The Upturned Glass (1947)

Director:

Lawrence Huntington

Writers:

Pamela Mason
John Monaghan (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

29 December 1947 (Portugal)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

A prominent neurosurgeon relates to his students in medical school a story about an affair he had with a married woman and how...

Plot Keywords:

British Noir

Cast

James Mason	...	Michael Joyce
Rosamund John	...	Emma Wright
Pamela Mason	...	Kate Howard (as Pamela Kellino)
Ann Stephens	...	Ann Wright
Morland Graham	...	Clay
Brefni O'Rorke	...	Dr. Farrell
Henry Oscar	...	Coroner
Jane Hylton	...	Miss Marsh
Sheila Huntington	...	1st Girl Student
Susan Shaw	...	2nd Girl Student
Peter Cotes	...	Male Student
Nuna Davey	...	Mrs. Deva
Judith Carol	...	Joan Scott-Trotter
John Monaghan	...	U.S. Driver (as Jno. P. Monaghan)
Maurice Denham	...	Mobile Policeman
Janet Burnell	...	Sylvia
Margaret Withers	...	Party Guest
Beatrice Varley	...	Injured Girl's Mother
Hélène Burls	...	Farm Laborer's Wife (as Helene Burls)
Howard Douglas	...	Lorry Driver
Richard Afton	...	Lorry Driver's Mate
Lyn Evans	...	County Policeman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cyril Chamberlain	...	Junior Doctor (uncredited)
George Merritt	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Glyn Rowland	...	Policeman (uncredited)
John Stone	...	Male Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Lawrence Huntington

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Pamela Mason		(as Pamela Kellino)
John Monaghan		screenplay (as Jno. P. Monaghan)
John Monaghan		story (as Jno P. Monaghan)

Produced by
Betty E. Box	....	associate producer
Sydney Box	....	producer
James Mason	....	producer

Original Music by
Bernard Stevens

Cinematography by
Reginald H. Wyer

Film Editing by
Alan Osbiston

Art Direction by
Andrew Mazzei

Costume Design by
Mattli

Makeup Department
Nell Taylor	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Antony Darnborough	....	production manager
Fraser Foulsham	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Basil Keys	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Stephen Dalby	....	sound recordist
John W. Mitchell	....	sound recordist (as John Mitchell)
George Burgess	....	sound supervisor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bernard Lewis	....	camera (as Bernie Lewis)
Cyril Stanborough	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Jean Barker	....	cutter

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	conductor: The London Symphony Orchestra

Other crew
J. Arthur Rank	....	presenter

Production Companies

• Sydney Box Productions (as Triton)

Distributors

• General Film Distributors (GFD) (1947) (UK) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1947) (USA) (theatrical)
• J. Arthur Rank Film (1948) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Darker Images Video (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Hollywood's Best (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Hollywood's Best (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• R&B Video (2005) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | UK:A | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Gainsborough Studios, Islington, London, England, UK

Company:

Sydney Box Productions

Soundtrack:

Madame, Will You Walk?

"Today I Sat In Judgement"

James Mason in one of his last British films before accepting that contract with MGM and leaving for America plays a doctor who may have become too detached from life. A prominent brain surgeon he accepts the case of young Ann Stephens whose eyesight he saves with a delicate operation. In the process he falls in love with Ann's mother Rosamund John.

Both Mason and John are separated from their respective spouses and we never meet either of them in The Upturned Glass. But their relationship contains a mixture of guilt for both of them. Shortly after they end things, Mason hears that John falls to her death in her own home.

Mason had already met Pamela Kellino and formed a bad opinion of her almost immediately. She's Rosamund's sister-in-law and Stephen's aunt and she's a selfish materialistic woman, a regular Cruela DeVille in real life. She's easy too hate and Mason courts her to get close.

The film is told about 2/3 of the way in flashback as Mason lectures to a university class on the atypical murderer, the sane and logical one which he naturally takes himself to be. The rest of the film is a revealing portrayal of how Mason should be seen.

The Upturned Glass is a nice bit of melodramatic noir with Mason really carrying this film. His perfect performance makes The Upturned Glass seem far better than it really is.