1942–1947
- His international stardom continued throughout the 1940s
- Featured in a broad range of romantic, action and political parts
- They were aimed at boosting wartime morale and national pride
- All of his films are copyrighted worldwide but hard to see as intended
- Sadly, many are only available in cut US prints or battered bootlegs
Robert Donat Collectors Guide, Part 2: 1932–1934, 3: 1935–1939, 4: 1942–1947, 5: 1948–1958
Perfect Strangers retitled US one sheet poster (three sheet)
Contents
- The Young Mr. Pitt (1942)
- The New Lot (1943)
- The Adventures of Tartu (1943)
- Perfect Strangers (1945)
- Captain Boycott (1947)
- Related articles
The Young Mr. Pitt (1942)
US one sheet poster (original); Spanish movie card (alt)
This biopic tells the story of the life of Pitt the Younger who served during the Napoleonic era and became Prime Minister of Great Britain at the age of 24. – US Fox DVD-R (2014)
This earnest and impressively staged historical drama has no little amount of talent behind the camera, including a Launder and Gilliat script directed by Carol Reed, cinematography by the great Freddie Young and a score credited to Louis Levy. Bosley Crowther, writing in The New York Times, said that “although this sort of drama thoroughly fascinates the intellect and gives a thrilling impression of history-making in the act, it is seldom emotionally stirring—especially for folks to whom the history of England is hazy, at best.”
- US: Fox DVD-R (2014)
Although popular in its day it’s little-seen now, with only the one plays-anywhere release on any format. But that hasn’t stopped the bootlegs, such as the US DVD from Firecake and truly horrible looking DVD-Rs on eBay, Etsy et al., with some including amateurish, home-made colorization. However, there’s another major caveat with most circulating copies: they contain the edited US version, even the sole official disc at 102:00. The film was originally passed uncut by the BBFC at 118:15 and among copious original film materials in the BFI Archive are two negatives of 10,733 feet, actually equating to 119:15.
The New Lot (1943)
These are The New Lot
This 42-minute dramatic propaganda short illustrating how five new recruits are turned into combat-ready soldiers, features Donat among an extensive A-list cast and crew, although all are uncredited. It was remade as a superb feature the following year, The Way Ahead, starring David Niven and many returnees including director Carol Reed, but not Donat. The short was MIA for 50-odd years but a copy eventually turned up in India, since when it’s seen two official releases. The identical UK/Oz DVD toplines The Next of Kin starring Nova Pilbeam with cameos by Charters and Caldicott, and includes “Read All About It” and “What’s the Next Job?” (1945), two other shorts from the Army Kinematograph Service. Alternatively, the Imperial War Museum website has it for free, along with various other related resources including a screening interview with co-writer and cameo player Peter Ustinov.
UK poster
As for The Way Ahead, there are more home-made DVD-Rs and pressed bootlegs than legit releases, primarily of the rough-looking US version, edited from 115 minutes down to 91 and retitled The Immortal Battalions. Both versions are owned by ITV Global and copyright subsists until 2040 in the US: 95 years after its original release, and 2075 worldwide: the 2004 death of co-writer Peter Ustinov + 70 years. Note all official releases have optional subtitles in their respective languages and are barebones, bar the US and French with a few salient extras. The UK DVD has been issued at least five times but all are the same.
- US: VCI BD (2014) and DVD (2012)
- VCI 2-DVD/4-film British War Collection 2 (2015)
- UK: Carlton/ITV/DD HE DVD/alt (2000–2006) and newspaper giveaway (2008) info, also in 12-DVD Complete War Collection
- France: Elephant Films BD/DVD and DVD (2014), also in 2-BD/4-DVD Carol Reed
- Netherlands: Lime-Lights DVD/alt (2007), also in 2-DVD David Niven/alt
- Australia: Magna Pacific DVD (2010), also in 3-DVD Classic War Box VI and Silver Screen Collection 6/alt
Bootlegs: Australia: (Bounty, Force), US (American Home Treasures/Navarre, DigiComTV, Mill Creek Combat Classics + various collections, MM&V 3on1/set, Remember When, Serpent/Prime/2on1/reissue, Starry Night).
The New Lot is the first of six Donat shorts and features scored by prolific composer William Alwyn, who also supplied the music for The Way Ahead, and there are two re-recordings of the latter’s March cue:
- Chandos CD/MP3 Film Music of William Alwyn, Volume 3 (2005) – BBC Philharmonic cond. Rumon Gamba (2:09)
- Naxos CD/MP3 William Alwyn: Film Music (2012)– Royal NCoMW Orchestra cond. Clark Rundell (1:46)
The Adventures of Tartu (1943)
A rollicking, handsomely mounted propaganda piece with Valerie Hobson and Glynis Johns bringing added star power. No official release for this one at all yet but there’s no shortage of bootlegs. The catch is, the original UK release was passed uncut, titled as both Sabotage Agent and plain old Tartu, at 112 minutes but in the US it was chopped to 103 minutes with some added narration to cover the narrative jumps. Later, it was hacked even further to 90 and 53 minutes – less than half its original length – for US TV broadcast. Guess which three ropy prints are on the ubiquitous bootlegs? It may have also had further UK cuts after BBFC certification, as the earliest-generation materials in the BFI Archive are two dupe negatives of 9,922 feet equalling 110 minutes; nonetheless, only the longest extant version possible is acceptable. Strange this WWII spy drama has never been revived but let’s hope someone gets around to it eventually.
All pressed bootleg discs seem to be from the US: AFA Ent, Alpha, American Pop Classic, Film Chest/Synergy + Prime, Film Detective, Medusa, Mill Creek Combat Classics + various collections, Reel Classic/reissue, Reel Vault + Prime, Serpent, Starry Night + Prime, Terra. There’s also a DVD-R from UK bootleggers TripDiscs and there are a few different transfers, though all are equally poor in different ways. At least the Mill Creek sets also include dozens of other (largely bootlegged) films; alternatively, just watch it on YouTube.
Perfect Strangers (1945)
Retouched US half sheet poster (orig/source/retitled; lobby cards)
Life | ReelStreets | Alamy
Will he fall in love with his own wife?
Robert and Cathy Wilson (Robert Donat and Deborah Kerr), possibly the dullest married couple in England, bid each other a tepid farewell when World War II separates them. Robert joins the Navy, gets in shipshape condition and becomes a war hero. Cathy joins the Wrens, tries lipstick and a new ‘do, and becomes a woman of the world. And both experience a thrilling romantic fling. Three years pass before they get leave at the same time, bringing a reunion they dread. Can the new Robert and Cathy fall in love all over again? Do they even want to try? “Donat and Kerr sparkle” (Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide) under Alexander Korda’s direction in this film that won a 1946 Academy Award for Best Original Motion Picture Story. The supporting cast shines, too. Ann Todd plays the lovely war widow who wins Robert’s heart. And Glynis Johns brings her husky voice and offbeat charm to the role of Cathy’s pal in the Wrens, aptly named Dizzy. – US Warner DVD-R (2012)
With a star-crossed storyline somewhat reminiscent of Hitchcock’s Rich and Strange, this was released uncut at 102:25 minutes in the UK as Perfect Strangers but chopped down to 92 minutes for its retitled American release, Vacation from Marriage. The BFI Archive has a host of original film materials including several negatives of 9,237 feet (1:42:38) but one is 9,308 feet (103:25), so may contain a pre-release version. Following a depressingly familiar pattern, only the US edit is currently available:
- US: Warner DVD-R (2012) | review
- Prime Video
FirecakeDVD– bootleg
- Lux Radio Theatre: May 26, 1947 – Deborah Kerr and Van Heflin
- The Fitch Bandwagon: March 2, 1947 – Phil Harris and Alice Faye
- MGM Theater of the Air: October 14, 1949 – Deborah Kerr and unknown
Captain Boycott (1947)
Screenonline | ReelStreets | Alamy | Alwyn papers | Gaumont-British Newsreels
The tyranny of the class system sows the seeds for an explosive rebellion that will set the countryside ablaze in this powerful historical tale set in early 19th century Ireland. Stewart Granger stars as Hugh Davin, a poor young farmer, valiantly struggling to make ends meet for his widowed mother—while living under the constant threat of eviction by his fierce and demanding landlord, Captain Boycott (Cecil Parker). When Boycott begins to make good on his threats, the county is thrown into turmoil inciting Davin and other farmers to band together in protest. But when Davin falls in love with a beautiful young woman whose father is in league with the Captain, politics and passions explode against the backdrop of a violent revolution that will change their lives forever. – US Hallmark VHS (1996)
As with The Private Life of Henry VIII, in which Donat also played only a supporting role, this is a romanticised and somewhat colourful saga loosely based on historical events – and Irish author Philip Rooney’s eponymous 1946 novel. Its script was in turn was novelised for an illustrated tie-in (and a threefer) by Warwick Mannon, who turned out around 20 such tomes. Captain Boycott Warwick Mannon Official releases are few and only just edge out the boots; there was a second VHS from Spain.
- UK: ITV 12-DVD Stewart Granger Collection (2007)
Bootlegs: Spain (Llamentol), US (Reel Vault).
- Disques Cinémusique MP3 Best Stewart Granger Movie Themes (2023) – Philharmonia Orchestra cond. Muir Mathieson (2:55); orig: 78rpm 10″ FM 10
Interestingly, though he’s easily the biggest star to appear onscreen, Donat isn’t mentioned in any of the film’s publicity – not even the extensive pressbook; this was clearly for contractual reasons. At the time of the film’s release, in August 1947, it was announced that he was to star in a film of Shropshire novelist Mary Webb’s Precious Bane (1924) but it was not to be; in the end, it was adapted for TV in 1957, 1968 and 1989. 1950’s Gone to Earth aka The Wild Heart in its US retitled re-edit, directed by Powell and Pressburger, and starring Jennifer Jones, unbelievably remains the only cinematic adaptation of Webb’s uniformly superlative works. It has two official discs and two Korean bootlegs.
Nationalist hero: Donat (seated) is plays controversial Irish politician Charles Stewart Parnell
Robert Donat Collectors Guide, Part 2: 1932–1934, 3: 1935–1939, 4: 1942–1947, 5: 1948–1958
Related articles
- Robert Donat Collectors Guide: The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958)
- Robert Donat Collectors Guide: Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)
- Alfred Hitchcock Collectors Guide: The 39 Steps (1935)
- Charters and Caldicott Collectors Guide
- Nova Pilbeam Collectors Guide
