bkoganbing Like his contemporary James Mason who came up roughly the same time as he did, Stewart Granger seemed to be born to play in these romance novel roles. In Blanche Fury he's got a nasty grudge against the Fury family who have kept him working as a groom on their estate. He's one of them, but born on the wrong side of the blanket as they said in those days. There's a dual focus in this film and it's on Valerie Hobson playing the title role as well. She's also knocked about a bit kind of like George Eastman in An American Tragedy, she's one of them, but only distantly. Still she's on the right side of the blanket and she determines to marry Michael Gough the heir to the estate for a life of ease and comfort.Granger like the real life James Scott the Duke of Monmouth searched for a connection to his father King Charles II to prove he was heir to the throne. Didn't happen for him and didn't happen for Granger But what does happen is that he gets Hobson's mojo going far more than the insipid and privileged Gough does.These are the ingredients of Blanche Fury and if you like these movies and read these novels you can pretty much guess what happens. Hobson and Granger are a stirring romantic pair, but Granger in his desire to improve his station goes quite a bit off kilter. Hobson has a choice to make and she makes it.As for who gets the Fury estate. For that you have to see Blanche Fury.

ma-cortes This Rank production is an interesting tragic drama during the 19th century , concerning about Blanche Fury (Valerie Hobson) , a young poor and ambitious woman . She receives an invitation by his cousins , the father , Simon Fury (Walter Fitzgerald) and son , Laurence (Michael Gough) for a job as governess at the Fury mansion . But there resides the headstrong Philip Thorn (Stewart Granger) , an obsessive steward who aspires to possession the manor , but he gets rights for his condition of illegitimate son . Blanche marries to wealthy son but then the illicit relationship between Blanche and Thorn originates a string of fateful happenings .This is an entertaining Gothic-drama-romance plenty of passion , tragedy , murder and plot twists . Marvelous cast with top-notch acting . Excellent Stewart Granger as the vengeful and obstinate Philip and obsessed for the manor . Granger was in his English period when he usually played lush costumer (Saraband for dead lovers , Madonna of the seven moons , Caesar and Cleopatra , Fanny by Gaslight) and the main protagonist , Valerie Hobson (Werewolf of London , Bride of Frankestein) , after she married John Profumo , then Churchill's junior minister , she left the cinema when married , and later his resignation from politics caused by known 'Profumo scandal' in 1963 , after that , she dedicated behalf to mentally handicapped kids . Furthermore , it appears : Michael Gough , a future star in the British horror movies and Maurice Denham as Major Fraser . This haunting story packs impressive production design with attention to period detail , as enjoyable palaces and sweeping outdoors . The film is based on a 1939 novel of the same name by Joseph Shearing , a pseudonym for Marjorie Bowen . A prolific writer with a taste for the Gothic, Bowen also wrote "Moss Rose" which came to the screen in 1947 . Colorful and beautifully cinematography in pastel color , well photographed interiors shot at Pinewood studios , London , by Guy Green (David Lean's usual cameraman) and exteriors by Geoffrey Unsworth who replaced Ernest Steward . Evovative and descriptive musical score by Clifton Parker with habitual conductor musical of the Philharmonic Orchestra of London : Muir Matheson. The picture was wonderfully mounted and well directed by Marc Allegret . Rating : Better than average, well worth watching.

Spikeopath Blanche Fullerton accepts an invitation to go and work for her wealthy Uncle out on the Clare estate. Tho the estate is the ancestral home to the Fury family, the Fullerton's take the name of Fury to be their own and run the estate as the rightful heirs. Philip Thorn believes he is the rightful heir to the estate but just can't find the proof needed to claim what he feels is rightfully his. Once Blanche enters the estate the men of the home have their heads turned, and from that point on Clare estate, and the whole Fury dynasty, is in danger of going down a very dark path that can may only lead to pain and misery. Is the ape curse of the Fury's about to strike again?There is a good chance that I'll be reviewing this picture with a hint of bias, for Blanche Fury has everything that I personally look for in a Gothic classic picture. Two lead stars firing on all cylinders, both Stewart Granger and Valerie Hobson positively ooze grace and quality amongst the glorious colour and corking costumes. The mansion of the piece is just perfect (Wootton Lodge, Staffordshire, England), a poetic stone built structure by day that is surrounded by rolling countryside, but by night it's a hauntingly monolithic place of dreams and simmering passions. The dialect perfectly befits the late 40s British setting, where the story itself is crammed with passions and dastardly motives, adulterous leanings and murderous intent. But above all else it's the ending that seals the deal, as our protagonists respective futures unravel in yet another trip down some dark twisty road. Based on the novel written by Joseph Shearing (who was actually Marjorie Bowen), the inspiration for the story is a real life case from 1848, this itself carries with it no small amount of potency, adding still further a fleck of nastiness to the unfolding drama. Blanche Fury is very much one for those who like Gothic melodramas or uneasy mansion set thrillers, the likes of Dragonwyck, House Of Usher, perhaps even Alfred Hitchcock's wonderful Rebecca. It's tightly directed by Marc Allégret and acted accordingly, whilst also technically the picture scores high as the score (Clifton Parker) and the photography (Guy Green/Geoffrey Unsworth) gives the picture an all round quality production. Blanche Fury, as a story itself? Well it's a little gem from the golden sub-genre of Gothic melodramas. At the time of writing Blanche Fury is still searching for a wider, more appreciative, audience, so if you get the chance to see it then don't pass up the chance because it's a must for fans of the films mentioned above. 8.5/10

Jem Odewahn Ah, BLANCE FURY...it weaves me under it's spell with every fresh viewing. While it probably is just a load of "tosh", it sucks me right in, with it's period setting, gorgeous colour, Gypsies, murder, passion and betrayal. Sounds like a Gainsborough film, doesn't it? Surprisingly, it ain't. Blanche is much more muted in tone than the Gainsborough bodice-rippers (see the fun THE WICKED LADY), and that's probably why the film didn't set the box office alight for Cineguild as was expected. Yet it's an odd, haunting little film- the photography is absolutely beautiful and Hobson and Granger give excellent performances.The film begins with three startling shots of horses galloping towards Clare Hall, the setting for much of the film. A young woman (Hobson) is on her sickbed, delirious and being tended by a doctor and a servant. The film is told in flashback, with the viewer being transported into Hobson's thoughts with some clever photography. We learn of the life of Blanche Fury- poor governess (shades of JANE EYRE)who goes to live with her rich cousin (Michael Gough) and her uncle (Walter Fitzgerald), owners of Clare Hall. She is immediately drawn to the Heathcliff-like stable-boy, the brooding Phillip Thorn (Stewart Granger).It turns out Thorn is actually (yet it is not legally binding) the true heir to the Fury estate, for he is the illegitimate son of the previous owner's affair with an Italian woman (this gives Thorn an air of exoticism, much like the Gypsies). He is kept on the estate by Fitzgerald and Gough, yet treated no better than a dog. We learn that Thorn is obsessed with his lineage, and his life's ambition (and obsession) is to claim back Clare Hall. Hobson soon becomes the bride of Gough even though she doesn't love him. And then, on her wedding night, after Gypsies set Clare Hall's barns alight, she goes to the stables to find Granger. Still clothed in her wedding gown, they passionately kiss. And that's when the romantic passions ignite...To give away too much advance knowledge of the plot is to spoil the fun. It's what I would call a minor British Gothic masterpiece, dark, tense and quite atmospheric. BLANCHE FURY was reportedly Hobson's favourite of all her film roles, and Granger does some wonderful work too. Finally given a chance to play an anti-hero/villain (he was always cast as the romantic hero to Mason's devious villain in the Gainsboroigh costume films), his arrogantly attractive style suits the character. The guy could act, and he proves it here- in a powerful courtroom sequence towards the end of the picture Hobson and Granger share a long look, and their acting is more potent and poignant than words.