Downhill

David Ivor Davies played a role his whole life, that of Ivor Novello. Born in Wales, Davies found success as a composer, selling his first major hit, Keep the Home Fires Burning at the tender age of 20. He adopted his new name, Ivor Novello, and with it, a new air, one of the urbane sophisticate. He became a sex symbol to young British teens with his exploits on the stage and even began writing pieces for himself. One of those pieces was the play Down Hill, written with Constance Collier. Of course, since his character is a self-sacrificing hero, scholar, athlete, and demi-god, it was only appropriate that he and Constance use a pseudonym, David L'Estrange, lest anyone think he was just trying to provide himself with self-glorifying roles. When the play was adapted as a movie, the now legendary but then barely known Alfred Hitchcock was picked to direct. It was only natural as the two had worked together just months earlier on Hitch's early classic, The Lodger (1927). The title was altered to Downhill and worked out far better garnering praise for Hitchcock rather than for Novello. The story of Roddy Berwick (Novello) is one of a college friend taking the fall for another. The other friend is Tim Wakeley (Robert Irvine) and his fall, it is implied, is getting a girl pregnant, or as the inter-titles put it, "This girl has brought a charge, a most serious charge!" When asked to point out the boy who did it, she points to Roddy to let Tim off the hook. Roddy is wealthy, established, and an all-around great guy. Why he's the School Captain and the star of the rugby team! Naturally, if anyone can come back from such a blow, it's Roddy. If that all seems a little self-serving for Novello, critics felt the same way. Most agreed that the story itself was of far less interest than the direction by Hitchcock. It was even noted that it was fascinating to see such a pedestrian story get such innovative treatment. Truly, Hitchcock's star shone early. Downhill, as might be expected of any film directed by Hitchcock, is consistently watchable and visually powerful. From on location shooting to experimenting with dream sequences and hallucinations, Downhill offers plenty for the Hitchcock fan and it, along with The Lodger quickly got Hitch noticed and on his way to bigger and better things. But it wasn't all bad news for Novello. He used the showings of the movie to cement his status among the girls of Britain, even going so far as to do special appearances at certain showings in which he would go onto the stage and perform a scene live between reels. Obviously, he couldn't do this everywhere but where he could, he did, and the response was overwhelming. Eventually, Hollywood phoned and Novello crossed the pond. MGM gave him a try but concluded his looks and voice made him unsuitable for stardom in America and put him to work fixing scripts. Yes, they brought a Welsh matinee idol oversees to screen test and made him do script doctor work for two years instead. Novello ended up working on Tarzan movies before opting out of his contract and heading back to England. Novello returned to the stage where he was most comfortable, and successful. Writing many of the most popular musicals of the time, he remained a celebrity for the next two decades until dying suddenly from a heart blockage at the age of 58. Noel Coward, his friend and colleague, spoke highly of Novello's talents and affinity for the stage and he remains one of the most successful composers of musicals in British history. Ivor Novello was also openly gay at a time when it was not only kept under wraps in public, but actually against the law. Novello, being the ultimate self-promoter, never once let it stop him or even dint his success. His confidence and strength were admired by all who knew him. As previously mentioned, Hitchcock went on to great success and it was in his early works, most of which have nothing to do with suspense or the macabre, that got him noticed. Downhill may not be a movie of the caliber of his later work, but he made it worthwhile cinematically, and Novello knew he was the right director for the job. Novello himself admitted that he didn't play well on the screen and was happy for Hitch and happy for his own success on the stage. Downhill may not have made much of a dent in his career, but it was uphill for both he and Hitchcock from that point forward. Direction: Alfred Hitchcock Produced by: Michael Balcon, C.M. Woolf Screenplay: Eliot Stannard, adapted from the play by Ivor Novello and Constance Collier Cinematography: Claude McDonnell Editing: Lionel Rich Art Direction: Bertram Evans Cast: Ivor Novello (Roddy Berwick), Ben Webster (Dr. Dawson), Norman McKinnel (Sir Thomas Berwick), Robin Irvine (Tim Wakeley), Jerrold Robertshaw (The Rev. Henry Wakeley), Sybil Rhoda (Sybil Wakeley), Annette Benson (Mabel), Lilian Braithwaite (Lady Berwick), Isabel Jeans (Julia), Ian Hunter (Archie) By Greg Ferrara