21 Days

Plot

Laurence Olivier plays a young Londoner implicated in a brutal murder. According to the rules of British law, he is permitted 21 days of comparative freedom from the time of the first hearing to the time of trial -- provided he does not leave London. As the three weeks pass, Olivier falls deeply in love with girlfriend Vivien Leigh, who at first believes in his innocence. But as the deadline approaches, Olivier's mood swings and erratic behavior shakes Leigh's faith in him. Scripted by British suspense expert Graham Greene, 21 Days Together was originally released under the simpler title 21 Days. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Review

21 Days (also known as 21 Days Together is a fairly routine little melodrama that is given much more interest thanks to the presence of then-husband-and-wife Laurence Olivier andVivien Leigh. The stars are far and away the film's biggest assets; with them, it's a modestly entertaining way to pass a bit of time. Without them, it would be quite a bore. As it is, even their presence and charisma can't keep a viewer from checking his watch occasionally, despite the film's fairly brief running time. Basil Dean's direction is a bit stiff in places, which accounts for the pacing issues. When he's dealing with the court room shenanigans and with moments that actually propel the plot forward, he keeps 21 moving well. But when the lovers must go through their tortured paces, it gets a bit dreary. Blame must also be shared with the screenplay; despite having Graham Greene as a co-writer, it's not especially exciting and much of the dialogue is simply trite. Which brings us back to the stars, who do what stars are supposed to do: light up the screen with enough personal magnetism to keep the viewer engaged. Neither is turning in a sterling performance, but they're both quite good and entirely watchable. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi

Cast

• Vivien Leigh - Wanda
• Leslie Banks - Keith Durrant
• Laurence Olivier - Larry Durrant
• Francis L. Sullivan - Mander
• Hay Petrie - John Aloysius Evan

Esme Percy - Henry Walenn; Robert Newton - Tolly; Victor Rietti - Antonio; Morris Harvey - Alexander MacPherson; Meinhart Maur - Carl Grunlich; Elliot Mason - Frau Grunlich; David Horne - Beavis; William Dewhurst - Lord Chief Justice; Muriel George - Mother; Fred Groves - Barnes; Lawrence Hanray - Solicitor; Frederick Lloyd - Swinton; Wallace Lupino - Father; Aubrey Mallalieu - Magistrate; John Warwick; Arthur Young - Asher

Credit

Vincent Korda - Art Director, Basil Dean - Associate Producer, Basil Dean - Director, Charles Crichton - Editor, William W. Hornbeck - Editor, John Greenwood - Composer (Music Score), Muir Mathieson - Musical Direction/Supervision, Jan Stallich - Cinematographer, Alexander Korda - Producer, Basil Dean - Screenwriter, Graham Greene - Screenwriter, John Galsworthy - Play Author, John Galsworthy - Short Story Author

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