of the set.

 

slatf08

 

The young Jean Simmons is quite effective as the young lady whose brother has not only disappeared, but, according to the blatantly shifty hotel staff (headed up by that bastion of insincerity Cathleen Nesbitt), he just plain never existed. The audience, of course, knows he did exist, but the hotel has done such a good job of erasing his presence that it seems quite impossible to prove he was ever there. Well, at least it seems like a good job until you examine it and the utterly preposterous business of the “vanishing room.” The film itself trips up the scheme with the handsome young artist (Bogarde) who had actually met the missing brother — and who, of course, comes to the aid of the beleagured sister. The studio, by the way, tried to promote a romance — at least in PR terms — between Simmons and Bogarde in an attempt to squelch the “rumors” of Bogarde’s sexuality. Unforturnately for them, Simmons ran off with Stewart Granger before the “romance” got any traction in the press.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show So Long at the Fair Sunday, June 21, at 2 p.m. in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community (behind Epic Cinemas), 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville.

SHARE
About Ken Hanke
Head film critic for Mountain Xpress from December 2000 until his death in June 2016. Author of books "Ken Russell's Films," "Charlie Chan at the Movies," "A Critical Guide to Horror Film Series," "Tim Burton: An Unauthorized Biography of the Filmmaker."

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.