Cage of Gold

This tightly directed Ealing Studios drama from 1950 was very much a feature for the then 21-year old Jean Simmons (although she was already a veteran of 17 films and an Academy Award nominee for her 1948 appearance as Ophelia in Laurence Olivier's 'Hamlet').

This was in fact her third celluloid outing with male lead David Farrar. The plot here is relatively simple but one handled extremely efficiently. Judith Moray (Simmons) is a young woman who has a fling with wing commander Bill Glennan (Farrar), an older man, during the war years and some years later bumps into him quite by chance at Piccadilly Tube Station. By this time she is in a steady relationship with Dr. Alan Kearn (James Donald) - but the old flame decides to rekindle the relationship…

With Bill Glennan we get a pretty good idea from the outset that this fellow is bit of a rotter and that’s an understatement! Here we see the 'incredibly handsome ' Farrar (director Michael Powell once spoke of his good looks) playing an unmitigated bounder and cad of the first order. Indeed, there does not appear to be a good bone in his entire body. It takes him no time at all to sweep young and impressionable Judith off her pretty young feet and take her away from the nice Alan. As a result of this hurried whirlwind romance, Judith finds herself very quickly married to Bill and pregnant to boot. Of course, Bill had another motive all along and Judith even got a brief inkling as to Bill's shady past - but gauche smitten girl that she is, it didn't register. When Bill's slimy plan doesn't go his way (his father-in-law is unable to provide the financial support he had hoped for), he's soon off to Paris (where he is only too well known), leaving poor Judith very much in the lurch with only her ever so decent ex Alan to help. Yes, we know that she and Alan, only to happy to be a surrogate father to Bill's child, will get it together - but does anyone actually think forever after? 'Bad penny's' have a habit of returning…

Meanwhile in Paris at the 'La Cage D'or' nightclub, we learn that Bill is or was a permanent fixture. Enter attractive chanteuse Marie Jouvet (Madeleine Lebeau) doing her nightly routine. Bill, this dastardly 'breaker of hearts', was her former lover and had left her too after liberally ripping her off - but such is Bill's power it would appear that he can practically get away with anything he likes. Somewhat shady club owner Rahman (Herbert Lom) has warned Marie repeatedly as to what kind of man Bill is - but even though she knows it she cannot resist him: “His face, his voice, when he touches me”. She gets Bill a job as barman at the club - and in no time he's up to his old tricks again and seduces a wealthy businessman's daughter. Rahman - obviously no fan of Bill's - buys his passport at an exorbitant price for a crooked overseas job and the person who acquires the passport is killed.

Judith and Alan read this in the newspapers and are relieved to think Bill is no longer. Back in Paris, Bill reads of their marriage (quite why this would be world news is another matter - or has Alan now become that famous a Doctor?). As mentioned earlier, after having his usual money making scam scuppered - his attempt to screw money out of businessman Duport (Gregoire Aslan) fails - he's back in dear Ole Blighty to pester poor Alan and Judith. He is/was her husband and the child's father after all. This simply has to result in dire consequences… The denouement here must surely be one of the most contrived coincidences ever. Never in a million years but... well, such things can happen or at least in films they can.

Jean Simmons does her demure thing and James Donald is as ever frightfully nice. As for David Farrar...well, what can one say. He was at that time the most irresistible man in the world (apparently) and perfectly cast. Old stager Harcourt Williams turns up as Alan's wise father Dr. Kearn senior and Bernard Lee appears as the understanding Inspector Grey. It’s all a little old fashioned perhaps but nicely done and besides, we all love a bastard, don't we? Douglas Slocombe provided the moody cinematography and Jean Simmons’ costumes originally were designed by Frederick Starke for her 21st birthday party and then reused in the movie.

CAGE OF GOLD is now available on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital in a brand-new 4K restoration. Bonus Material includes: ‘Liz Tregenza on dress designer Fredrick Starke’ and ‘Behind the Scenes stills gallery’