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IMDb > The Stars Look Down (1940)

The Stars Look Down (1940) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.6/10   286 votes
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Director:
Carol Reed
Writers:
A.J. Cronin (novel)
A. Coppel (scenario) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for The Stars Look Down on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
24 February 1940 (UK) more
Genre:
Drama more
Plot:
Davey Fenwick leaves his mining village on a university scholarship intent on returning to better support the miners against the owners... more | add synopsis
User Comments:
working class and academic thinking under fine cinematography more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Runtime:
110 min | West Germany:90 min (TV)
Country:
UK
Language:
English
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Certification:
Finland:K-12 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1997)
Filming Locations:
Cumbria, England, UK more
Company:
Grafton Films more

Fun Stuff

Quotes:
[first lines]
Richard Barras: Well, Fenwick, will the men work tomorrow?
Robert Fenwick: Not if its to be in Scupper Flats, Mr. Barras.
[indicating a well-dressed union official]
Richard Barras: Even against your union?
Robert Fenwick: The union isn't being asked to work in Scupper Flats. On the other side of that coal seam is a million tons of flood water ready to rush right down on top of us.
Richard Barras: You don't think I'd take a chance in floodin' me own mine, do you, Fenwick?
Robert Fenwick: Well, show us the plans of them old workings, then!
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Movie Connections:
Version of "...e le stelle stanno a guardare" (1971) more

FAQ

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12 out of 13 people found the following comment useful:-
working class and academic thinking under fine cinematography, 28 January 2002
Author: rogierr from Amsterdam, Netherlands

The main storyline is concerned with workers, capitalists and academic thinkers (resp. 'down' and 'stars' ?). And it might become much more relevant again soon. What's the use of a college education in times of recession and strikes? Like Jack Palance said in le Mepris (1963, Godard) 'wise men don't humiliate others with their lesser abilities....'. 'On The Waterfront' was way better on this economic subject, but as far as I'm concerned that was merely because of its director and protagonist. Others might emphasize it is American and has more suspense, which is true.

The dialogues sound kind of flat or monotonous, but the story is absolutely entertaining enough and the cinematography by Mutz Greenbaum (Thunder Rock) is really fine. He especially knows his way with contrast and composition apparently. Carol Reed (Odd Man Out, Fallen Idol, Third Man) gently develops the story and the points he (and writer Alec Coppel, who also wrote Vertigo and Obsession) wants to make. The movie as a whole is a quite moralistic and a bit too sincere, but again the directing and the cinematography more than make up. At last but not least, Michael Redgrave (Thunder Rock, Mr. Arkadin, the Innocents) puts forward a great deal of realism, enforcing A. J. Cronin's points. A point is that different social classes should have more respect for each other because they are complements, not substitutes. Another point is that it is probably a personal story (Cronin's ?). 8/10

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