The Wicked Lady (1945)

A noblewoman begins to lead a dangerous double life in order to alleviate her boredom.

Director:

Leslie Arliss

Writers:

Magdalen King-Hall (novel), Leslie Arliss (screenplay)

Stars:

Margaret Lockwood, James Mason, Patricia Roc

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Margaret Lockwood	...	Barbara Skelton
James Mason	...	Captain Jerry Jackson
Patricia Roc	...	Caroline
Griffith Jones	...	Sir Ralph Skelton
Michael Rennie	...	Kit Locksby
Felix Aylmer	...	Hogarth
Enid Stamp-Taylor	...	Lady Henrietta Kingsclere (as Enid Stamp Taylor)
Francis Lister	...	Lord Kingsclere
Beatrice Varley	...	Aunt Moll
Amy Dalby	...	Aunt Doll
Martita Hunt	...	Cousin Agatha
David Horne	...	Martin Worth
Emrys Jones	...	Ned Cotterill
Helen Goss	...	Mistress Betsy
Muriel Aked	...	Mrs. Munce

Storyline

17th-century beauty Barbara Worth starts her career of crime by stealing her best friend's bridegroom. Her next exploit is to recover gambling losses by donning mask and cloak and taking to the roads as a highwayman! The thrill of these ventures proves addictive...especially when she meets a male highwayman who becomes her lover. Together, the two desperados lead a gay secret life, pursued by the local magistrate Sir Ralph Skelton...Barbara's husband! To what further crimes will the wicked Lady Skelton descend?

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Plot Keywords:

wedding | highwayman | mask | obsessive love | husband wife relationship | 

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Taglines:

Mason meets his match in "The Wicked Lady". (Title lobby card).

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Came ninth in the UK's Ultimate Film, in which films were placed in order of how many seats they sold at cinemas

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Goofs

When Barbara and Captain Jack hold up a bullion coach, they do so by blocking a bridge with a tipped-over carriage. After they make their getaway, one of the coachmen gives chase on horseback from the bridge, but the tipped-over coach has now vanished.

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Quotes

Hogarth: "Vanity of vanity, said the preacher. All is vanity." Ecclesiastes chapter one, verse two. Or is it three?

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Alternate Versions

The first USA release version differed from the original UK version by substituting footage with higher necklines on some women's costumes.

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Connections

Featured in The Ultimate Film (2004)

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Soundtracks

Gigue
(uncredited)
Music by Henry Purcell
Arranged by Hans May

User Reviews

Amoral woman slays men left and right

This Gainsborough Picture costume drama stars Margaret Lockwood and James Mason with Lockwood playing the title role of The Wicked Lady. If you think this film bear resemblance to Forever Amber you'd be right. But Amber St.Clair is a Girl Scout next to the beautiful and treacherous Lockwood as Barbara Worth.

It all starts with Lockwood coming to live with Roc who is about to be married to the propertied and nice, but rather dull Griffith Jones. Lockwood sees security there and when she sets her cap for Jones he and Roc don't have a prayer.

But after that this minx craves excitement that Jones who is not just a landed squire, but concerned with social issues and ahead of his time that way. Lockwood after losing a precious ruby at cards then impersonates notorious highwayman James Mason and steals it back. Mason catches her and he should have obeyed his first impulse to kill her. But Lockwood uses her charms on him and the dashing Dick Turpin like highwayman is also hooked.

This film really belongs to Lockwood. I've not seen too many people as amoral as Lockwood on the screen. Beautiful and deadly this woman is the equal of other amoral females such as Jane Greer in Out Of The Past and Anne Baxter in All About Eve. Four men who trusted her meet death at her hands.

James Mason also deserves a mention. He's got quite the swagger in him as highwayman Jerry Jackson. Sad in terms of acting is competing with Lockwood who gets the woman's role of a lifetime, but he more than holds his own.

If you like Gainsborough's English costume dramas you'll love The Wicked Woman.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 December 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

Le masque aux yeux verts

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

GBP900,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gainsborough Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (BAF Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1