This 1949 version of Oscar Wildes Lady Windermere's Fan is lovely, performed with wry wit and delicious innuendos. Madeleine Carroll plays Mrs. Erlynne brilliantly along with George Sanders as Lord Robert Darlington, together they take us back to a different era. The now elderly Mrs. Erlynne recounts memories of love , loss and a mother's sacrifice and this story is played out in flashback in Victorian era London, with Jeanne Crain as the beautiful, young Lady Margaret Windermere and Richard Greene as Lord Arthur Windermere. Martita Hunt amuses as the Duchess of Berwick, a typical gossipy, upper-class matron. This is not a classic film of Oscar Wildes classic story, but it is very thoughtfully done and this film version moves along at a pleasurable pace. I must correct a fellow reviewer, we are told the fate of Lady and Lord Windermere, early in the story Mrs. Erlynne tells Lord Darlington she has visited their grave as they were killed together in the first bombing of London during WW II. I enjoyed this story about the hypocrisy and morals during the Victorian era , and Madeleines Carroll's delightful performance I would watch again. But this is a film I encourage the reader to watch and decide for themselves.
Review of The Fan
