Much admired in its day for its frank depiction of a somewhat seamy side of wartime London, "Waterloo Road" now seems to be a slow-paced, over-talkative, war-time propaganda piece that tries to take in too much territory. Too often the script avoids controversy and is content to shape up as a domestic romantic drama, so it's actually no wonder that the direction lacks confidence and that the fight scenes are so clumsily staged – although admittedly no doubles are used! The script's flashback-within-a-flashback construction also hinders our involvement in the plot. On the other hand, the movie's actuality photography and its authentic wartime milieu certainly give "Waterloo Road" a must-see curiosity appeal. And admittedly, John Mills and Stewart Granger are in their element here, although Alastair Sim struggles to make the best of being miscast.
Review of Waterloo Road
Waterloo Road
(1945)
Doesn't make the best use of a really top-level cast!
25 September 2014
Warning: Spoilers