I love pre-war and wartime British cinema. There's a cheery innocence about the movies made then that came with an English twinkle and upbeat feel that was reassuring and fortifying. The film industry did everything possible to keep spirits up.
Poison Pen has always been a favorite, largely because the film's theme isn't too far removed from a social issue we deal with today. Directed by Paul L. Stein and starring Flora Robson, Reginald Tate and Ann Todd, the movie was based on the 1937 play of the same title by Richard Llewellyn, who would go on to write How Green Was My Valley and None But the Lonely Heart.
In short, Poison Pen tracks the transformation of a quiet, convivial English village when residents start receiving hostile and gossip-laced letters from an anonymous source. In many respects, the film presages social media and what can happen when healthy minds are twisted and trust is broken by trolling, online bullying, the spreading of lies and so on.
To view Poison Pen go here. Enlarge the film to fill your screen to avoid interruptions. It's a high-resolution print.
Reminder: Director Carol P. Chamberland's video documentary Legend of Bop City will be available to you only until Sunday night at midnight (ET). Then the video will go back in the can, and you may never see it again.
To access the video, copy this password: JWCPC21bQ
Next, go here and paste it into the box when asked.
If you need the link to reach the page, it's https://vimeo.com/897608425
Enjoy!
