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DramaRomance

Fanny by Gaslight

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Returning to 1870s London after finishing at boarding school, Fanny winesses the death of her father in a fight with Lord Manderstoke. She then finds that her family has for many years been running a bordello next door to their home. When her mother dies shortly after, she next discovers that her real father is in fact a well-respected politician. Meeting him and then falling in love with his young advisor Harry Somerford leads to a life of ups and downs and conflict between the classes. Periodically the scoundrel of a Lord crosses her path, always to tragic effect.

Release Date : 1944-05-08

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Gainsborough PicturesJ. Arthur Rank Organisation

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles : Man of Evil

Cast

James Mason

Character Name : Lord Manderstoke

Original Name : James Mason

Gender : Male

Phyllis Calvert

Character Name : Fanny

Original Name : Phyllis Calvert

Gender : Female

Stewart Granger

Character Name : Harry Somerford

Original Name : Stewart Granger

Gender : Male

Jean Kent

Character Name : Lucy Beckett

Original Name : Jean Kent

Gender : Female

Wilfrid Lawson

Character Name : Chunks

Original Name : Wilfrid Lawson

Gender : Male

Margaretta Scott

Character Name : Alicia

Original Name : Margaretta Scott

Gender : Female

John Laurie

Character Name : William Hopwood

Original Name : John Laurie

Gender : Male

Cathleen Nesbitt

Character Name : Kate Somerford

Original Name : Cathleen Nesbitt

Gender : Female

Helen Haye

Character Name : Mrs. Somerford

Original Name : Helen Haye

Gender : Female

Nora Swinburne

Character Name : Mary Hopwood

Original Name : Nora Swinburne

Gender : Female

Stuart Lindsell

Character Name : Clive Seymore

Original Name : Stuart Lindsell

Gender : Male

Amy Veness

Character Name : Mrs. Heaviside

Original Name : Amy Veness

Gender : Female

Ann Wilton

Character Name : Carver

Original Name : Ann Wilton

Gender : Female

Guy Le Feuvre

Character Name : Doctor Lowenthal

Original Name : Guy Le Feuvre

Gender : Male

Ann Stephens

Character Name : Fanny as Child

Original Name : Ann Stephens

Gender : Female

Esma Cannon

Character Name : Maid (uncredited)

Original Name : Esma Cannon

Gender : Female

Beresford Egan

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Beresford Egan

Gender : Male

Helen Goss

Character Name : Polly (uncredited)

Original Name : Helen Goss

Gender : Female

Peter Jones

Character Name : Young Client at 'The Shades' (uncredited)

Original Name : Peter Jones

Gender : Male

Vi Kaley

Character Name : Mrs. Joe (uncredited)

Original Name : Vi Kaley

Gender : Female

Virginia Keiley

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Virginia Keiley

Gender : Male

Beryl Laverick

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Beryl Laverick

Gender : Male

Joan Rees

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Joan Rees

Gender : Female

Johnnie Schofield

Character Name : Joe (uncredited)

Original Name : Johnnie Schofield

Gender : Male

Jack Sharp

Character Name : Carriage Driver (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Sharp

Gender : Male

Cyril Smith

Character Name : Publican (uncredited)

Original Name : Cyril Smith

Gender : Male

John Turnbull

Character Name : Magistrate (uncredited)

Original Name : John Turnbull

Gender : Male

Gloria Sydney

Character Name : Lucy as Child

Original Name : Gloria Sydney

Gender : Female

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-06-30

An entertaining look at Victorian morals and double-standards as told through the eyes of "Fanny" (Phyllis Calvert) who is the daughter of a seemingly well-to-do family. When her father dies, she discovers that he secretly ran an house of ill repute from the basement and her sheltered, ordered, life is turned upside down. She goes to live in the home of successful politician Stuart Lindsell ("Seymore") who confides news that offers her new hope before, again, disaster strikes and she must again fend for herself - though this time with some assistance from his former secretary Stewart Granger ("Somerford") - all the time haunted/stalked by the rather unlikeable "Lord Manderstoke" (James Mason). "Fanny" hasn't her problems to seek in this rather episodic melodrama, but Granger, Lindsell and Margaretta Scott all contribute to this rather fine melodrama that exposes the best and worst of English social hypocrisy well. Mason features sparingly, considerably less frequently than in Saddier's original 1940 novel, which is a bit of a shame as the ending rather depends on the tension his character creates, but it is still a well crafted romantic drama.