'jacques tourneur's circle of danger - american comes to the uk searching for news about his dead brother (killed on a commando raid before d-day), only a few of the 12 men on that raid are left alive. but there was a thirteenth man...'
well it's very like tourneur's night of the demon - american in britain (only in this case he goes to wales, scotland and birmingham as well), british love interest, a whistled tune (white heather the film claims but horsemouth hasn't been able to verify that, or indeed find a scottish tune of that name that's not a foxtrot or a jig). IMDB reminds him that a whistled theme is used in fritz lang's M but horsemouth remembers also in night of the demon. mr. meek the medium (from that film) pops up in a supporting role as a ballet afficionado.
'it's almost as if everything is waiting' remarks the american by a silent lake (it is a classy tourneurish moment but it goes nowhere).
the problem is not with the cast (who give it a good punt) or with tourneur (who does his best with the material) - it's with the script, everybody is just too likeable and fundamentally decent, the guns don't come out until right at the end. there was an opportunity for tragedy (but that route was not taken).
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horsemouth's version of katy cruel has just re-appeared after a long absence. recorded four (or maybe even five) years ago the slide guitar (it was recorded on the resonator horsemouth thinks) could do with thinning down but really it could do with something else (violin or something or someone elses voice as lead).
horsemouths sing the mains and howard sings the harmonies on the chorus.
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it's the saturday morning. horsemouth's brother's family are here (snoozing away in their various locations). horsemouth is up early because this is the time at which he usually feeds the chickens. later (not so much later) a restaurant meal.
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