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Beware of Pity

6 votes

A paraplegic baroness mistakes a man's pity for love - and tragedy ensues.

Status: Released

Released Date: 1946-07-22

Runtime: 102 mins

Director: Maurice Elvey

Spoken language: English

Genres: Drama, Romance

Original title: Beware of Pity

Production Companies: Two Cities Films, J. Arthur Rank Organisation

Production Countries: United Kingdom

Cast

Baroness Edith de Kekesfalva

Lilli Palmer

Albert Lieven

Cedric Hardwicke

Gladys Cooper

Linden Travers

Baron Emil de Kekesfalva

Ernest Thesiger

Emrys Jones

Ralph Truman

Fritz Wendhausen

John Salew

Freda Jackson

Gerhard Kempinski

Capt. Ferencz Herczeg

David Ward

Lt. Blannik

Anthony Dawson

Reviews

Geronimo1967

Albert Lieven is efficient here as the Austrian officer "Marek" who meets the glamorous "Baroness Edith" (Lilli Palmer) at a lavish dance. Asking her for a waltz, he soon discovers that she has been paralysed. The two chat and remain in touch over the coming months where she falls well and truly in love. Thing is, he doesn't quite reciprocate and when she accidentally discovers this, she runs away, distressed and alone, and her thoughts turn to suicide. The title is quite apt here - it illustrates the dangers of, however innocently, leading someone on with gestures of affection and kindness when they don't have the necessary reality filters to appreciate the distinction between fondness and amour. It's set just before the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, so has many of the opulent settings of the Hapsburg court as a backdrop - the costumes and settings all look grand. There is also an interesting sub-plot with dedicated doctor "Kondor" (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) and his blind wife "Klara" (a lovely, nuanced effort from Gladys Cooper) with the latter proving a vital conduit for the young man to realise just what his relationship with "Edith" really means... It's rather wordy this, and there are maybe just too many characters that rather diffuse the narrative a little too much - but if you enjoy historical melodrama with a fine period score from Nicholas Brodsky then you ought to enjoy this rather superior drama with a conscience.

2022-09-05

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