Being an Eric
Portman fan, I recently allowed myself the luxury of watching two of his films
back-to-back. Unbeknownst to me at the outset, these two films have a rather
macabre connection. The first of my double bill was ‘Wanted For Murder’
(1946). Eric stars as a hangman’s
grandson, who claims that his grandfather possesses him and makes him go out
befriending and then strangling young women.
Dulcie Grey co-stars as the woman whom he loves and is trying
desperately not to murder. The tension is ramped up when he lures her onto an
island in the Serpentine (this film is an excellent guide to the necking
hotspots of ‘40s London). Faced with the
police and Dulcie’s new bloke, he drowns himself and in this way puts himself
out of his own misery. Special mention
must be made of the comic relief in all this – Stanley Holloway’s policeman is
an absolute gem.
The second film
was much darker and heavier – even the presence of Bill Owen couldn’t lift the
spirits. In ‘Daybreak’ (1948) Eric plays
a hangman who inherits his estranged father’s barge business. He marries, but keeps his prison visits from
his wife, telling her that he goes away on barge business. His nights away
allow a young Danish bargee to force his attentions on Eric’s wife, with
devastating results.
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| A capital picture of Eric by @aitchteee |
Both films
explore the consequences of capital punishment on those who had to execute
it. ‘Wanted For Murder’ is perhaps more
of a populist murder story – but the idea is still there – how did the children
and grandchildren of hangmen cope with the knowledge that their loved one was a
legal murderer? Is the ability to calmly
end a life in the genes?
Hangmen
themselves were only human too…the continual despatch of other human beings no
matter what their crimes must have had consequences on their mental
health. In ‘Daybreak’ it leads to a life
of deception and secrecy – something else to maintain alongside the other
concerns that might have disturbed the sleep. ‘Daybreak’ also highlights
another issue with capital punishment – when the Danish bargee is condemned to
hang for the murder of the hangman – who is in fact still living, simply having
reverted back to this other identity. Olaf isn’t innocent – but he didn’t
actually commit a murder.
Hanging would
continue to be used as a punishment until 1964 – but these films show that
concerns were beginning to be felt, that would eventually lead to the end of
capital punishment in the UK.
The History Usherette's Second Seat, Third Row by Sarah Miller Walters tells the story of A Canterbury Tale's 1944 audience. Available as an e-book or printed version on Amazon here:
