Dangerous Moonlight

Dangerous Moonlight

Listed on July 14, 2015 in Member News

We are excited to offer you the opportunity to join us for a commemorative showing of the 1941 film Dangerous Moonlight to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The showing is (a first) collaboration between Benslow Music and Hitchin Film Club.

The movie, also known as Suicide Squadron in the USA, was made by the eminent N Ireland producer Brian Desmond Hurst and stars Anton Walbrook and Sally Gray (whose costumes were designed by Ceil Beaton). The musical score written by Richard Addinsell includes the famous and popular Warsaw Concerto. The plot, told mainly in flashbacks, is a love-story revolving around the fictional composer of the concerto, a piano virtuoso and shell-shocked combat pilot, who meets an American war correspondent in Warsaw, later returning from America to join the RAF in England to continue to fight against the Nazis and their occupation of Poland.

Since music was such a key element, Walbrook, an accomplished amateur pianist, is seen playing in the film, however the music on the soundtrack is played by the noted pianist Louis Kentner. His involvement was initially uncredited since he thought that being seen to be playing film music would not help his career (he changed his mind on seeing the film’s success). Aerial scenes were filmed in combat and feature the 74 Squadron (Squadron lettering “ZD”) Supermarine Spitfire fighters that flew in the Battle of Britain.

As a special bonus there is to be a live pre-showing performance of the Warsaw Concerto given by award-winning London-based pianist John Paul Ekins plus an introduction from the producer’s great-nephew Allan Smith.

The showing is on Sunday 13th September and starts at 7.30pm at the Peter Morrison Hall, Benslow Music, Benslow Lane, Hitchin SG4 9RB – doors (and bar) open from 6.30pm. Tickets, at £10 each, are available from Benslow Music (info@benslowmusic.org / 01462 459446)

Peter Hewitt CEO

moonlight-battle-britain