They Were Sisters (1945)

Director:

Arthur Crabtree

Writers:

Dorothy Whipple (novel) and
Roland Pertwee (writer)

Release Date:

20 September 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The story of three sisters who marry men of widely different character as their individual and widely-different married lives unfold...

Plot Keywords:

Alcohol | Marital Abuse | Based On Novel

Cast

Phyllis Calvert	...	Lucy Moore
James Mason	...	Geoffrey Lee
Hugh Sinclair	...	Terry Crawford
Anne Crawford	...	Vera Sargeant
Peter Murray-Hill	...	William Moore
Dulcie Gray	...	Charlotte Lee
Barry Livesey	...	Brian Sargeant
Pamela Mason	...	Margaret Lee (as Pamela Kellino)
Ann Stephens	...	Judith Lee
Helen Stephens	...	Sarah Sargeant
John Gilpin	...	Stephen Lee
Brian Nissen	...	John Watson
David Horne	...	Mr. Field
Brefni O'Rorke	...	Coroner
Roland Pertwee	...	Sir Hamish Nair

Runtime:

Australia:110 min | USA:115 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | West Germany:16 | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #11807)

Company:

Gainsborough Pictures

James Mason at his sadistic best

If you have seen "The Man in Grey (1943)" and enjoyed it, you should take the time and trouble to seek out this forgotten gem from 1945 for it again stars James Mason playing a sadistic, manipulative husband, albeit in modern dress.Alongside, it tells the story of three very different sisters at a time between the two world wars.The story also follows their respective marriages and the type of husbands they wed.

Phylis Calvert (Lucy) plays a "goody two shoes" sister who has tragically lost a daughter but has a very supportive, understanding husband.A very sexy Anne Crawford plays a promiscuous wife (Vera) who finds her husband boring and looks for affairs on the side.To be fair to her character, she did say to her fiancé that she did not love him before they wed.Nevertheless they have a daughter together.There is a brief sexy scene where Vera is putting on her stockings which is far more daring than you will see in American films of the time with the Hays Censorship Code in place.I have quite a collection of films of this vintage and the only equivalent film I can think of is the Madeleine Carroll/Robert Donat scene in the Scottish hotel bedroom from "The 39 Steps" (1935).As an aside, if you would like to see another performance by Anne Crawford, seek out "Millions Like Us" (1943).

Finally Dulcie Gray plays (Charlotte) the passive victim-type sister who marries "Geoffrey" (James Mason) at his sadistic best.They have an elder daughter and a younger son and daughter who come to despise their cruel, manipulative father.You may smile at their frightfully refined, polished accents (presumably taught at stage school) but this is one of the charms I find from films of this time.Another reviewer commented on the near incestuous relationship hinted at in the film with his elder daughter played by his later real wife, Pamela Mason. Good must triumph in these morality films of the time.No, I won't provide a spoiler.I do know that I have my wife's attention with a film such as "They Were Sisters" if I dare to speak during it and she cuts me off.This was no exception!!