The Passing of the Third Floor Back (1935)

The tenants of an old boarding house are terrorized by an evil slumlord. One day a strange man arrives at the house and begins to help them with their problems.

Director:

Berthold Viertel

Writers:

Jerome K. Jerome (story), Michael Hogan (screenplay),

Stars:

Conrad Veidt, René Ray, Frank Cellier

Cast

Cast overview:
Conrad Veidt	...	The Stranger
René Ray	...	Stasia (as Rene Ray)
Frank Cellier	...	Wright
Anna Lee	...	Vivian
John Turnbull	...	Major Tomkin
Cathleen Nesbitt	...	Mrs. Tomkin (as Catherine Nesbitt)
Ronald Ward	...	Chris Penny
Beatrix Lehmann	...	Miss Kite
Jack Livesey	...	Mr. Larkcom
Sara Allgood	...	Mrs. de Hooley
Mary Clare	...	Mrs. Sharpe
Barbara Everest	...	Cook
Alexander Sarner	...	The Gramophone Man

Storyline

In a London boarding house, a number of lives exist precariously on the edge of disaster or despair. Stasia, the housemaid, hungers for happiness but is treated like a drudge and constantly threatened with a return to the punishments of her youth. Vivian, a beautiful young girl, loves the architect Chris, but must marry the repugnant Mr. Wright in order to erase her parents' debts. Miss Kite derides all around her out of fear of aging and loss of beauty, while her friend Mr. Larkcom sells mediocre phonograph records though he'd secretly love to be a concert pianist. Into the lives of these and other unhappy residents comes a mysterious stranger, under whose influence they each begin to see the possibility of happiness. But the cynical Mr. Wright prefers to see them in misery and plots to thwart the angelic stranger who lives in the back room of the third floor.

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Plot Keywords:

symbolism | supernatural | remake | based on play

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 December 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hyvä ihminen

Filming Locations:

Gainsborough Studios, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gaumont British Picture Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (British Acoustic)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Remake of The Passing of the Third Floor Back (1918)

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Soundtracks

"Bridal March"
(uncredited)
from "Lohengrin"
Music by Richard Wagner
Arranged by Louis Levy

User Reviews

disarming visitor shepherds the hurting residents

I thoroughly enjoyed this film the first time I saw it. I have seen it twice in about the last 10 years on late night TV. It's been a while since my last viewing of the film.

It has a powerful message and has elements of the hero-flick, in the personal presence, and apparent infallibility of Mr Veidt's character.

The sinfulness of our human character, in several of its guises, is on display in this film; lust, greed, folly, etc.

What is compelling is Veidt's character's dealing with such realities of our nature. Rather than blasting all the evildoers away with bullets as one might expect in a "hero-flick", he expresses patience, acceptance of their frailties and love to the unlovable house guests.

The film might prompt you to ask the question, who in history has loved humanity in such a sacrificially way?