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Page Two
"Rathbone makes you feel how being subtly slighted
and humiliated have given de Levis a chip on his shoulder and a
helpless petulance that in turn only provoke more opposition and
dislike. He shows you not just the abrasive surface but the
baffled and hurt little boy underneath."
—Eddie Selover,
https://brightlightsfilm.com/the-strange-case-of-basil-rathbone
De Levis accuses Dancy of the theft. |
Winsor and General Canynge ask De Levis to withdraw his accusation. |
"Skillfully directed by Basil Dean and possessed of an exceptionally
fine British cast, the drama must be rated one of the best that has
come from England's studios. Basil Rathbone contributes an excellent
performance. ... Mr. Dean, Mr. Rathbone and the rest have more than
caught the spirit of the play. In their hands the transcription has been
so well contrived that the work seems to have been made expressly for the
screen, rather than for the stage." —Frank
S. Nugent, The New York Times, October 26, 1934
"Actor Alan Napier recalls that Rathbone was a sincere person, who wanted
to be liked, and always endeavored to accomplish this: 'He enjoyed sitting
around the set ... telling stories and being the center of attention. I
knew Basil for years and I was constantly surprised at how young he always
seemed in relationship to his age ... He was a very gracious man.'"
—Michael Druxman, Basil Rathbone: His Life and His Films,
1975
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Loyalties
The Galsworthy play has been converted into a generally
entertaining film. While the picture is not comparable to the play
as a dramatic work, it has been kept reasonably faithful to the
original. The glaring fault the production reveals—in
fact, the chief fault that my hamper its success in America—is the
British speech of the players, which is at times difficult to make
out. There are several members of the cast who can plead "not
guilty" to this charge, notably Basil Rathbone and Joan Wyndham.
Rathbone, as Ferdinand de Levis, a
wealthy young Jew, who is the pivotal character of the play,
dominates the picture. He plays with an intensity that gives
conviction to the part. Incensed at the theft of a large sum of
money at a house party, he demands that an investigation be made
by the police. He has every reason to suspect Miles Mander, an
army captain pressed for cash. Smarting under an insult from
Mander referring to his race, Rathbone refuses to retract his
charge.
Mander, who really stole the money,
is forced to bring a libel action against Rathbone against his
wishes. When the captain's attorneys, tracing the serial numbers
of some of the stolen bills, discover not only that their client
is guilty of the crime but that he used the money to mollify the
father of a girl with whom he was indiscreet, the y ask the court
that the case be dropped. They are afraid that if they go on with
the case the story of the young woman will come to light. Even so,
Mander faces prison for theft. Seeing no way out, he leaps to his
death as he is about to be arrested.
The racial angle should no more be a
problem in exploiting this picture than in the case of "The House
of Rothschild." The question of animosities is kept in the
background.
The picture has been given a good
production and fine settings.
Also in the cast are Heather
Thatcher, Philip Strange and Alan Napier. Basil Dean's direction
is commendable.
No code seal. Running time, 74
minutes.
—Motion Picture Daily, October 26, 1934 |
"Basil Rathbone, seen until lately in American films,
gives a remarkable study as the Jew, de Levis; his suave manner
and pride of race make for real drama in the clash with the
snobbery revealed by that excellent actor, Miles Mander."
—The
Lancashire Daily Post, October 13, 1933
"The clash of race, class, and love, are stirringly depicted in an
outstanding production in which such fine home-players as Basil
Rathbone, Heather Thatcher, and Miles Mander, do their best work."
—Western Mail and South Wales News,
November 11, 1933
De Levis |
Mrs. Dancy asks De Levis to drop his accusation |
"Basil Rathbone's presentation of the Jew is a
little less offensive than Galsworthy led one to believe, and
Miles Mander, as Captain Dancy, is more obviously caddish; but one
should thank Basil Rathbone for his beautiful English."
—A. D., The Yorkshire Evening
Post, November 14, 1933
"The acting is uneven. some of the
minor characters—especially Laurence Hanray's masterly
portrait of the old solicitor—carry more conviction than the
principals, but Basil Rathbone's interpretation of de Levis is
admirable and full of penetration. He dominates the whole picture."
—The Sketch, July 5, 1933
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"Loyalties" with Basil Rathbone
Poor! Not only is the story unsuited for motion pictures, but the
production is bad. the sound is poor—the
English accents will be difficult for American audiences to
understand, and the editing is choppy. Since the characters are
all unsympathetic, there is no human appeal in the story; all that
one feels is resentment and antagonism towards the different
people for the obnoxious traits they show. And to add to all this,
there is the feeling of racial prejudice of the Christian towards
the Jew. Although one feels that Basil Rathbone, in the role of
the wealthy Jew, is justified in asking for his money back, which
had been stolen from him, one cannot help resenting the fact that,
in his desire to expose the man who had stolen his money, he was
ruining the lives of two persons. And one can have only contempt
for the thief, who, although a man of position and reputation,
stole the money and then continued to insult Rathbone, instead of
treating him courteously. The ending is tragic.
In the development of the plot
Rathbone, when refused admittances to a well-known club because,
as he feels, he is a Jew, is determined to ruin the character of
Miles Mander, because he instinctively felt that Mander had stolen
his money. Mander, urged on by his wife and friends, brings an
action for slander. Everything seems to be in Mander's favor until
his lawyers come upon evidence distinctly showing that Mander had
stolen the money. He confesses this to his lawyer who withdraws
from the case. Mander's wife is heartbroken and pleads with him to
leave the country. Rathbone calls to see Mander and tells him that
he is not bitter towards him any more and adds his pleas for
Mander to leave the county. But too late, for the police had
arrived with a warrant for Mander's arrest. Mander kills himself
by leaping from the window to the street.
The plot was adapted from the play by
John Galsworthy. It was directed by Basil Dean. The all-English
cast consists of Joan Wyndham, Philip Strange, Alan Napier, and
others.
The robbery makes it unsuitable for
children, adolescents, or Sundays. Class B.
—Harrison's Reports, November 3, 1934. |
"Basil Rathbone gives a remarkable study as the Jew, and
there is superb acting on the part of Miles Mander, Heather
Thatcher and Joan Wyndham." —The
Norwood News, November 3, 1933
"The cast is notable. Basil Rathbone as the Jew, Heather Thatcher as a society woman, Miles
Mander as the Army captain, Joan Wyndham as the loyal wife give
brilliant renditions of their respective characters."
—The West
London Observer, October 20, 1933
De Levis hears the judgment in his favor. |
De Levis hears what happened to Captain Dancy. |
"Loyalties is excellently cast and acted. Basil Rathbone as
the Jew, de Levis, is admirable. To be effective,
the actor must get into the skin of the character, the
righteousness and racial pride, the vindictiveness and latent
vulgarity, the tenacity of that particular Jew in that peculiar
situation, must come from within, to make the character convincing
or sympathetic. Rathbone accomplishes this."
—The Bystander, July 12, 1933
Go to Page Three for pictures of posters and promo photos.
Back to page one, review of Loyalties
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