"A Town Like Alice" is a great movie. It's one of a very few films about World War II in the "rest" of the Pacific - outside the scope of the battle and combat areas that are most known and portrayed in films. Yet it takes place in an area of the Orient that also was greatly scourged by the Japanese. And it covers the plight of foreign civilians - in this case, English, who were caught, imprisoned or who otherwise suffered under the Japanese. It also has Australian, British and other prisoners of war in Malaysia. For all of these reasons, this film has historical value as well. The film is adapted from the 1950 historical fiction novel of the same title, by British author Nevil Shute.
Others have commented on the plot, so I won't elaborate except to note the subtle love story that is intricately woven into the movie. It is a rare and beautiful part of the whole film. It's nothing like the usual romances one sees in war movies - though there's nothing wrong with most of those. But, in "A Town Like Alice," it is such a subtle relationship that most viewers won't recognize that there is a budding love story in the first or second encounter of the two stars. Of course, neither do the two people that Peter Finch and Virginia McKenna play. And that adds to the warmth, the beauty and reality of it. But once realized, it's seen as a story of true love, deeply felt, and held in the very souls of the stars.
This film came out just 11 years after the end of the war, and it was apparently considered too controversial by some. The film was pulled from the Cannes Film Festival that year, because it might offend the Japanese. I wonder if that didn't also affect the voting for the Academy Awards in the U. S. It received no nominations for an Oscar. Admittedly, the competition was very tough, with a number of very good films that year. Ironically, another film that had a lot about Japanese Imperialism took the largest number of Oscars in 1957 - "The Bridge on the River Kwai" won seven Oscars. It was most deserving, as were the individual Oscars, including Alec Guinness as best actor.
"A Town Like Alice" did get due recognition in 1957, however, when it won two of five nominations for BAFTA awards (British Academy of Film and Television Arts). And those were for best actor and actress to Finch and McKenna.
As for the Cannes Film Festival? They blew it. Hollywood and the other venues of film entertainment often take pride on being open, honest and daring in showing true art and history. Often times, it may be controversial with one group or another. So, they show their weakness and faults, when they cower from showing some films that are based on truths because of the risk of possible criticism or opposition. Thankfully, we still have writers and producers and other film promoters who are willing to risk the offense of some, for the sake of showing and telling the truth of history. They would rather not offend those who endured the suffering, ostracism and persecution.
My online research found an interesting article about the Cannes debacle. It appeared in the May 23, 1956, edition of Australia Women's Weekly. Remember - Finch was a London-born Aussie. Here are some of the details reported in that article: "The British film, 'A Town Like Alice,' withdrawn from the festival because it might have offended the Japanese, was warmly applauded by the Japanese after it had been shown privately during the festival. Japanese stars who met Peter Finch at a cocktail party told him how they wept during the screening of 'A Town Like Alice.' Although it was withdrawn from the festival, the Rank Organization arranged a private showing at a theatre for a specially invited audience."
The next day, the Japanese Ambassador invited Finch to the Japanese reception at their hotel. "There, a line of Japanese producers and actors bowed, all smiles to see him. Relations have never been more cordial. Both Peter Finch and director Jack Lee are now claiming that the Japanese never registered a protest against the film being shown. They believe the festival committee decided this itself rather than risk trouble."
"A Town Like Alice" is a moving story about people - including many civilians, in a country overrun by war. Their future and even survival were uncertain. All they could do was hope in the midst of hardship and the privations at the hands of a ruthless conqueror.
Others have commented on the plot, so I won't elaborate except to note the subtle love story that is intricately woven into the movie. It is a rare and beautiful part of the whole film. It's nothing like the usual romances one sees in war movies - though there's nothing wrong with most of those. But, in "A Town Like Alice," it is such a subtle relationship that most viewers won't recognize that there is a budding love story in the first or second encounter of the two stars. Of course, neither do the two people that Peter Finch and Virginia McKenna play. And that adds to the warmth, the beauty and reality of it. But once realized, it's seen as a story of true love, deeply felt, and held in the very souls of the stars.
This film came out just 11 years after the end of the war, and it was apparently considered too controversial by some. The film was pulled from the Cannes Film Festival that year, because it might offend the Japanese. I wonder if that didn't also affect the voting for the Academy Awards in the U. S. It received no nominations for an Oscar. Admittedly, the competition was very tough, with a number of very good films that year. Ironically, another film that had a lot about Japanese Imperialism took the largest number of Oscars in 1957 - "The Bridge on the River Kwai" won seven Oscars. It was most deserving, as were the individual Oscars, including Alec Guinness as best actor.
"A Town Like Alice" did get due recognition in 1957, however, when it won two of five nominations for BAFTA awards (British Academy of Film and Television Arts). And those were for best actor and actress to Finch and McKenna.
As for the Cannes Film Festival? They blew it. Hollywood and the other venues of film entertainment often take pride on being open, honest and daring in showing true art and history. Often times, it may be controversial with one group or another. So, they show their weakness and faults, when they cower from showing some films that are based on truths because of the risk of possible criticism or opposition. Thankfully, we still have writers and producers and other film promoters who are willing to risk the offense of some, for the sake of showing and telling the truth of history. They would rather not offend those who endured the suffering, ostracism and persecution.
My online research found an interesting article about the Cannes debacle. It appeared in the May 23, 1956, edition of Australia Women's Weekly. Remember - Finch was a London-born Aussie. Here are some of the details reported in that article: "The British film, 'A Town Like Alice,' withdrawn from the festival because it might have offended the Japanese, was warmly applauded by the Japanese after it had been shown privately during the festival. Japanese stars who met Peter Finch at a cocktail party told him how they wept during the screening of 'A Town Like Alice.' Although it was withdrawn from the festival, the Rank Organization arranged a private showing at a theatre for a specially invited audience."
The next day, the Japanese Ambassador invited Finch to the Japanese reception at their hotel. "There, a line of Japanese producers and actors bowed, all smiles to see him. Relations have never been more cordial. Both Peter Finch and director Jack Lee are now claiming that the Japanese never registered a protest against the film being shown. They believe the festival committee decided this itself rather than risk trouble."
"A Town Like Alice" is a moving story about people - including many civilians, in a country overrun by war. Their future and even survival were uncertain. All they could do was hope in the midst of hardship and the privations at the hands of a ruthless conqueror.