History Film / UnderCapricorn

%% * OperaGloves: Used by Bergman.

The story is HistoricalFiction with both romantic and tragic elements. It takes place in 1831–32 New South Wales, then the primary British colony in {{Australia}}. The film opens with the arrival of new governor Sir Richard (Cecil Parker) in Sydney. The novel specifies that the date is December 3, 1831 and the governor is Sir Richard Bourke (term 1831–37). He is an Irishman (Bourke was from Dublin) and has brought along his second cousin, Charles Adare (Wilding). Charles, the youngest child of a Lord with no claim to the family's wealth, has come to Australia to seek his fortune. He meets bank manager Cedric Potter (John Ruddock) to discuss his prospects.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/under_capricorn_xlg.jpg]]

''Under Capricorn'' is a 1949 CostumeDrama film [[TheFilmOfTheBook adapted from]] the 1937 novel of the same name by Helen Simpson, directed by Creator/AlfredHitchcock and starring Creator/MichaelWilding, Creator/IngridBergman, Creator/JosephCotten, and Creator/MargaretLeighton. While the novel had comedic undertones, the film is more of a {{tragedy}}.

The story takes place in 1831–32 New South Wales, then the primary British colony in {{Australia}}. The film opens with the arrival of new governor Sir Richard (Cecil Parker) in Sydney. The novel specifies that the date is December 3, 1831 and the governor is Sir Richard Bourke (term 1831-1837). He is an Irishman (Bourke was from Dublin) and has brought with him a second cousin of his: Charles Adare (Wilding). Charles is the youngest of a Lord and therefore has no claim to the family fortune. He came to Australia seek his fortune. He meets bank manager Cedric Potter (John Ruddock) to discuss his prospects here.

''Under Capricorn'' is the name of a 1937 novel by Helen Simspon. It was adapted to a film in 1949, directed by Creator/AlfredHitchcock. The novel was part of HistoricalFictionLiterature, though with comedic undertones. The film was a CostumeDrama with [[{{Tragedy}} tragic undertones]]. The main stars were Creator/MichaelWilding, Creator/IngridBergman, Creator/JosephCotten, and Creator/MargaretLeighton.

The events of the film take place in 1831-1832 New South Wales, then the primary British colony in Australia. The film opens with the arrival of new governor Sir Richard (Cecil Parker) in Sydney. The novel specifies that the date is December 3, 1831 and the governor is Sir Richard Bourke (term 1831-1837). He is an Irishman (Bourke was from Dublin) and has brought with him a second cousin of his: Charles Adare (Wilding). Charles is the youngest of a Lord and therefore has no claim to the family fortune. He came to Australia seek his fortune. He meets bank manager Cedric Potter (John Ruddock) to discuss his prospects here.

* HappyEnding:[[spoiler: By the last half of the film: 1)Charles gets into an argument with an enraged Samson. Sam's handgun [[IJustShotMarvinInTheFace goes off and seriously wounds the younger man]]. Charles seems to be dying and Sam is about to be arrested for murder. 2) Because Sam's previous convinction is working against him, Henrietta is motivated to confess to commiting the previous murder. She is to be shipped off to Ireland to face a trial of her own. 3) Milly is caught redhanded while trying to kill Henrietta. That is attempted murder. The Happy Ending has Charles suddenly recovering and his testimony exonerating Sam, the governor deciding not to persecute Henrietta, the Fluskys allowing Milly to walk away from their house with no further consequences.

* HappyEnding: A rather weak and thoroughly unconvincing one. [[spoiler: By the last half of the film: 1)Charles gets into an argument with an enraged Samson. Sam's handgun [[IJustShotMarvinInTheFace goes off and seriously wounds the younger man]]. Charles seems to be dying and Sam is about to be arrested for murder. 2) Because Sam's previous convinction is working against him, Henrietta is motivated to confess to commiting the previous murder. She is to be shipped off to Ireland to face a trial of her own. 3) Milly is caught redhanded while trying to kill Henrietta. That is attempted murder. The Happy Ending has Charles suddenly recovering and his testimony exonerating Sam, the governor deciding not to persecute Henrietta, the Fluskys allowing Milly to walk away from their house with no further consequences. A lot of [[KarmaHoudini Karma Houdinis.]] ]] It is considered a major weak point for the film.
* HopelessSuitor: Milly has fallen hard for Sam. He doesn't even realize it until the last minutes of the film.

* AdaptationalAttractiveness: There is little real description of Milly in the novel, other than being a "large woman". She is played here by 27-year-old Margaret Leighton, a tall willowy actress. Leighton had a reputation for playing highly sophisticated characters and does so here. She could actually compete with Bergman in the looks department.

* CrazyJealousGuy: Samson.

* CreepyHousekeeper: Milly has her moments.
* DanceOfRomance: Waltz.
* TheDandy: Charles prides himself on his taste in clothing.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: True of both Sam and Henrietta. Particularly when the latter refuses to explain her means of survival for those seven years.
* {{Gaslighting}}: Henrietta is the victim of one such plot.
* {{Hallucinations}}: Henrietta supposedly suffers from them.

* HypercompetentSidekick: Milly

* LadyDrunk: Henrietta.

* MarryForLove: Henrietta chose to marry Samson out of love. Going agains the social conventions of her time.
* MurderTheHypotenuse: [[spoiler: Milly tries to kill Henrietta.]]

* OperaGloves: Used by Bergman.

* RebelliousPrincess: Henrietta in her younger years. The years have not been kind to her.
* SanitySlippage: Happens to Henrietta.

* SheCleansUpNicely: Henrietta. Though Bergman looked good even when supposedly drunk.

* ATasteOfTheLash: Milly's way of punishing the members of the staff.

The events of the film take place in 1831-1832 New South Wales, then the primary British colony in Australia. The film opens with the arrival of new governor Sir Richard (Cecil Parker) in Sidney. The novel specifies that the date is December 3, 1831 and the governor is Sir Richard Bourke (term 1831-1837). He is an Irishman (Bourke was from Dublin) and has brought with him a second cousin of his: Charles Adare (Wilding). Charles is the youngest of a Lord and therefore has no claim to the family fortune. He came to Australia seek his fortune. He meets bank manager Cedric Potter (John Ruddock) to discuss his prospects here.

He is introduced to the two women important to Sam. The first is his wife. Adare is surprised to recognize Lady Henrietta "Hattie" Considine (Bergman), a fellow aristocrat and family friend of his, who had eloped with her riding instructor. Evidently Samson is said instructor. He learns that Samson's crime was killing her brother Dermot in a duel. He had been sentenced to seven years of imprisonment in Australia. Henrietta left her family and fended for herself while waiting for his release. The years of hardship took their toll. She is still beautiful but a LadyDrunk. Lately she has been suffering from {{Hallucinations}} and might be [[SanitySlippage loosing her sanity]], The other woman is Milly (Leighton), the housekeeper. She is a HypercompetentSidekick type who keeps the household staff in order. Her employers have come to rely on her more and more over the years. She is devoted to Sam but openly disdainful of Henrietta. She has also largely supplanted Henrietta as the Lady of the House. Milly is infatuated with Samson and would like to be his second wife. The hallucinations of Henrietta may be the result of an old-fashioned {{Gaslighting}} operation.

Adare reminds Hattie of happier times and keeps her lucid. Sam invites him to settle in the Flusky mansion, effectively hiring him to help Hattie get back on her feet. This involves Charles playing dress-up with his own living doll, [[SheCleansUpNicely getting her to clean up nicely]], restoring her confidence in herself and formally introducing her to Sidney society. There are signs of a PygmalionPlot, with Charles stealing a kiss from his reluctant "student". Within the household, Henrietta wants to resume her domestic duties and gets into a power struggle with Milly. Milly does her best to point out to Mr. Flusky about Henrietta and Charles spending quality time in Henrietta's bedroom. And how that new dance, [[DanceOfRomance waltz]], involves the Lady spending time in her partner's embrace. Samson turns into a CrazyJealousGuy. There is conflict about to erupt.

* FakeIrish: Charles, Henrietta, and Sam are supposedly Irish. They are played respectively by Wilding (English), Bergman (Swedish) and Cotten (American).

* ATasteOfTheLash: Milly's way of punishing the members of the staff.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Hitchcock regretted casting Joseph Cotten in the role. His first choice for the role was Burt Lancaster.

'''''Under Capricorn''''' is the name of a 1937 novel by Helen Simspon. It was adapted to a film in 1949, directed by Creator/AlfredHitchcock. The novel was part of HistoricalFictionLiterature, though with comedic undertones. The film was a CostumeDrama with [[{{Tragedy}} tragic undertones]]. The main stars were Creator/MichaelWilding, Creator/IngridBergman, Creator/JosephCotten, and Creator/MargaretLeighton.

'''Under Capricorn''' is the name of a 1937 novel by Helen Simspon. It was adapted to a film in 1949, directed by Creator/AlfredHitchcock. The novel was part of HistoricalFictionLiterature, though with comedic undertones. The film was a CostumeDrama with [[{{Tragedy}} tragic undertones]]. The main stars were Creator/MichaelWilding, Creator/IngridBergman, Creator/JosephCotten, and Creator/MargaretLeighton.

He is introduced to the two women important to Sam. The first is his wife. Adare is surprised to recognize Lady Henrietta "Hattie" Considine (Bergman), a fellow aristocrat and family friend of his, who had eloped with her riding instructor. Evidently Samson is said instructor. He learns that Samson's crime was killing her brother Dermot in a duel. He had been sentenced to seven years of imprisonment in Australia. [[spoiler: Henrietta later confesses that Dermot had tried to kill them both and SHE was the one who killed him in self-defense. Samson volunteered in TakingTheHeat for her.]] Henrietta left her family and fended for herself while waiting for his release. The years of hardship took their toll. She is still beautiful but a LadyDrunk. Lately she has been suffering from {{Hallucinations}} and might be [[SanitySlippage loosing her sanity]], The other woman is Milly (Leighton), the housekeeper. She is a HypercompetentSidekick type who keeps the household staff in order. Her employers have come to rely on her more and more over the years. She is devoted to Sam but openly disdainful of Henrietta. She has also largely supplanted Henrietta as the Lady of the House. Milly is infatuated with Samson and would like to be his second wife. The hallucinations of Henrietta may be the result of an old-fashioned {{Gaslighting}} operation. [[spoiler: They are. Milly also has a plan B: overdosing Henrietta on sleeping medicine.]]