Rent Poison Pen Online DVD & Blu-ray Rental

Rent Poison Pen (1939)

3.6 of 5 from 53 ratings
1h 16min
  • General info
  • Available formats
Synopsis:
The placid, harmonious life of a quiet village becomes a hotbed of paranoia and hatred as anonymous letters accusing the villagers of moral and sexual misdemeanours begin to circulate. As speculation and malicious gossip spread, suspicions begin to centre on Connie Fateley (Catherine Lacey), a shy, solitary seamstress; it is only a matter of time before events take a tragic turn...
Actors:
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , Jean Clyde, , , , Empsie Bowman,
Directors:
Producers:
Walter C. Mycroft
Writers:
William Freshman, N.C. Hunter, Richard Llewellyn, Esther McCracken, Doreen Montgomery
Studio:
Network
Genres:
Classics, Drama
Collections:
Top 10 British Actresses of the 1940s, Top 10 Films By Year, Top 10 Films of 1939, Top Films
BBFC:
Release Date:
19/09/2016
Run Time:
76 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono
Subtitles:
None
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Full Screen 1.37:1
Colour:
B & W
Bonus:
  • Image Gallery
  • Original Script PDF
BBFC:
Release Date:
08/07/2019
Run Time:
79 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 1.0, English LPCM Mono
Subtitles:
English
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Full Screen 1.37:1
Colour:
B & W
BLU-RAY Regions:
B
Bonus:
  • Image Gallery
  • Original Script PDF

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Reviews (1) of Poison Pen

Stagey thriller. - Poison Pen review by Steve

Spoiler Alert
10/04/2023

Atmospheric and gripping adaptation of Richard Llewellyn's debut play about a flood of poison pen letters which deliver scandal and then tragedy to a sleepy village. It's one of those classic English communities of the thirties, set in the pub, church and post office, where all classes are represented and everyone knows their station.

And the very engrossing mystery is, who is writing these letters? Flora Robson is excellent as a lonely spinster and pillar of the community. Ann Todd is incredibly posh as the young gal about to be married whose plans are threatened by lies. Among the familiar support cast, only Robert Newton as an incredibly dumb yokel fails to score.

With war imminent, it would be a few years before we would see the English presented as pessimistically as this. The villagers quickly become a vengeful mob, which leads to suicide in a bell tower. Despite the standard rat-a-tat of deadpan humour, this is a dark picture, all the way down to the sombre, ingenious resolution.

Llewellyn's premise was stolen in 1943 for Le Corbeau, by the French Hitchcock, Henri-Georges Clouzot. While Paul Stein wasn't an acclaimed auteur and mostly directed quota quickies, I actually prefer Poison Pen. It moves faster. There's a splendid ensemble of character actors. But most of all, Flora Robson brings unexpected psychological depth.

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