Ill Met by Moonlight

[Juan Aneiros]

A new content_films entry has been added:

Ill Met by Moonlight

[Dan Hughes]

I saw this film in 1957. Wow, that date's me doesn't it. My Dad, who was a career soldier, had just returned from overseas and we went to see it together. Dirk Bogard, a wonderful actor who was making a name for himself was in it. A highly popular radio programme at the time 'The Goon Show' with Peter Sellars, Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe did a skit on it called 'Ill Met by Goonlight.' Still one of my favourites!

[Dan Hughes]

On reaching the letter 'P' in inputting my dvd collection into the marvellous Invelos database, yesterday I entered my 'Powell and Pressburger Collection' box-set. We had only watched one film from this wonderful set to date, so it was a pleasant surprise to find that both 'Ill Met by Moonlight' and 'The Battle of the River Plate' are contained therein. Christopher Lee is cast as 'German Officer at dentists' in the first film, and as 'Manolo' in the second. In his autobiography Mr Lee says that in 'The Battle of the River Plate' he spoke nothing but Spanish as the owner of a waterfront cafe in Montevideo, though the only salt he tasted was in the canteen at Pinewood (studio); and in 'Ill Met by Moonlight' he spoke only in German, to Dirk Bogarde in a dentist's chair, and was 'penalized for being a German SS officer by being shot at his feet and also, perhaps by being cut from some versions of the film.' I look forward to watching both films again soon, having seen them both at the Rex cinema in Farnborough, England, on their first release in the 1950's. A copy of this message goes into the forum for both films to save repeating myself.....

[Dan Hughes]

I watched 'Ill Met by Moonlight' on dvd yesterday, not having seen the film since its release in 1957. Unsurprisingly only one scene had stuck in my memory for 50 years and it was so inconsequential I can't begin to think why (the German General's car rounding a corner at night). Nevertheless, it was interesting to see Christopher Lee's brief appearance as a German officer (very smart he was too), who became a bit too inquisitive and had to be shot. He had a minor mention in the credits and of course at the time I had no idea that I was watching a performance of a significant film actor of the future. Certainly made the years roll back. All our attention at the time was on Dirk Bogard who became a big star of contemporary British cinema.I was surprised to learn that the film was based on a true incident and that the Dirk Bogard character was based on someone who had a distinguished war record and frequently appeared on British television to comment on military matters (Patrick Leigh-Fermor). Films were on a double-bill in the 1950's and I was trying to think what the accompanying movie was at the time; I think it was a French film that broke new ground at the time by filming animals and rodents and creating characters and a story around them. Powell and Pressburger who made 'Ill Met by Moonlight' made some fabulous British movies, although Ill Met by Moonlight is now regarded as somewhat average. Still a good watch though, thoroughly credible, and fantastic scenery.

[Paul Williams]

I saw this film when i was a child,and the beautiful music that accompanied the moon sequence had me spellbound for years.I managed to record it on video a few years back off the television,and the music and the moon still spellbinds me.

[Steve Thompson]

I may very well have seen this film many years ago, when I was young, but must make a point of seeing it again. I do like the style of Powell and Pressburger. One of my all time favorite films is A Canterbury Tale, though I doubt very much, this is in the same vein.