Gone to Earth
The choir was the real choir from the local Methodist chapel. When he heard them singing, director Michael Powell said they were too good and he wanted them to sound "more ragged, like a choir of country folk" only to be told "But we ARE country folk, Mr. Powell.",As Abel and Hazel Woodus come down the hill to the chapel, the mine engine house disappears and then reappears between shots,Hazel Woodus: The world wasn't made in seven days only for Abel Woodus.,The reedited and shortened version titled "The Wild Heart" was produced after a disagreement and court case between director Michael Powell and producer David O. Selznick. Selznick's changes are mainly:- (1) Adding a prologue. (2) Adding scenes explaining things, often by putting labels or inscriptions on them. (3) Adding more close-ups of Jennifer Jones (Selznick's wife). He also deleted a few scenes that he felt weren't dramatic enough. Sadly some of these were major plot points so the story doesn't make as much sense as the original. In his autobiographies, Powell claimed that Selznick only left about 35 mins of the original film. In fact there's a lot more than that. About 2/3 of the original remains.,Featured in The Late Show: Michael Powell (1992),The Mountain Ash
(uncredited)
Words and music by Brian Easdale
Performed by Jennifer Jones,I now own this title on a DVD since it has recently been issued in the UK in its' new digital, re-mastered version.The colours are certainly impressive.I also visited Much Wenlock, Shropshire recently and photographed us next to the town clock (seen at the beginning of the film) which commemorates Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee in 1897, the year the film is set.

The music of Brain Easdale has a haunting quality and I don't think enough credit has been given to this by other reviewers since it adds immeasurably to the atmosphere of the film.While in Much Wenlock I bought a review of Mary Webb's short stories, including "Gone To Earth" as I always like to read the book from which films are adapted (to see where the film plot diverges).Yes it is rather a corny Victorian melodrama but the acting is convincing enough.I could not help but think there were certain parralls with her (Jennifer Jones) previous epic of "Duel in the Sun" (1946).For Lewton McCanless read Jack Reddin, for Jesse McCanless read Reverend Marston, for Mrs Marston read Senator McCanless etc etc.In both films Jennifer Jones plays a half breed, Native American to Gypsy and is discriminated on accordingly by society.

This film has been hidden from view for too long since its' release in 1950 by the major tv networks and viewers should certainly see this Michael Powell/Emeric Pressburger film if they can, especially if they enjoyed their other films like "Black Narcissus", "The Red Shoes" or "A Matter of Life & Death" from 1946.Technicolour has rarely been put to such good use.I suppose the main reason why you would watch "Gone To Earth" is to see the ravishing Jennifer Jones in the role of Hazel Woodus although all the cast are very effective.If viewers would like to see another example of David Farrar I saw him in "They Met in the Dark (1944) with James Mason and Joyce Howard.,