By Violet LeVoit
Beware Of Pity
Brief Synopsis
A paraplegic mistakes a man's pity for love.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Maurice Elvey
Director
Lilli Palmer
Baroness Edith
Albert Lieven
Lieutenant Anton Marek
Sir Cedric Hardwicke
Dr Albert Condor
Gladys Cooper
Kiara Condor
Linden Travers
Ilona Domansky
Film Details
Genre
Romance
Release Date
1946
Location
England, United Kingdom
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 46m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Synopsis
A baroness believes she has found true love with an officer. However, she soon discovers that his proposal for marriage was made out of his pity for her physical handicap instead of for love.
Director
Maurice Elvey
Director
Cast
Lilli Palmer
Baroness Edith
Albert Lieven
Lieutenant Anton Marek
Sir Cedric Hardwicke
Dr Albert Condor
Gladys Cooper
Kiara Condor
Linden Travers
Ilona Domansky
Ernest Thesiger
Baron Emil Dekekesfalva
Emrys Jones
Lieutenant Joszi Molnar
Gerhard Kempinski
Mayor Jan Nivak
Ralph Truman
Major Sandor Balinsky
John Salew
Colonel Franz Bubenic
Peter Cotes
Cusma
Freda Jackson
Gypsy
Kenneth Warrington
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Jenny Laird
Trudi
Film Details
Genre
Romance
Release Date
1946
Location
England, United Kingdom
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 46m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Articles
Beware Of Pity
Based on a novel written by Austrian author Stefan Zweig (whose work was also an inspiration for Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel [2014]), this unusual post-war film was directed by ultra-prolific British director Maurice Elvey. Edith (Lilli Palmer) may be regal-born, but her spine injury confines her to a wheelchair. When doctors dangle hope of a cure in front of her, she dares to allow herself to fall in love with an honorable lieutenant (Albert Lieven), but regrettably learns he will marry her out of duty, not love. This melancholy melodrama is interesting considering its place in British post-war film--England was still suffering from terrible war wounds, as well as the truncation of its empire, and the cautionary tale of the jilted, crippled bride can be seen as an allegory for Brittania to shrug off hurts and foreign aid and regain her self-respect. However, Brittania wasn't interested in hearing it. The film was a failure at the box office in England and stateside critics like Bosley Crowther described it as "tortured" and "tedious". The poor reception nearly permanently stalled Elvey's career: he didn't work again until The Third Visitor (1951)
By Violet LeVoit
By Violet LeVoit
Beware Of Pity
Based on a novel written by Austrian author Stefan Zweig (whose work was also an inspiration for Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel [2014]), this unusual post-war film was directed by ultra-prolific British director Maurice Elvey. Edith (Lilli Palmer) may be regal-born, but her spine injury confines her to a wheelchair. When doctors dangle hope of a cure in front of her, she dares to allow herself to fall in love with an honorable lieutenant (Albert Lieven), but regrettably learns he will marry her out of duty, not love. This melancholy melodrama is interesting considering its place in British post-war film--England was still suffering from terrible war wounds, as well as the truncation of its empire, and the cautionary tale of the jilted, crippled bride can be seen as an allegory for Brittania to shrug off hurts and foreign aid and regain her self-respect. However, Brittania wasn't interested in hearing it. The film was a failure at the box office in England and stateside critics like Bosley Crowther described it as "tortured" and "tedious". The poor reception nearly permanently stalled Elvey's career: he didn't work again until The Third Visitor (1951)
By Violet LeVoit
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
b&w
rtg BBFC A
