Line #24 Film/AWindowInLondon


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sally_gray_paul_lukas_embrace_window_in_london.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Those eyes don't bode well for her...]]
3
4	''A Window in London'' is a 1940 British {{Thriller}} film directed by Herbert Mason, starring Creator/MichaelRedgrave, Paul Lukas and Sally Gray.
5
6	Crane operator Peter Thompson (Redgrave) is travelling to work on a train when he happens to see a man stabbing a woman through the window of an apartment. He frantically disembarks and leads a police constable into the apartment, only to find that it was a down-on-his-luck illusionist, Zoltini (Lukas), and his assistant-wife, Vivian (Gray), rehearsing a stunt. The publicity that this brings to the incident gives Zoltini a chance to relaunch his career. However, Zoltini's insane possessiveness about Vivian causes him to suspect that she is having an affair with Thompson, and when Vivian runs away with Thompson's assistance in the middle of Zoltini's comeback performance, he won't let her go so easily...
7
8	----
9
10	!! Tropes
11	* {{Bookends}}: The main action begins with Thompson witnessing through the train window what he thinks is Zoltini stabbing his wife. The last scene shows Thompson travelling on the same train the next day, looking at Zoltini's apartment window, and feeling relieved that all is normal within...except that [[spoiler: this time, Zoltini has in fact shot his wife dead, but her body can't be seen from the passing train as she is slumped on the floor]].
12	* CrazyJealousGuy: Zoltini can't bear his wife so much as ''smiling'' at another man, and pushes away one of his performers for merely giving her an innocent, friendly hug.
13	* DamselInDistress: The whole plot is driven forward by Thompson's desire to help Vivian, whether it is by saving her from being "murdered" or by acting as her getaway when she makes up her mind to leave Zoltini. Fittingly, the US release was titled ''Lady in Distress''.
14	* DownerEnding: Almost immediately their reconciliation, [[spoiler: Zoltini]] finds the contract that Vivian had signed with Preston's company after walking out from the show - a contract which she no longer intended to keep - and in a fit of jealous rage, [[spoiler: shoots Vivian dead]]. [[DramaticIrony Ironically]], Thompson's train happens to travel past the apartment at the same time, just like the day before, but because Vivian is [[spoiler: slumped on the floor]], he can't see [[spoiler: or try to save]] her this time.
15	* HeroicBSOD: Thompson goes into one after his fight with [[spoiler: Zoltini sends the latter tumbling down into the river to his apparent death]]. He gets better when he hears that [[spoiler: Zoltini was rescued]].
16	* ImaginedInnuendo: The reporter who is taking down Thompson's story about the "stabbing" initially gets the wrong idea about the kind of incident Thompson is describing:
17	--> '''Thompson''': I was looking out of the window on the underground, travelling overground,...when I saw a man messing about with a girl.
18	--> '''Reporter''': What?!
19	--> '''Thompson''': He was trying to stick a knife into her.
20	--> '''Reporter''': Ha, [[ImaginedInnuendo knife]], I get you.
21	* OldFlame: Preston's feelings for Vivian clearly go beyond being JustFriends, although on Vivian's part, it is more of a case of OldFlameFizzle, as she really does love Zoltini.
22	* SexlessMarriage: It is [[{{Implied}} strongly implied]] that the Thompsons' marriage has come to this state, not because they don't love each other, but because one has to work during daytime while the other has to go on a night-shift. This might explain why Thompson falls head-over-heels for Vivian.
23	* TrailersAlwaysSpoil: The trailer for this film outright shows Zoltini [[spoiler: shooting]] his wife.

Context Film / AWindowInLondon