The Seventh Veil – Francesca is a young woman who leaves her home after the death of her father. She tries to become a great concert pianist, but her mind becomes unbalanced due to the attitude of her psychiatrist and her guardian.
The Seventh Veil (1946) starring Ann Todd, James Mason, Herbert Lom
Product Description
Ann Todd stars as an amnesiac mental patient, Francesca Cunningham, who hopes that psychiatrist Dr. Larsen (Herbert Lom) will help her lift the veils of her memory. In a series of flashbacks counterpointed by a lush piano concerto background score, Francesca discovers that she has been a victim of the cruelties of others all her life. Only Nicholas (James Mason), an embittered, crippled musician, has ever shown her any compassion, training the girl to become a top concert pianist. Even he turned on Francesca when she becomes romantically involved with other men, but as the flashbacks end, Francesca arrives at a startling realization about Nicholas’s true feelings for her. Filmed on a shoestring, The Seventh Veil rang in as the biggest British box-office success of 1946. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Oscar Academy Awards
Review
“The Seventh Veil” is a 1945 British drama film starring James Mason and Ann Todd. It follows a young and talented pianist named Francesca Cunningham. She’s found wandering on the streets and committed to a psychiatric hospital. The story is told through a series of flashbacks. Her doctor is trying to uncover what led to her breakdown.
“The Seventh Veil” is a classic of British cinema. The film’s themes of trauma, mental illness, and the power of music were groundbreaking at the time. James Mason’s performance as the cold, analytical doctor is excellent. As is Ann Todd’s portrayal of the mentally troubled pianist. The film’s use of flashbacks, dream sequences, and music tells the story well.
Cast of characters
- James Mason (A Star is Born; Journey to the Center of the Earth 1959) … Nicholas
- Ann Todd (The Passionate Friends) … Francesca
- Herbert Lom (Mysterious Island; A Shot in the Dark) … Dr. Larsen
- Hugh McDermott (Devil Girl From Mars) … Peter Gay
- Albert Lieven … Maxwell Leyden
- Yvonne Owen … Susan Brook
- David Horne … Dr. Kendall
- Manning Whiley … Dr. Irving
- Grace Allardyce … Nurse
- Ernest Davies … Parker
- John Slater … James
- Arnold Goldsborough … Conductor
- Muir Mathieson … Conductor